Mountain Biker Hits UP Train

A guy riding a mountain bike tried to beat a train and got hit, Where? Where else, Salem Oregan. The article is free to read no registration

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Reply to
Bruce Favinger
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Thats four in two weeks.

I used to work in Salem. (Twelve years). Crossed that line, walking, twice a day from where we parked the car pool to the offices twice a day.

Given the routing of the former SP mainline between Portland - Salem - Eugene- Oakridge - Klamath Falls - etc; etc; on down to Roseville and Oakland I am not surprised about the frequency of trains or the dead / injured pedestrians.

In a number of ways UP is now paying for the SP's former influence in the Oregon (and other states) legislature.

Lots of blame and responsibility to go around.

Reply to
Jim McLaughlin

Jim,

Other than the mountain biker who tried to run the train, who else can be said to have any blame or responsibility...and why?

Cheers, Bill

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Reply to
Bill Sohl

Original survey routing the line where it is; at least 5 "rebuilds" of the line since about 1920, none of which separated the grades of the line and the local streets (contrast similar situation in Tucson); state legislature not acting on several opportunities since 1945 to require grade separation; failure by SP and now UP to fence both sides of the right of way to preclude "jaywalking" in mid block, fencing would force pedestrians / bikers to cross at street corners where there are some warning gates / devices. Etc., etc., etc.

The rate of pedestrian strikes (bodies per year) along this stretch has long been the highest in the US. While I have my own opinions of the "street sense" of the average Salemite, its not just pedestrian stupidity. Both SP previously and UP now have for years fought against any changes to the right of way, even when the City of Salem or the State of Oregon were willing to pay for the costs. SOP historically has had amazing muscle in Salem, both at City Hall and at the State Capitol (which is 4 blocks west of the line.)

The number of pedestrian strikes per year has appeared to escalate substantially since the UP takeover of SP.

Reply to
Jim McLaughlin

People who cross train tracks in front of oncoming trains don't get any sympathy from me. Where's the PERSONAL responsibilty for one's own stupid behavior? Might as well fence off all major roads highways to keep pedestrians from taking shortcuts too. God forbid we think the average Joe or Jane should ever assume personal responsibility.

Cheers, Bill

legislature

separation;

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Reply to
Bill Sohl

Give me a f'n break. It is the bikers fault: 100%. Lawyers may have fun with the UP coverups (separate issue), but if you don't look out for the train, tough. Darwin wins another round.

Ed

in article BlkKc.12991$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr23.news.prodigy.com, Bruce Favinger at snipped-for-privacy@swbell.net wrote on 7/17/04 6:26 PM:

Reply to
Edward A. Oates

He didn't die.

Reply to
Mark Mathu

Then maybe he'll only pass on temporary benefits: he and his family will remember the incident and be more careful in the future. But it is also likely that his attorney (he is suing UP, the manufacturer of the track, the people who made the ties, the rock quarry who delivered the ballast, the horn manufacturer, and the physics professor who failed to tell him about momentum, right?) will profit and be able to afford more kids. Oh well.

Ed

in article bJyKc.29306$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com, Mark Mathu at snipped-for-privacy@mathu.com wrote on 7/18/04 10:48 AM:

Reply to
Edward A. Oates

It is too early to say anything on that.

Reply to
Mark Mathu

It must be something of the sort, because a UP line running through West Milwaukee, Milwaukee, and West Allis (out to Butler) has substantial portions running through neighborhoods, park-like areas, and small-industrial parks. To my knowledge there are almost zero fatalities along this stretch (about 3-4 miles) and fairly frequent trains. The last one I remember was 3-4 years ago when some guy knelt in front of a train, obviously "suicide by train".

Something about those big yellow locos draws them like moths to a light, eh?

Jay Americans have the best legislature money can buy. Unfortunately it's corporate money.

Reply to
JCunington

Honorable mention then.

Jay Americans have the best legislature money can buy. Unfortunately it's corporate money.

Reply to
JCunington

He didn't try to cross in front of a train, either. 8^)

Reply to
Brian Paul Ehni

Ah, I see. Only an honorable mention, then.

Reply to
Brian Paul Ehni

No, but see

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for some examples of what people will feel entitled to...

Don't bother to reply via email...I've been JoeJobbed.

Reply to
Jeff Sc.

Glad to see that even though you have ZERO knowledge of the actual physical layout of the line through Salem, your lack of any empirical knowledge won't deter you in the slightest from displaying and demonstrating both your ignorance and your ideological blindness.

It would have cost SP in the past years and UP in the past month less to fence then the RR will spend defending the lawsuits.

Instead, the rr continues its foolishness, and guarantees more costs for it down the road.

Intelligent management would have dealt with the fencing issue years ago, so as to stop the RR's bleeding from lawsuit defense costs.

-- Jim McLaughlin

Please don't just hit the reply key. Remove the obvious from the address to reply.

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Reply to
Jim McLaughlin

Say what? Darwin died in 1882 (but not, AFAIK, from being hit by a train)

Note: :^).

-- Kizhe (suppressing the urge to x-post to talk.origins)

Reply to
Lieutenant Kizhe Katson

"Mark Mathu" wrote

Maybe he didn't expire at the scene but what do you suppose his chance of recovery is?

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If there was ever a case of "Do you want to see how stupid I can be?", this was it. As a twenty-year-old, I'd have to assume this idiot was also a licensed driver. Being a parent how would you feel if his "poor judgment" while driving a car had killed your child?

Jim McLaughlin can take his opinion on this one and shove it!

Reply to
Curious

None; he died late Sunday night.

Reply to
Mark Mathu

His passage may prevent litigation then. Given American legal standards, is the manufacturer of the bicycle at fault?

Reply to
oztrainman

That may well be un-knowable, but if the implied question is, "can the manufacturer of the bicycle be sued?" then the answer is yes.

Reply to
John Miller

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