Senator demonstrates irony at Milford

[talltim]

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Richard Blumenthal was standing close to the platform edge during a speech by Milford Mayor Ben Blake, when a train hurtled past, disturbing a diagram.

The Connecticut Democrat called the news conference after announcing a $552,000 fine for Metro-North Railroad over "shameful" safety violations.

[DutchRailnut]

having camera's aimed at him, did not make Senator Windbag any safer

[Bill D]

It was a great photo op for the senator. He received national media attention, and can now brag that he put his own life at risk to make us "safe".

Bill

[truck6018]

It would be nice to see Amtrak's silent witness' point of view.

[Trainer]

It's nice to see Mr. Blumenthal moving up in the world, so it's appropriate that he was almost clipped by an Amtrak train instead of a lowly Metro-North commuter set.

But he was never in any real danger - his Vietnam combat experience trained him to quickly dodge out of the line of fire, even as he ignores the safety line on the platform.

[ThirdRail7]

Classic! I'm surprised someone didn't call for "talking yellow" lines.

[Noel Weaver]

This event made the NBC Nightly News here in Florida Monday evening. Connecticut and New York both have "windbags" in the US Senate. Lucky you. Nothing much more than just a lot of talk (hot air).
Noel Weaver

[Clean Cab]

The funniest thing about this incident was the engineer of the Amtrak train reported him to the dispatcher, so the person who operates the PA console in NY began making announcements on the Milford platform urging him to stand back from the edge of the platform. The senator had not informed either MN or CDOT that he would be on the property giving a press conference, and it almost cost him dearly.

[runningwithscalpels]

Really? This story just keeps getting better!

[lirr42]

The senator had not informed either MN or CDOT that he would be on the property giving a press conference, and it almost cost him dearly.

Hmmm... were did I read that there was a rule someplace that said that commercial photography without prior permission from the MTA was illegal... Oh, that's right! The railroad's photo policy.

Dispatch the MTA Police!

[DutchRailnut]

NY regulations do NOT apply in CDOT territory.

[lirr42]

NY regulations do NOT apply in CDOT territory.

Then where's ConnDOT's photo policy?

[NH2060]

The senator had not informed either MN or CDOT that he would be on the property giving a press conference, and it almost cost him dearly.

If that is indeed the truth would it really have made any difference had he given them a heads up? His standing where he was is what could have cost him, not the fact that Track 4 was open to rail traffic at the time. If he (and the easel) had only moved several feet or so away from the platform edge this would never have made the news.

I sure hope for his own sake (and that of anyone tempted to stand that close to the edge) that he's learned his lesson. The "vacuum effect" above a certain speed can really knock your socks off; Kingston, RI when the Acela blows through @ 150mph for example!

[The EGE]

NY regulations do NOT apply in CDOT territory.

Then where's ConnDOT's photo policy?

They don't seem to have any photo policy online, though I've had zero problems shooting a handheld camera from SLE platforms. The conductors have never been anything but friendly when I've been doing so.

[Clean Cab]

The senator had not informed either MN or CDOT that he would be on the property giving a press conference, and it almost cost him dearly.

If that is indeed the truth would it really have made any difference had he given them a heads up? His standing where he was is what could have cost him, not the fact that Track 4 was open to rail traffic at the time. If he (and the easel) had only moved several feet or so away from the platform edge this would never have made the news.

I sure hope for his own sake (and that of anyone tempted to stand that close to the edge) that he's learned his lesson. The "vacuum effect" above a certain speed can really knock your socks off; Kingston, RI when the Acela blows through @ 150mph for example!

The speed on track 4 at Milford is only 60 MPH, so there was little risk of him being sucked under the train.