woman on cell phone struck by CSX train

A young woman was talking on her cell phone and was struck and killed by a csx freight train in Newark, De., yesterday. The victim was apparently distracted by her phone conversation and failed to notice the approaching train as she walked in front of it at a road crossing.

Mm, another person doing something very stupid, and things turn out for the worst. Sad story, but there's alot of things like this that happen that aren't reported. Quick question, though.. I heard that engineers get a few weeks off when things of this nature happen, for phsycological reasons, is it true? And, just who's job is it to clean the remains off the track, assuming there's anything left?

The human gene pool does have a self-cleaning mode, no matter how much other people try to protect folks from themselves.

There was agreat article earlier this week in the Washington Post (lead on cover page) about the mental stress on engineers who strike people.

The mental stress can be extreme. But I think we should reward a train crew for doing their job and surviving a "DARWIN", incident.

As to who cleans off the remains, its usually the local fire department/ rescue squad that does the job. They collect up what they can of the deceased, turn it over to the coroner, then hose off any residue. Unfortunatly they don't get everything, I found a tooth IN the end sheet of a Septa SL-IV and a hoop ear ring on the grab iron after a fatality.

how do you not hear the train horn? I can hear a train horn from like the next town over, and even further depending on where you are.

You'd be surprised how distracted people can be---especially where cellphones are involved! I betcha you might think you can't get run over by a car being shoved ahead slowly along! A loaded car can roll by and you won't see or hear it, especially at night and in the yards. Many a time I have been booking cars in a dark yard only to have a gon come past me on adjacent track, and I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT UNTIL IT WAS ON TOP OF ME! It was always a chilling experience and a reminder to "expect movement on ANY track, at ANY time, in ANY direction!!!!" People get distracted, unfortunately.
GF

It's all the engineer's fault, he shoud've steered the train out of the way of the helpless innocent woman who was in an obviously super-important conversation with someone.

Joking aside, as I've stated before, I have absolutely no sympathy for pedestrians that get hit by trains, it's not like the tracks are invisible, and even where they're set in pavement, there's still the big long gate with the flashing lights and the bell that should give it away.

Dumbass

This incident obviously calls for a law suit. I suggest that everybody who was harmed, victim's family, the traumatized fire department, rescue squad, horrified eyewitnesses, train crew and, above all CSX for time loss, vigorously pursue a suit of the cell phone manufacturer for not providing warning labels on the phone about the potential dangers of distracted phone conversations. I also believe that in order to be made whole eveybody also go after the network provider for also not providing such admonitions in their customer contracts. Both manufacturer and provider undoubtedly have deep pockets and justice, equity and greed demand an action.

kevikens wrote:This incident obviously calls for a law suit. I suggest that everybody who was harmed, victim's family, the traumatized fire department, rescue squad, horrified eyewitnesses, train crew and, above all CSX for time loss, vigorously pursue a suit of the cell phone manufacturer for not providing warning labels on the phone about the potential dangers of distracted phone conversations. I also believe that in order to be made whole eveybody also go after the network provider for also not providing such admonitions in their customer contracts. Both manufacturer and provider undoubtedly have deep pockets and justice, equity and greed demand an action.

But you and I both know that only CSX will be sued for operating that big, bad train that killed the blameless little angel that had her mind and attention miles away over the radio waves.

maybe they should sue the road builders cause they knew when they built it there was a chance someone could some how have an assident on that very road! all the nerve!

she was playing with her ipod not cell phone.

Regardless of the situation, it's just like a deer jumping in front of your car. There's no way you stop in time. Even if you slam on your brakes, you'll still skid forward for some length. A train no way could stop in time. Even a train crawling by at almost no speed will still lurch forward a bit after jamming on brakes. This is a terrible situation, and we're told not to be distracted when we drive and I guess the same applies to walking.