Senator demonstrates irony at Milford

runningwithscalpels wrote:Don't quote me on it, but I believe the Amtrak ones trigger about a mile out.

That sounds about right. If not that then 3/4 of a mile or so. To add to that the Kingston station has an additional announcement made (either by the station agent or pre-recorded) for the Acela Express as the station is in 150mph territory.

deathtopumpkins wrote:

DutchRailnut wrote:If someone is to dumb to stay clear of yellow line, you really think a announcement will make them smarter ??? Really ???

It won't make them smarter, but it might make them think. In Senator Blumenthal's case such an announcement might have made someone there, be it one of the politicians or the camera crew or whoever, think to double-check that they aren't too close to the edge, since they know a train is coming.

It's just an extra precaution for people who might not be looking to see if a train is approaching.

Having those "train approaching…yellow line" announcements @ the New Haven Line stations is completely unnecessary. With all the trains that pass through and stop at those stations there would be an announcement every 5-10 minutes at least.

Plus keep in mind just about all of the stations on the Shore Line that have those announcements made have almost entirely low level platforms where it's extremely dangerous to be standing over the yellow line. And to add to that the max track speed at most stations east of New Haven -low or high level- are much higher than 60mph (Guilford, Clinton, Old Saybrook, Westerly, Kingston, Mansfield, Canton Jct., Readville, etc.)

At some point a degree of common sense HAS to come into play. A yellow line is nothing foreign to the average person so why do we need to "over-parent" the general public?

deathtopumpkins wrote:No one proposed the railroad become a "babysitter" though. Just that auditory announcements might be helpful. And it's not like installing a few speakers, some computer software, and either a track circuit or link into the signalling system or however they'd do it would even be that expensive.

For each and every station? That doesn't exactly sound cheap.

And I'm sure blind patrons would appreciate the announcements as well. Yes there are tactile warning strips, but having an active system as well couldn't hurt.

How many blind people have fallen off a platform though? They're VERY good at using their other senses to figure out where they're going. And IIRC all New Haven Line stations are ADA compliant/accessible. The new and expanded SLE stations even more so with their elevators and overhead walkways.

Clean Cab wrote:

NH2060 wrote:

Clean Cab wrote: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.

How unfortunate.

Too bad it wasnt a certain NY senator who likes a camera!