Busjack Posted May 12, 2016 Report Share Posted May 12, 2016 16 minutes ago, artthouwill said: He thought he was crashing a party. Or maybe he was already on Wild Turkey (101 proof). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted May 13, 2016 Report Share Posted May 13, 2016 8 hours ago, Busjack said: I'm surprised that the turkey was able to waddle off the bus, instead of being smashed to bits or becoming Ben Franklin's dinner. Must be a pretty hearty bird. It's size must have saved it, but it sounded like it was injured. First they shooed it off the bus and then later shooed it again on the highway. The animal rights activists probably won't like this story because it sounds insensitive but it is what it is. Over here in Dunning, we had a great dane dog get hit, I saw this. The dog just spun around and then he stared down the driver of the car. He got hit in the pelvic area. Didn't even effect the dog. I thought maybe he was going to go bite the driver, but he just ran off. I was LMAO though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted May 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 We have a Darwin Award winner for May 25, 2016!!! Freight Train strikes pedestrian away from a Metra station in Chicago Ridge, not near it.... what the heck he/she was doing on the tracks there is a mystery..... http://abc7chicago.com/news/pedestrian-struck-metra-delayed-between-chicago-ridge-oak-lawn/1355253/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted May 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 12 minutes ago, sw4400 said: We have a Darwin Award winner for May 25, 2016!!! Freight Train strikes pedestrian away from a Metra station in Chicago Ridge, not near it.... what the heck he/she was doing on the tracks there is a mystery..... http://abc7chicago.com/news/pedestrian-struck-metra-delayed-between-chicago-ridge-oak-lawn/1355253/ On this subject, anyone think this'll stop the other Darwin Award winners who just can't wait for the Metra/Amtrak or Freight Train to go through the crossing??? http://metrarail.com/metra/en/home/utility_landing/newsroom/newsroom/illinois-legislature-passes-bill-doubling-fines-for-drivers-who-.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 38 minutes ago, sw4400 said: We have a Darwin Award winner for May 25, 2016!!! Freight Train strikes pedestrian away from a Metra station in Chicago Ridge, not near it.... what the heck he/she was doing on the tracks there is a mystery..... http://abc7chicago.com/news/pedestrian-struck-metra-delayed-between-chicago-ridge-oak-lawn/1355253/ So what is a "medical emergency" on the CTA is a "Darwin Award" on Metra? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 6 hours ago, sw4400 said: We have a Darwin Award winner for May 25, 2016!!! Freight Train strikes pedestrian away from a Metra station in Chicago Ridge, not near it.... what the heck he/she was doing on the tracks there is a mystery..... This is a picture I took at the Ridgeland Ave crossing in Chicago Ridge a few years ago. The signal tower and shanty in the background looks to be the same spot shown in the news photo. The Metra tracks cross the freight tracks between the signal tower and where the people are. I guess the person today was hit by a freight train which stopped and blocked the Metra tracks here. In this picture, the freight train in the background is actually stopped waiting for the Metra to go across (which I almost missed because I hung around here too long hoping to get a good photo). 6 hours ago, sw4400 said: On this subject, anyone think this'll stop the other Darwin Award winners who just can't wait for the Metra/Amtrak or Freight Train to go through the crossing??? Only if they know about it. They should put up some signs at crossings that say "Fines Doubled for Driving Around Gates". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 6 minutes ago, Pace831 said: Only if they know about it. They should put up some signs at crossings that say "Fines Doubled for Driving Around Gates". The dead don't pay fines, and probably don't care even if the fine were a charge against the estate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 32 minutes ago, Busjack said: The dead don't pay fines, and probably don't care even if the fine were a charge against the estate. But people who drive around gates essentially don't think they will die. The risk of having to pay might seem greater to them than the risk of being hit by the train. Getting caught once could make the consequences seem more realistic, and deter future risky behavior. Pages 67-69 of this PDF explains drivers' risk assessment at crossings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 10 hours ago, Pace831 said: But people who drive around gates essentially don't think they will die. The risk of having to pay might seem greater to them than the risk of being hit by the train And I bet that 90% of the Metra deaths are either suicide or trespassing. Note, this one was not the couple of crossing accidents on Pulaski, but "a pedestrian." There are plenty of Project Lifesaver signs and the like that if someone is stupid enough to go around the gates, money isn't their primary concern. Are they going to have a cop at every crossing, or is this contemplated to be another red light camera money making proposition? The bottom line is again the legislature can't take care of the state's business, so it does something to give the illusion that it does something. Maybe it should enhance life sentences without parole for people who murder with guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strictures Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 10 hours ago, Pace831 said: But people who drive around gates essentially don't think they will die. The risk of having to pay might seem greater to them than the risk of being hit by the train. Getting caught once could make the consequences seem more realistic, and deter future risky behavior. Pages 67-69 of this PDF explains drivers' risk assessment at crossings. I read the reasons in the PDF, but I noticed years ago, that there were two groups not mentioned in the studies, that were consistently involved in getting hit by trains. The first group were the elderly that constantly ignored the crossing gates on Oakton St. for the Skokie Swift. The second was cars full of teens, who also ignored crossing gates & warning lights & bells all over the country. I'm guessing the elderly just were confused by everything at the intersection of Oakton & Skokie Blvd. & then just drove across the tracks, breaking the gates. That's why the CTA stores extra gates on scene, for immediate replacement. As for the cars with teens, it must be that so much is going on in the car, the driver is doing too many things other than driving to heed the warnings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 1 hour ago, Busjack said: And I bet that 90% of the Metra deaths are either suicide or trespassing. Looking through the FRA accident statistics for 2015 in Illinois*, I can't check the validity of that statistic, as suicide and trespassing are not mutually exclusive. I did find out that: There were 21 grade crossing fatalities There were 16 trespasser fatalities There were 32 suicides and one suicide attempt The "suicide by train" rate in Illinois is dramatically higher than the national rate, attributed to the state having more railroads and easier access to them. *I chose Illinois rather than Metra because the latter would only include tracks owned by Metra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 10 hours ago, Pace831 said: Looking through the FRA accident statistics for 2015 in Illinois*, I can't check the validity of that statistic, as suicide and trespassing are not mutually exclusive. I did find out that: There were 21 grade crossing fatalities There were 16 trespasser fatalities There were 32 suicides and one suicide attempt The "suicide by train" rate in Illinois is dramatically higher than the national rate, attributed to the state having more railroads and easier access to them. *I chose Illinois rather than Metra because the latter would only include tracks owned by Metra. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Metra is a rail company. They own the locomotives and railcars, but the tracks and crossings used for all Metra Lines are owned by either UP(Union Pacific) or BNSF(Burlington Northern Santa Fe), both of which are Freight hauling companies which share the tracks with Metra at certain points on the lines(hence why there are delays due to "Freight Train activity") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 4 minutes ago, sw4400 said: Correct me if I'm wrong, but Metra is a rail company. They own the locomotives and railcars, but the tracks and crossings used for all Metra Lines are owned by either UP(Union Pacific) or BNSF(Burlington Northern Santa Fe), both of which are Freight hauling companies which share the tracks with Metra at certain points on the lines(hence why there are delays due to "Freight Train activity") Apparently Metra owns some track too. The MD-W and MD-N lines are on Metra owned tracks as far as I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 1 hour ago, sw4400 said: Correct me if I'm wrong, but Metra is a rail company. They own the locomotives and railcars, but the tracks and crossings used for all Metra Lines are owned by either UP(Union Pacific) or BNSF(Burlington Northern Santa Fe), both of which are Freight hauling companies which share the tracks with Metra at certain points on the lines(hence why there are delays due to "Freight Train activity") UP and BNSF lines have "purchase of service" contracts where the track is owned by the freight companies, and Metra trains are operated by UP/BNSF employees. Milwaukee District, Rock Island, and Electric are owned and operated by Metra. Southwest Service is leased from Norfolk Southern. Metra is responsible for maintaining the track as part of the lease agreement. North Central and Heritage Corridor are owned by Canadian National. Metra must pay CN for the right to operate on their tracks. Proposed service expansions on these lines have not been allowed by CN. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 15 hours ago, Busjack said: And I bet that 90% of the Metra deaths are either suicide or trespassing. Note, this one was not the couple of crossing accidents on Pulaski, but "a pedestrian." You would be surprised alot of them are just accidents or rail incursions (but I guess that could be labeled as trespassing) People just fall in front of the trains or get swept up by them. Some trains are sneaky like last week on the Milw west line an express came through and not 15 seconds later another express came through. now if you would have had an antsy pedestrian that's a fatality. Metra even changed it's procedures after the River Grove incident with the young boy (on my youtube videos) who did exactly that and ran not into the arms of his relative but into death. Metra after that made express trains stop if a local is letting off passengers because there is a danger as the passengers are between the gates and could walk right in front of a train. On the CTA beat since I've been spying the Kimball yard, i walk past there sometimes 3 times a week, and use the spaulding entrance you should see all the pedestrians crossing under downed gates. It's like one or two whenever I get caught by the train there which is quite a bit in the rush. i even thought that if they could follow up on these riders and get a ventra identity attached to them, CTA could make alot of money on fines, but the city would probably be the ones cashing in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 10 hours ago, BusHunter said: You would be surprised alot of them are just accidents or rail incursions (but I guess that could be labeled as trespassing) People just fall in front of the trains or get swept up by them. Some trains are sneaky like last week on the Milw west line an express came through and not 15 seconds later another express came through. now if you would have had an antsy pedestrian that's a fatality. Metra even changed it's procedures after the River Grove incident with the young boy (on my youtube videos) who did exactly that and ran not into the arms of his relative but into death. Metra after that made express trains stop if a local is letting off passengers because there is a danger as the passengers are between the gates and could walk right in front of a train. If that policy is true, I've seen it violated plenty of times. Not to mention that the freights don't have to stop. Once at Elmwood Park, a woman had just gotten off the train and was waiting for it to pass on the closest track. As soon as the end of the train cleared the crossing she started to walk, not seeing the express coming down the third track because the first train blocked her view around the curve. I was sure the train was going to hit her but she finally saw it while crossing the middle track, so she ran the rest of the way across, missing death by less than 5 seconds. That's why you wait for the gates to go up before crossing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 ABC News video of an intercity bus driver watching streaming video while driving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Couple of more stories from around the nation about various run-ins with Bus Operators courtesy of YouTube.... Pedestrian saying he was almost hit by MTA(LA) Bus Operator *Graphic Language Warning* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Another confrontation with an MTA(LA) Bus Operator. This time an elderly passenger seemed irate over something, but wouldn't divulge it, just saying it happened when he first boarded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Passenger flipping out on MTA(NY) Bus Operator. *Graphic Language Warning* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 The NICE Bus that could(not). Ex-MTA Bus just kept dying out until it finally died in the most inconvenient spot.... Orion V CNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 7 minutes ago, sw4400 said: Passenger flipping out on MTA(NY) Bus Operator. *Graphic Language Warning* It was in Queens (home of Archie Bunker and Donald Trump), so what does one expect? Didn't quite have the accent down, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strictures Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 54 minutes ago, Busjack said: It was in Queens (home of Archie Bunker and Donald Trump), so what does one expect? Didn't quite have the accent down, though. The first thing I noticed about him were all the hospital bracelets on his arms. Obviously he had been brought into some ER when he went off a few days earlier & was released because someone thought he was fine while taking his meds in the hospital. He wasn't taking them after he got out. I saw a female go nuts on a SB 22 about a month ago, She was already crazed while waiting at Rogers & the driver forced her off at Lunt. Rambling about all sorts of conspiracies. Just more fun days in the big city! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 There are various stories today about whether Pres. Obama threw Rahm under the bus. Didn't say if it was a SEPTA Nova Bus LFS 62, though. (from SEPTA.ORG). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 1 hour ago, Busjack said: There are various stories today about whether Pres. Obama threw Rahm under the bus. Didn't say if it was a SEPTA Nova Bus LFS 62, though. (from SEPTA.ORG). Probably cause the democrats know he's done. He needs some magical talents to win the next election. It probably will be open season when election day does come. Usually the sharks all circle the wounded prey in the ocean. Ironically it may not be rahm that foils there plans but each other because it will be a fight to the finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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