Carriages from train that jumped rails are righted

A FORMAL investigation could be launched into how a passenger train came off the rails in a Todmorden tunnel.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is conducting a preliminary examination at Summit Tunnel, Walsden, where the First TransPennine Express train came off the tracks in the early hours of Tuesday with 45 passengers and two crew aboard.

A spokesman from the Department for Transport said: "Officers have been to the scene and based on the findings of their examination they may choose to investigate."

The 12.38am service from Manchester Airport to York hit a block of ice, reportedly the size of a car, before the first of three carriages jumped the track and veered into the tunnel wall.

The ice is believed to have fallen from an air vent.

British Transport Police said it would be working alongside the investigation branch.

It is believed the ice fell from an air vent in the tunnel roof. The line was shut for almost 23 hours.

The carriages were righted using a piece of equipment known as a bruff just before 1.30pm. The line reopened at 11pm.

The day's services had already been hit by a conductors' strike but were back to normal yesterday.

Story provided by: halifaxcourier.co.uk

New Court Date for Case Against Network Rail and Jarvis Rail

Network Rail and Jarvis Rail, the maintenance company, are due to appear in court on a new date over the Potters Bar train crash that happened in 2002. The firms are facing health and safety charges in the case, which was brought by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). The case was suppose to go in front of magistrates on January 7, but the regulator says the proceedings will start on February 21 in Hertfordshire instead.

In the May 10, 2002 incident, 7 people died when a West Anglia Great Northern express train from London to King’s Lynn derailed – one of the deaths was a pedestrian. Jarvis Rail, which was contracted to maintain the section of track where the derailment occurred, went into administration this past March. The ORR said on Wednesday that the company’s administrators provided the essential consent to allow them to proceed with the criminal case against the company.

Overall responsibility for the track has rested with Railtrack, whose functions weren’t taken over by Network Rail until October 2002. After an inquest into the disaster, which occurred earlier this year, the ORR said that they were going to prosecute the rail operator and maintenance company under a section of the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act. A report from the Health and Safety Executive said that poor maintenance was the cause of the accident.

Many people welcome the proceedings. Transport Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) union leader Gerry Doherty said in November, when the announcement was made, that they will finally find who is responsible for the tragedy.

Man narrowly escapes train accident in Reno County

 

(RENO COUNTY, Kan) — 

 

A Hutchinson man is hospitalized after running his truck into a parked train late Tuesday. It happened in the 800 block of South Kent Road. 

  Authorities say 30-year-old Samuel Gress was driving north in the area just before 9:00, but didn't see the train stopped on the tracks. The train then started moving, dragging the truck with Gress inside along.

Authorities say Gress was able to escape through the back window of his truck, then walked to a nearby residence where he made contact with the homeowner and collapsed. Gress was taken to the hospital.

The train continued eastbound until notified that sparks were seen coming from one of the cars. Deputies found the train nearly five miles east of the accident location, and the truck was still stuck to the train.

Burrton Fire and members from BNSF inspected the train car and were on scene until a BNSF crew safely removed the vehicle from the train.

There were several other pieces of railroad equipment along the tracks that were damaged from the vehicle being dragged along the side of the tracks.

The crash is still being investigated and charges are possible.

MetroLink train hits stalled truck in Pagedale, service normal today

 

David Carson Wednesday December 22, 2010--Rescue personnel help guide people off of a Metrolink train that was involved in a crash just south of N. Market Street in Pagedale on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com

 UPDATE 5:45 a.m. MetroLink is running regular service this morning across both tracks at the scene of the accident yesterday, a spokeswoman said. Service was restored at 12:58 a.m. today.

PAGEDALE • Several passengers on a MetroLink train were treated for injuries after the train struck a tow truck stalled at a crossing here Wednesday.

Witnesses said the eastbound train hit the flatbed truck at the North Market crossing around 5:30 p.m. The crash did not cause the train to derail.

Metro spokeswoman Dianne Williams said she was told that the impact jostled the train's passengers but that none of the injuries appeared to be serious.

She said no one was in the truck.

"An unoccupied vehicle stalled on the tracks," Williams said. "We could not stop in time to avoid hitting it."

Ray Friem, Metro's chief operating officer of transit services, was at the crash scene Wednesday evening. He said that he didn't know how many passengers had been hurt and that the crash was still under investigation.

"I don't have any specifics yet," he said.

The MetroLink tracks between the Wellston and North Hanley stations were closed while the crash was investigated. Passengers were routed around the closed tracks by bus for several hours.

Addison Holzmeyer of Florissant said he was on the train heading to the Mizzou-Illinois basketball game at Scottrade Center when the train hit the truck.

"I felt the train stop, then we felt (the accident)," he said.

Devin Barnett, of St. Louis, who also was on the train, said windows shattered after the impact. He counted at least five people transported by ambulance to hospitals. Some, like him, signed waivers refusing treatment.

"I feel like somebody hit me," he said. "But I'm going to be all right."

The truck hit by the train had "Mr. JP Towing" on the side. No one with the firm could be reached Wednesday night.

The crash left the tow truck wedged against a pole about 200 feet south of where North Market crosses the MetroLink tracks at street level.

Barnett said the tow truck's driver was still there when passengers were allowed to exit the train.

"He said he wasn't in the truck when it got hit," Barnett said.

The crash was near the MetroLink station on St. Charles Rock Road.

 Story provided by:  stltoday.com

Friends, family remember man killed by train

Jeanne and William E. Kingrey. Man killed by a train in trenton. 

 

44-year-old Camden man was carrying gear to his job site when he was struck from behind.

TRENTON — People who know William E. Kingrey say it’s fitting he will be buried in a Cleveland Browns jersey.

Kingrey, 44, of Camden, who was fatally struck Monday morning by a CSX train in Trenton while walking to his job site, is to be buried on Christmas Eve in his Colt McCoy No. 12 jersey.

“That was his favorite player. He was excited when Texas Longhorn Colt McCoy became part of the Browns. He loved it,” said Kingrey’s pastor, the Rev. Greg Jackson of the First Southern Baptist Church in Camden.

At around 9 a.m. Monday, Kingrey, an Asplundh Tree Expert Co. worker known as “Willie” to his friends and family, was carrying a chain saw, a tree trimming pole and climbing gear as he crossed the train trestle over Elk Creek near the East State Street crossing. He was nearly clear of the south end of the trestle when he was struck from behind by the train headed from Cumberland, Md., to Cincinnati.
“He got caught on the trestle and couldn’t get off the trestle in time before he was struck,” said Trenton police Chief Tim Traud.

Clint Nigg, Butler County Coroner’s investigator, said Kingrey, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was pushed nearly 70 feet before the train stopped. Results of an autopsy performed Tuesday morning indicate Kingrey died of multiple trauma, he said. Toxicology tests were negative.

Gary Sease, a spokesman for CSX, said the train consisted of two locomotives and 40 rail cars — 18 loads of mixed freight and 22 empty containers. It was traveling an estimated 50 mph at the time of the accident, Traud said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s investigation into the accident will focus primarily on Kingrey’s employer, said Bill Wilkerson, assistant area director at OSHA’s Cincinnati office. The Asplundh Tree Expert Co. office in Richmond, Ind., declined to comment.

Kingrey will be remembered as a fun-loving husband, youngest brother of three and a friend to many, who didn’t let congenital hearing loss in both ears limit him, said his sister Nancy McMurray.
McMurray said her brother was born premature and weighed just over 2 pounds. Because of his hearing loss, Kingrey attended two schools and was a graduate of both Meadowdale and Eaton high schools. Still, he was “always happy, cuttin’ up, and if you wanted anything done, he’d try to help you do it,” McMurray, 58, of West Alexandria said.

Kingrey also was known as one of the founders of the Lake Lakengren Ski Club along with his late father, Cletus, and for his love of breakdancing and water skiing. “He could ski barefooted. He could breakdance. He just had to move,” McMurray said with a laugh.

McMurray said Kingrey didn’t wear hearing aids but got along fine without them, though others said people had to speak loudly when talking to him, she said.

Jackson, who wouldn’t speculate on whether Kingrey’s hearing loss was a factor in the accident, said his death was a shock to everyone who knew him. Services on Friday will be especially tough because of the holidays, he said.

“For some things in life there just isn’t an answer for. We just have to trust God. Some things we just don’t understand, but what we do know is that there is hope beyond the grave,” Jackson said.

Visitation is 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Girton Schmidt & Boucher Gard Funeral Home, 226 W. Main St., Eaton. Funeral is 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, with burial at Fairview Cemetery in West Alexandria.

Story provided by: oxfordpress.com

Man Hurt in Train vs. Van Accident in Stevens Point

A 76-year-old man is recovering from minor injuries after his van was hit by a train in Stevens Point Monday morning.

Story provided by: wsaw.com

Woman killed in car/train collision

BAY, AR (KAIT) – The Craighead County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene of a fatal car and train collision just south of Bay on Monday afternoon just before 5 p.m.

According to the Craighead County Sheriff's Department, the accident happened on County Line Road, just east of highway 463 just south of Bay.

Justin Rolland with the Craighead County Sheriff's Department Criminal Investigation Division tells Region 8 News that 45 year old Linette Bradsher of Trumann was killed in the incident.

Story provided by: kait8.com

Train kills man in Kansas City

Kansas City police are investigating the death of a man who was run over by a train tonight in south Kansas City.

A conductor spotted the man, who appeared to be sleeping on the tracks, but the train could not slow down in time to avoid him. The man was declared dead at the scene.

The accident occurred about a quarter mile east of Hillcrest Road on East 93rd Street near the former Bannister Mall.

Story provided by: kansascity.com

Man found dead after struck by train

TRENTON — A CSX train struck a man at a railroad crossing this morning, Dec. 20.

Officials said the man is dead and the accident took place at the crossing on East State Street near Burke Street in Trenton.

Emergency crews responded at about 9:08 a.m. and called Butler County coroner to the scene.

Officials have not released the man’s name or determined why the man was on the railroad tracks but said he is a tree trimmer for Asplundh Tree Expert Co.

Story provided by: middletownjournal.com

Calif. Amtrak train accident kills 3 men in Commerce

Commerce, CA– An Amtrak train hit and killed three men who were walking along the train tracks on Monday, December 13, 2010. The accident occurred around 9:00 p.m., in the 6700 block of Telegraph Road, as reported by KTLA.

Officials reported that the Amtrak train was en route from San Diego to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, when the conductor of the train spotted the men on the train tracks, prompting him to apply the brakes in an effort to stop the train. The train, which was transporting 125 people, couldn’t stop in time and struck the three men.

L.A. County fire crews and the L.A. County Sheriff’s homicide detectives rushed to the scene, where they pronounced the men, who are said to be in their mid-20s, dead.

Investigator’s preliminary reports indicated that the victims may have been walking on the train trestle, which crosses over Telegraph Road, when they were fatally struck.

A full investigation into the train accident is currently underway.

Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for California train accident lawyers.

Story provided by: justicenewsflash.com

One year later: Train accident survivor speaks

SPRINGFIELD TWP. (WTVG) -- It was the moment when everything changed forever.

Two Springfield high school students, running late to school, try to beat a fast-moving train. Neither made it across the tracks.

Now, one year to the day later, their families sat down with 13abc.

Brianna Mullinger, 17, tries not cry as she talks about her best friend, Cody Brown. "He was the most loyal honest friend, in the world. We never fought. I'm not even going to look for someone else like him 'cause there is no one else out there."

After the accident, Bri was in hospital for three weeks with a shattered pelvis, broken hips and a severe leg injury that resulted in amputation. Cody was killed instantly.

Cody's parents told us, "It will never go away. You just learn to accept it a little bit. That's all we can do."
Jeff and Jodi Brown visit Cody's gravesite frequently, where they often run into some of Cody's many friends and find keepsakes they leave behind.

In October, Cody's friends and family held a memorial run in his honor. Because Cody was a baseball player, his family chose to donate all of the money raised to the high school's baseball program.
As for Bri, she says she feels good, but needs another surgery and through fundraisers, her family is still trying to raise money for a prosthetic leg.

Bri's mother Teri says, "Without insurance, it's around $50,000 for the kind of leg she wants, the kind appropriate for a young person."

All say they constantly think about that tragic day one year ago, but they're working on getting back to a normal way of life and say they're getting closer everyday.

The Ohio department of transportation is now closer than ever when it comes to building a way for vehicles to travel over those tracks on McCord road and possibly a safer way for pedestrians.

Although $13.3 million has been designated for that railroad grade separation project, it could take several years before it's complete.

Story provided by: abclocal.go.com

Pedestrian hit by light rail train in Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) — Authorities say a pedestrian has been transported to a hospital after being struck by a light rail train near downtown Phoenix.

Officials with Metro light rail say details are sketchy, but the accident occurred around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday near the McDowell Road station.

Metro officials say they have no information on the gender of the pedestrian or the extent of the person's injuries.

Phoenix police and fire department officials are at the scene to investigate the accident.

It's at least the second light rail accident in recent weeks involving a pedestrian in Phoenix.

On Nov. 29, a 56-year-old man was injured when he reportedly ran across Central Avenue against the signal trying to get to the Indian School Road platform in time to get on the train when he was struck.

Story provided by: fox11az.com

Police: NJ man caused fires, train crash

 

 

HAMILTON TWP., N.J. - December 16, 2010 (WPVI) -- A 19-year-old is accused of starting two fires, stealing a car and causing a train accident in Mercer County, New Jersey.

Karl Heisler of Nottingham Way in Hamilton Township was already in police custody on an unrelated matter when he was charged with these crimes.

Heisler is charged with burglarizing and setting fire to Vincent's Pizza in Hamilton back on May 3rd. Police say Heisler broke the glass of the main entrance with a crow bar and set fire to the top of a second floor staircase.

Then, on October 29th, police say Heisler set fire to numerous rolls of carpeting inside Spierstein's Paint Store at 2021 Notthingham Way.

Heisler is also accused of taking the keys to a Toyota Scion at J&S Auto House at 2006 Nottingham Way, stealing the vehicle from the lot, and leaving it on the train tracks near the Hamilton Train Station where it was struck by a train.

Heisler is being held on the new charges in lieu of $150,000 bail.

Story provided by: abclocal.go.com

3 killed in train accident in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, Dec 14 (PTI) At least three people were killed today when an Amtrak train struck a group of people walking on the tracks in Commerce, authorities said.

The conductor of the train spotted three people on the tracks in Commerce.

A Los Angeles County sheriff''s deputy Jeff Gordon said the conductor applied the brakes, but could not stop the train in time, Fox News reported.

Authorities initially reported two men were struck and pronounced dead at the scene and the third person was missing.

The third victim was found later, it said.

Gordon says homicide detectives are investigating.

Commerce is about 13 kms south of downtown Los Angeles.

The train from San Diego was en route to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.

Story provided by: news.in.msn.com

2010 sees 590 train accidents

Shahnaz Parveen

Unguarded level crossing, frequent mechanical and human failures, dilapidated rail tracks and outdated signalling system were the main reasons behind 590 rail accidents this year.

According to the Bangladesh Railway (BR) statistics, some 51 persons died while another 149 were injured in the accidents including the latest head-on collision between two trains in Narsingdi on Wednesday.

The recent train accident is considered the biggest head-on collision in ten years, BR officials said.
They said this year the number of derailments is significantly high, but the majority of the deaths occurred at unguarded and unauthorised level crossings.

As many as 53 accidents occurred this year at level crossings around the country, killing about 22 persons. Mostly, collision between road traffic and train caused the accidents. In a few incidents, pedestrians were run over by trains while they were crossing the rail track at level crossings.

The rail officials also suspect that many train accidents at level crossings especially the minor ones went unreported.

"Accident at level crossing is our major concern since we don't have any control over it," said Mohammad Shahjahan, additional director general (operations) of BR.

The ADG said, "Level crossings sprouted up without any authorisation from the railway and it is very difficult to guard them. We protested this practice many times but no one listened."

At many level crossings, the railway has not been able to provide approach warning signals and road signals, he added. At present, the country's 2855 km rail network has some 1,403 level crossings whereas only 250 level crossing gates are operated by gatemen round the clock.

In Dhaka, negligent drivers and pedestrians are making the situation even worse.

He mentioned that the railway considers activities within 50 yards of rail tracks illegal but no one listens to this warning.

Moreover, the poor condition of tracks often causes derailments.

Yesterday in Kishoreganj, a Chittagong-bound mail train derailed while coming from Bahadurabad of Mymensingh.

Railway and local sources said four compartments of the train came off the track around 3:30pm, leaving 20 people injured.

They said faults in the rail trackinadequate stone support and weak sleeper-- caused the accident.
The derailments most of the time happened on branch lines because the condition of those is worse. There were 489 derailments this year.

Though the derailments did not cause any deaths, properties of BR were damaged in the accidents, Shahjahan noted.

"Restoration of tracks is going on at many points currently," the ADG said.

About human failure, he said shortage of manpower increased workload on technical hands like locomotive masters and stationmasters and this is the reason behind human failure.

BR record shows there were eight incidents of disregarding signal this year.

In 2009, 60 people died in train accidents. Of them 51 died in collisions between train and road traffic at the level crossings. The death toll was 53 in 2008 in 893 train accidents.

On April 16, 2008, 17 people were killed and 25 others injured in a fatal accident when a Dhaka-bound intercity train rammed a passenger bus at a level crossing in Kalihati upazila of Tangail.

According to the Bangladesh Railway, around 5050 train accidents occurred in the country between 2000 and 2009.

Story provided by: thedailystar.net

Coroner: Minnesota man killed in train accident

Associated Press - December 9, 2010 5:24 PM ET 

DENVER (AP) - The Denver coroner's office has identified a man killed by a light-rail train as 19-year-old Harry Exner of Red Wing, Minn.

Exner died Tuesday when he was struck by a light-rail train southwest of downtown Denver. Police Detective John White says the accident is being investigated.

It's unclear why Exner was in the area, which is fenced off.

Regional Transportation District spokeswoman Daria Serna says Exner was trespassing on the transit district's property. She says there's clear evidence the train operator tried to stop, but couldn't.

Story provided by: kttc.com

Signal violation blamed for train crash

 

Railway workers on Thursday continue their salvage operation in Narsingdi where 14 people were killed in a head-on collision between two trains on Wednesday. Photo: StarStar Online Report

 

The preliminary findings of an investigation team revealed that the violation of signal by the drivers of Dhaka-bound Chattola Express is the main reason of the Wednesday's train accident that left at least 14 people dead in Narsingdi.

Dhaka Divisional Railway Manager Md Habibur Rahman, the chief of a four-member probe body formed by the Bangladesh Railway to investigate the train accident, told The Daily Star that during their primary investigation they found two reasons that prompted the accident.

The two reasons--Chattola Loco masters (drivers) Rafiq Uddin, 42, and Mayeen Uddin, 30, at first ignored the signal and came to loop line (branch line) from the main track and secondly they also violated the speed limit while plying on the loop line.

As per the railway rule, loco masters are permitted to ply their trains with a maximum speed of 16 km per hour. But the loco masters of the Chattola Express ran the train with a speed of 70 km per hour, Habibur added.

At least 14 people were killed and over 100 injured, as two trains --Chittagong-bound intercity Mahanagar Godhuli and Dhaka-bound Chattola Express-- collided head-on at Narsingdi rail station Wednesday afternoon.

Terming the drivers' stance as 'mysterious', Habibur said the drivers will be questioned in this regard after they regained their consciousness.

The drivers are undergoing treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital in an unconscious state.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain also termed the train accident as 'unusual'.

The committee formed by his ministry will submit probe report within 48 hours, the minister said adding that the report would be made public.

Anyone, if found responsible for the incident, will be brought to justice, he told reports at Setu Bhaban in the morning.

Meanwhile, the rescue operation was declared closed as no more body was found at Narsingdi Railway Station, the scene of the occurrence, till filing of the report around 1:00pm.

In the meantime, the rail communications on Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet routes resumed partially Wednesday night nearly five hours after the accident.

The authorities resumed train services on track No-3 since 9:00pm Wednesday while train movements on track number-1 and -2 remained suspended. The rail movements on the two tracks are expected to become normal by 3:00pm, Habibur said.

He also said all the trains plying on the routes were delayed for few hours as they were running through a single track.

Military personnel along with police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and firefighters were working on the spot to clear the routes.

Four separate committees have so far been formed to investigate the accident.

On Thursday, the Bangladesh Railway formed two separate committees--one four-member headed by Habibur Rahman and another four-member headed by Signal Training and Telecommunications chief of Dhaka.

Earlier Wednesday night, two separate committees were formed by the communication ministry and deputy commissioner (DC) of Narsingdi.

Story provided by: thedailystar.net

Train on CSX tracks strikes car, kills driver

 

By Gina Potthoff

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A woman was killed last night when her car was struck by a train on railroad tracks in Clintonville.
Columbus police were still investigating the crash late last night. It occurred about 6:30 p.m. on the CSX tracks at Cooke Road, near Indianola Avenue.

Police did not identify the woman last night.

Sgt. Brooke Wilson of the accident-investigation unit said the woman was traveling alone when her car was struck by the train. Her vehicle was thrown a distance from the railway crossing, he said.

An off-duty Columbus police officer witnessed the crash and called authorities, Wilson said.

Story provided by:  dispatch.com

Metrolink rolls out safer rail cars

Metrolink officials on Monday unveiled a fleet of "crunchable" train cars designed to absorb impact during a crash, the latest in the rail agency's efforts to improve safety in the wake of deadly accidents in 2005 and 2008.

Manufactured by South Korea-based Hyundai Rotem and assembled in the Inland Empire, the cars are the safest in the country, said Keith Millhouse, chairman of the Board of Directors for the Southern California Regional Rail Authority.

They feature energy-absorbing crush zones, retractable couplers and rear-facing passenger seats, all designed to reduce impact on riders in the event of a crash. The engineering compartment is also elevated, providing enhanced visibility, Millhouse said during an event at the Glendale Amtrak/Metrolink station.

Ten Hyundai Rotem cars will be put into operation starting next week, Millhouse said. And Metrolink plans on having 137 cars — dubbed the "Guardian Fleet" — in operation by the end of 2012 at a total cost of about $250 million.

"For our passengers to be the first in the nation to have the opportunity and peace of mind to ride in these cars is very rewarding for our board and for me," Millhouse said.

The new rail cars are part of a broader effort to enhance rail safety, including investments in automotive train-stopping technology, and a network of cameras that will capture activity in and around the trains.

Metrolink's safety record has been tarnished in recent years by several fatal crashes. In September 2008, a passenger train collided head-on with a freight train in Chatsworth, killing 25 riders and injuring 135 more. The crash was the deadliest in Metrolink history.

The engineer, Montrose resident Robert Sanchez, who died in the accident, apparently failed to yield to a red light after sending cellular text messages, according to federal investigators.

In January 2005, a Metrolink train derailed in Glendale after striking an SUV that had been left on the tracks in an aborted suicide attempt. Eleven people were killed, and scores more injured. The driver of the SUV, Juan Manuel Alvarez, is now in prison serving multiple life sentences.

The accidents, which resulted in years of litigation, were on the minds of public officials and guests who gathered at the Glendale train station Monday to take a peek inside the Hyundai Rotem train cars, part of a day-long whistle stop tour.

"It was the tragic Glendale incident in 2005 that got the board of directors of Metrolink thinking outside the box — thinking how we could make our entire system safer," said Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian, who also serves on the Metrolink Board of Directors.

City of Glendale employee Jim Walls, who rides the Metrolink train from Glendora each day, lost a close friend and work colleague Scott McKeoun in the 2005 Metrolink crash. But on Monday he said he still views the train as a safe and stress-free alternative to commuting by car.

"I have been a lifelong rail fan, so I have always enjoyed riding trains," Walls said. "It is still safer than driving yourself."

La Mirada resident Rose Bourassa said she also makes a daily commute on Metrolink to her job at Glendale-based Vege Kurl, a cosmetics manufacturing company. She uses her time on the train to relax and visit with follow passengers, she said.

"This summer alone I read two dozen books," said Bourassa, 56. "Last year at this time I was crocheting scarves for Christmas. I've got a lot of new friends from riding. My kids like me better when I get home because I am not stressed from driving in traffic."

Story provided by: glendalenewspress.com

Girl struck by train will go home soon

By Jim Woods
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Ed Matthews | Dispatch

Isatu Kanu, 16, watches television in the Ohio State University Medical Center. Her visitors are family friend Rhonda Harris, 15, left, and Isatu's mother, Mamusu.

 

Although Isatu Kanu was in a neck brace and experiencing pain in a hospital bed yesterday, she and her family know the situation could have been much worse.

Isatu, 16, was walking along a railroad track toward Olentangy Orange High School after missing her bus Friday when she was clipped by a northbound Norfolk Southern freight train south of Powell Road in Delaware County.

She has a neck fracture and 38 stitches in her right leg and is still a little woozy from a concussion. But she survived, is to be released soon from the Ohio State University Medical Center and is expected to recover fully.

"She's alive. That's the best I could ask for. God did it good," said her mother, Mamusu Kanu, 32, who was visiting her yesterday with Isatu's two younger sisters in tow.

"For a train to hit her and (her to) end up like this, you can't ask for anything else," Kanu said.

The Kanu family, who moved to this country from Sierra Leone in western Africa 10 years ago, has lived for a few weeks on Lazelle Road. The family also includes her father, Aleu Kanu, and a brother.
After missing her school bus Friday morning, Isatu didn't want to trouble her mother, who she knew was heading to work at Better Home Care on Mount Vernon Avenue in Columbus.

Isatu said she knew from riding the bus that walking along the tracks would be the fastest way to get to the high school, where she is a sophomore.

"It was my first time walking the tracks," she said.

Wearing her headphones, she walked close to the tracks, and a southbound train passed, Isatu said.
Isatu continued walking north. She had only one of her headphones on and could hear the northbound train coming behind her.

"It looked like it was going slower than usual," Isatu said. She figured she would be safe because although she had been close to the tracks the first time, the southbound train had not struck her.
Suddenly, she blacked out. "I don't remember the part of getting hit," she said.

When Isatu awoke, she saw the engineer standing over her holding a cell phone and telling her that she got hit and not to move.

Meanwhile, her mother received a phone call at work from an officer saying her daughter had been in an accident.

The officer wouldn't tell her exactly what happened.

"It was the most scary thing," Kanu said.

She thought her daughter was dead, but the officer assured her Isatu was not.

Kanu saw her daughter in the emergency room. "I was joyful, but I was crying and shaking."

On the one hand, Kanu said, she'd like to visit the crash scene with her daughter.

But on second thought, they both said, it's probably a better idea to stay away from the tracks forever.

As of yesterday, Norfolk Southern police had not charged the girl with trespassing on railroad property.
jwoods@dispatch.com

Story provided by: dispatch.com

 

Man Hit, Killed By Music City Star In Mt. Juliet

by Mark Bellinger

MT. JULIET, Tenn. - A deadly accident interrupted the ride home for folks on the Music City Star.
A man was hit and killed by one of the trains in Mount Juliet Thursday afternoon. A Metro Transit Authority official said a man walked up onto the track and laid down in front of the train in what looks like an apparent suicide.

The accident happened just before 5 p.m. The Music City Star left Riverfront Park in Nashville and was on its way to Lebanon.

The commuter train carried 76 passengers plus the crew.

The accident happened when the train approached Mt. Juliet Elementary School and the Willoughby Station neighborhood near West Division Street.

Mt. Juliet Police investigated, along with MTA.

"The engineer did everything he could to stop the train in time. Blew the whistle. The individual was between the rails," police chief Andy Garrett said.

The accident shut down the system and the MTA sent buses to pickup stranded passengers on two trains.

Another outbound train was waiting at Riverfront Park. Pam Allen was one of the passengers.
"I just called. My mom came down to pick me up in Hermitage, so I just rode out to Hermitage and then it wasn't until later we heard what happened," Allen said.

Investigators could only tell the body was that of a man.

The accident happened in an area called a quiet zone. It's near a neighborhood, so the train is supposed to slow down and not use horns or whistles.

But in this case, engineers didn't hesitate to blow the horn.

"There was ample time and warning for that person to get off the track," Chief Garrett said.

Allen said she can't imagine being the engineer on the train or the victim's family.

"I can't imagine what the person who was driving the train felt like at this point. It's got to be traumatic for them and I really, my heart goes out to them because it's just got to be hard," said Allen.

Investigators said they won't know exactly what happen until they identify the victim and talk to his family.

The Music City Star is scheduled to run on schedule Friday morning.

This is not the first time someone has been killed on the tracks of the Music City Star. A man was killed in Lebanon two years ago. He was also lying on the tracks, and police called it a suicide.

Story provided by: newschannel5.com

Former Hannibal man dies in train accident

East Peoria, IL — 

  A former Hannibal man was killed when he was struck from behind by a train Tuesday in East Peoria, Ill.

   KHQA TV reported the victim was identified as 32-year-old Karl A. Heskett of 1777 Meadow Ave. in East Peoria.

   Tazewell County Coroner Dennis Conover told the Peoria Journal Star newspaper that  Heskett apparently was walking to work on a section of track about 12:30 p.m. and didn't hear the approaching train because he was listening to an MP3 player.

   The accident happened just south of Farmdale Road near its intersection with East Washington Street.
   The Journal Star reported railroad workers told investigators they sounded the whistle of the Norfolk Southern Railroad train and rang the bell on the engine in an attempt to get Heskett's attention. The victim was bundled against the cold weather.

   An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday, but results were not immediately available.

Story provided by: hannibal.net
 

Train kills pedestrian

EAST PEORIA, Ill. — 

 

A train hit an East Peoria man Tuesday, killing the unsuspecting man as he was walking to work with his MP3 player on and his hood over his ears, according to Tazewell County Coroner Dennis Conover.

Karl A. Heskett, 32, reportedly was walking down the middle of the train tracks on his way to work when he was struck from behind by the train near Farmdale Road, Conover said. According to a statement released by Conover, Heskett was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:05 p.m. The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m.

Conover said he spoke to a friend of Heskett’s who said Heskett usually took that same route to work and played music from his MP3 player during the walk. Conover said Heskett also had his hood over his head to bundle up in the cold weather. He said he does not think Heskett knew the train was closing in on him despite the train crew blowing the whistle. He said witnesses did not see Heskett physically respond in any way to the presence of the oncoming train.

“We still don’t know exactly what happened,” Conover said. “It’s still under investigation. According to the people on the train, he didn’t turn around and didn’t know the train was close to him.”

Heskett was killed by the impact “virtually instantly,” he added.

An autopsy is scheduled for today, according to Conover. In his statement, he said the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department investigators, Illinois State Police crime scene technicians and Norfolk Southern Railroad security officers are working with the coroner’s office to investigate the incident. East Peoria Fire and Rescue also was on the scene.

An inquest into Heskett’s death will be scheduled at a later date.

Story provided by: pekintimes.com

One killed, Four injured in train accident

The train collided with a trailer which was passing through the railway crossing. PHOTO: FILE 

KOT ADDU / PUNJAB: One person was killed, while four others were injured when a train hit a vehicle near Kot Addu.


The accident occurred due to negligence on part of the railway crossing in-charge. The signal in-charge gave a green signal to Meher Express but failed to close the gates for the passing traffic. As a result, the train hit a trailer, which was passing through the railway crossing.


Those injured in the accident were shifted to Multan’s Nishtar hospital.


The in-charge for the railway crossing has been suspended.

Story provided by: tribune.com