"Death on the Lakeshore Limited" article

[mulveyr]

The title of this article in my local fish-wrapper caught my eye, especially as I just saw my wife and daughter off on the LSL on Friday: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130331/NEWS01/303310023/Troy-Zabawczuk-Amtrak-Lake-Shore-Limited

My reaction is "The only person responsible for the death is the drunk guy who apparently decided to jump on to a moving train."

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Yeah, it wont end well when you try things like that.

Just like the guy we hit in February 2011 outside of San Antonio, he was drunk and went around the crossing gates and was killed by the SL coming into San Antonio.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Anthony, you must have been getting off the train that we were waiting for in San Antonio... left Houston on time, and by the time we were at the station, they had run over the pedestrian and it ws 2 hours late. Either it was the same train,or it happens a lot in San Antonio!

 

[the_traveler]

But I still say that even if he was drunk, and they did put him off the train, why not put his 2 (unchecked carry on) bags off also? :blush: Once the LSL got to CHI, I very much doubt that they would be put on the SWC or TE fro him! :angry:

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Oregon: Well, i rode it to ELP. The guys car was crushed, he was killed instantly. I felt bad for him and and his family, but things do happen.

 

[me_little_me]

But I still say that even if he was drunk, and they did put him off the train, why not put his 2 (unchecked carry on) bags off also? :blush: Once the LSL got to CHI, I very much doubt that they would be put on the SWC or TE fro him! :angry:

There is no indication in the article that he asked about his luggage or the crew knew he had any.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I just rewatched "North by Northwest" the other day. This sounds like something that could have happened to Roger Thornhill if it had not been for the 'kindness' of Eve Kendall on the 20th Century Ltd.

And his mother would have had a thing or two to say on the matter, no doubt. :angry2:

 

[the_traveler]

While true, very few people travel without ANY luggage on a LD train!

Even if he were going from one station to the next, I would assume he would have at least a change of clothes (which would probably be in a bag). The next train eastbound from ROC is the next morning. (I have a feeling the conductor or ticket agent may have known that! :unsure:

 

[oregon pioneer]

Anthony: Hubby says it was 2010, and the casualty was a homeless person on foot. I always feel bad for the person hit, but I've also been on a train (Coast Starlight) where the person was obviously trying to get hit, either to collect disability (they were just "grazed", and got hauled off in an ambulance) or to commit suicide (in which case they did not succeed). I feel bad for the train crew as well in these cases, especially if the suicide succeeds, because they have been used as tools and put in a bad situation which they did not ask for.

 

[mulveyr]

While true, very few people travel without ANY luggage on a LD train!
Even if he were going from one station to the next, I would assume he would have at least a change of clothes (which would probably be in a bag). The next train eastbound from ROC is the next morning. (I have a feeling the conductor or ticket agent may have known that! :unsure:

I would guess that things had gotten to the point where they just wanted to get the guy off the train ASAP, and perhaps couldn't identify what luggage was his without causing a lot of commotion in the car ( the LSL is supposed to be in ROC at 11:00PM, but our experience with it is that you're more likely to see it sometime past midnight or 1:00AM and a lot of the passengers will be asleep ).

 

[your.fallen.angel80]

I saw that article as well not too long after I had booked my trip on LSL from ROC (my first train trip ever) and my first thought was "It is a known fact being that intoxicated severely impairs judgement, thus this is the result of not so great decision making."