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Close Call

MFS62 Feb 15 2014 08:45 PM

If tomorrow you read about a metro north train that hit a van, I was on that train tonight. The van had come down a hill toward a railroad crossing, couldn't stop and stalled across the tracks. (Why is it always ON the tracks? Why never before or after the tracks?) Our train came around a bend and saw them but couldn't stop in time. Nobody hurt. The van driver and passenger were trying to push the van out of the way, saw the train coming and ran. Minor damage to both the train and van - glancing blow. At first, they were thinking of sending busses for the train passengers, then sent a metro north crew to check out the train and EMTs to check out the crew and the passengers. Took about two hours, but we resumed our trip. I took the train to work today because I thought it might be dangerous driving home in snow. Who knew? Later

MFS62 Feb 16 2014 09:59 AM Re: Close Call

The pictures and story: http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/M ... 239185.php Later

metirish Feb 16 2014 10:10 AM Re: Close Call

Saw it on the news, glad no serious injuries.Metro North has had a rough few years..... Great that you are OK too you auld geezer.

MFS62 Feb 16 2014 11:09 AM Re: Close Call

Thanks, "kid". More to the story. On weekends, the Danbury branch trains don't go all the way to Grand Central. Its a shuttle between Danbury and South Norwalk. When I got on the train at South Norwalk, I recognized the conductor from when I used to regularly take the train to NYC over 10 years ago. I told him that I hadn't seen him for a while. He told me that he usually doesn't work on weekends, but because of the weather related schedule mixups, they called in extra crews. I wonder if the engineer who drove the traiin wasn't a regular, and if so, he might not have been familiar with the potential hazzards on the route. With all the scrutiny Matro North has been under recently, I'm sure we'll find out. Later

Zvon Feb 16 2014 12:42 PM Re: Close Call

Wow. Glad all is okay.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 16 2014 02:44 PM Re: Close Call

Sounds like a setup for, like, a really, really dumb train robbery. Phee-yew, though.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 16 2014 06:52 PM Re: Close Call

Saw where a car was clobbered at the Greenlawn stop of the lirr the other day ... One of my Facebook pals was a witness, said the driver was out of the car before the wreck.

Gwreck Feb 16 2014 09:05 PM Re: Close Call

Heard that was the Lake Road crossing. Scary stuff. I remember they used to tell us at school that if you were stuck in the car on the tracks, get out, and run away from the car, towards the train. (So you don't get hit by the debris flying).

Edgy MD Feb 17 2014 12:12 PM Re: Close Call

Glad you were in the train and not the van.

MFS62 Feb 17 2014 01:45 PM Re: Close Call

Thanks. We knew something was up when we heard "Emergency! Emergency! Emergency!" on the conductor's radio. "They" say that when something like this happens, you have to get back on the horse. Its supposed to snow tomorrow, so I'll be getting back on the (iron) horse. Stay tuned. Every day is an adventure. Later