2 killed on Harrisburg main line in Valley Forge Park

http://6abc.com/news/police-2-killed-by ... sia/64595/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is my usual saturday morning hangout to drink my coffee and watch some trains. I didn't go this morning. The news story says they were on the tracks taking pictures. There is a safe spot on the old station passenger loading area to take pictures from. What a shame.

Quite sad, indeed, and not a good day for railfans. I have visited Port Kennedy scores of times and have never wandered beyond the fence.

Condolences to the families. I haven't seen any identities released, hope the deceased were not any of the Delaware Valley regulars who post here or the other boards.

Don't think I'm insensitive,...... BUT..... this screws it up for the rest of us who follow COMMON SENSE and stand where we should. Is Valley Forge under the Parks Service jurisdiction or NS? Either way, we will now be observed to make sure we follow the rules.

Here's an idea. Don't stand on RR tracks. Especially a busy stretch of trackage like these where trains come around a blind curve. Would you stand in the middle of I-95 taking photos?

CNJ Fan 4evr wrote:Don't think I'm insensitive,...... BUT..... this screws it up for the rest of us who follow COMMON SENSE and stand where we should. Is Valley Forge under the Parks Service jurisdiction or NS? Either way, we will now be observed to make sure we follow the rules.

I think we all understand what you are saying....my heart sank when I heard the details for a variety of reasons.

As for jurisdiction, the immediate vicinity around the station would most likely be Park Service territory although I have also seen Upper Merion Police vehicles swing through the lot. If the station area was NS property, it would most likely be blocked off as they did with the old railfan lot at Abrams Yard. Anything beyond the platform and fence would most certainly fall under NSPD.

There are survey stakes there. You will see tall orange markers that have the words "NPS Boundary" and it appears the parking lot and station are NPS property. That section of the park (and most of the park) is in Upper Merion Township.

The 2 men killed belonged to a photography club and were originally from China. Some of their friends were there last night and talked about them.