My Morning . . .
This is a long post, you guys, because I apparently need to process my morning in writing.
Alrighty then . . .
This morning, there was an accident involving the train I was on. We hit a pedestrian.
Before I go further, here is the statement of occurrence from our local ABC News affiliate: "Officials said a female was sitting on the platform with her legs dangling and sustained injuries to one foot. She is expected to be OK."
I'm grateful that she wasn't killed, but - quite frankly - I'm surprised her legs weren't sheared off by the train.
She didn't step in front of the train, thank God.
She's not dead, thank God again.
She's just a fricking IDIOT.
You guys, what kind of a moron SITS on a train platform and DANGLES HER LEGS OFF THE SIDE??? JesusMaryandJoseph - seriously - WHO DOES THAT???
I grew up here in Chicagoland, and I can tell you that you learn train safety at an early age here - at least you used to. There are a LOT of trains here (Chicago is the railroad center of the country), and particularly in the southern suburbs there are a lot of grade crossings at street level. You learn about train safety here. I can still hear my mom admonishing me about trains. Could train safety have gone the way of cursive writing??? Do people not know any longer how to practice good train safety??
Anyway, I wondered why the engineer was laying on the horn for such a long time - he must have seen the danger and must have known he couldn't stop in time. I realized it was far too long for the usual beeps they do when there is track construction or work. And then, although I did not feel an impact (I was in the second car), I heard and felt the air brakes engage and the train juddered to a halt. I knew that something bad must have happened.
Imagine a fully loaded, six-car, express commuter train - going at a fair clip (that station was not a scheduled stop for my train) - and then imagine how long it takes for a train that long and that heavy to come to a stop. I'm telling you that engineer blared the horn continually for a very long time before the train hit her.
We sat for quite some time because the engineer and conductors had to get out of the train and meet with the first responders. Tracks had to be examined, evidence collected, etc. Eventually the local first responders allowed the train to back up partially in to the Hazelcrest station, where we were able to leave the train to reboard another inbound train. The Metra conductors and Metra police were excellent and kept everyone informed far more often than the "every 15 minutes" that are required.
I can only imagine the trauma to the engineer who was driving the train, but I can tell you first-hand that a number of passengers were emotionally upset by this incident, including the young woman I sat beside on the second inbound train who was having flashbacks to a prior accident train accident. I sat with her and listened to her, and talked her through some simple breathing exercises, and I taught her the simple use of the mudras in her index fingers and thumbs to ratchet down her anxiety, which works, BTW (if you need to know about it, leave a comment and let me know because I'm happy to share it). Thankfully these things were very helpful for her - and for me, too, truth be told.
I also checked on one other young woman who had been behind me as we switched trains and who was also visibly shaken - she was sitting near me, too, and had been watching me with the first young woman. Both these women were calmer by the time we got downtown and both thanked me for helping for them.
As we were exiting the train, the second young woman turned to me and said, "There should be more people like you in the world." I was humbled by them both. I don't think I did anything out of the ordinary, and I was glad I was able to help them ease some of their anxiety.
I was reminded of this quote from Mr. Rogers.
I was too old to have watched his show as a child, but he always had important things to say and brought comfort to a lot of kids over his years on television. It doesn't surprise me that he was an ordained Presbyterian minister.
I guess I was a helper today.
Alrighty then . . .
This morning, there was an accident involving the train I was on. We hit a pedestrian.
Before I go further, here is the statement of occurrence from our local ABC News affiliate: "Officials said a female was sitting on the platform with her legs dangling and sustained injuries to one foot. She is expected to be OK."
I'm grateful that she wasn't killed, but - quite frankly - I'm surprised her legs weren't sheared off by the train.
She didn't step in front of the train, thank God.
She's not dead, thank God again.
She's just a fricking IDIOT.
You guys, what kind of a moron SITS on a train platform and DANGLES HER LEGS OFF THE SIDE??? JesusMaryandJoseph - seriously - WHO DOES THAT???
I grew up here in Chicagoland, and I can tell you that you learn train safety at an early age here - at least you used to. There are a LOT of trains here (Chicago is the railroad center of the country), and particularly in the southern suburbs there are a lot of grade crossings at street level. You learn about train safety here. I can still hear my mom admonishing me about trains. Could train safety have gone the way of cursive writing??? Do people not know any longer how to practice good train safety??
Anyway, I wondered why the engineer was laying on the horn for such a long time - he must have seen the danger and must have known he couldn't stop in time. I realized it was far too long for the usual beeps they do when there is track construction or work. And then, although I did not feel an impact (I was in the second car), I heard and felt the air brakes engage and the train juddered to a halt. I knew that something bad must have happened.
Imagine a fully loaded, six-car, express commuter train - going at a fair clip (that station was not a scheduled stop for my train) - and then imagine how long it takes for a train that long and that heavy to come to a stop. I'm telling you that engineer blared the horn continually for a very long time before the train hit her.
We sat for quite some time because the engineer and conductors had to get out of the train and meet with the first responders. Tracks had to be examined, evidence collected, etc. Eventually the local first responders allowed the train to back up partially in to the Hazelcrest station, where we were able to leave the train to reboard another inbound train. The Metra conductors and Metra police were excellent and kept everyone informed far more often than the "every 15 minutes" that are required.
I can only imagine the trauma to the engineer who was driving the train, but I can tell you first-hand that a number of passengers were emotionally upset by this incident, including the young woman I sat beside on the second inbound train who was having flashbacks to a prior accident train accident. I sat with her and listened to her, and talked her through some simple breathing exercises, and I taught her the simple use of the mudras in her index fingers and thumbs to ratchet down her anxiety, which works, BTW (if you need to know about it, leave a comment and let me know because I'm happy to share it). Thankfully these things were very helpful for her - and for me, too, truth be told.
I also checked on one other young woman who had been behind me as we switched trains and who was also visibly shaken - she was sitting near me, too, and had been watching me with the first young woman. Both these women were calmer by the time we got downtown and both thanked me for helping for them.
As we were exiting the train, the second young woman turned to me and said, "There should be more people like you in the world." I was humbled by them both. I don't think I did anything out of the ordinary, and I was glad I was able to help them ease some of their anxiety.
I was reminded of this quote from Mr. Rogers.
I was too old to have watched his show as a child, but he always had important things to say and brought comfort to a lot of kids over his years on television. It doesn't surprise me that he was an ordained Presbyterian minister.
I guess I was a helper today.
Comments
You are a GREAT and CARING person. I'm glad you were able to help. Those individuals will always remember this experience and will someday be in a position to do the same.
I'll never understand individuals who do not respect the train! I was on the Amtrak commuter train to Milwaukee that was involved in a pedestrian accident, but unfortunately the result was a fatality. I left Chicago around 2:30 PM and arrived in Milwaukee around 10:30 PM. We had to wait for an independent investigator and photographer to arrive at the scene. No passengers could leave the train and it was a long, sad weekend for everyone on the train.
I have great respect for trains, Mack trucks and city buses! They are all bigger than me and I know they can do a whole lot of damage.
Janice H.