[Southsider2k12]

8 years and 363 days I have been a commuter on the South Shore train, but I will have to say that today will probably go down as one of the most memorable.

Today after the Ogden Dunes stop at the Lake/Porter County line road, a car either slid through the traintracks or went around the crossing guard and slid onto the tracks, but the train struck the car and instantly killed the driver. No one on the train was hurt, but the poor engineer and conductor were really shook up. The process was surreal that we had to go through. It took about 15 minutes to get emergency vehicles out there, both because of the location in the middle of the National Lakeshore, plus the horrible road conditions from the 6 inches of snow. There were a couple of doctors (or at least nurses) who were on the train and went to check on the driver, but the poor guy never had a chance. The train personel had to go through and get each person's statements (what they saw, heard-which at 5:30 am was nothing because it was dark and most people were asleep), and then the emergency workers had to go through and check on each passenger individually to make sure they were OK (pretty sure no one on board had any problems). They also had to walk up and down the tracks with flashlights inspecting the train, and looking in the snow for any damaged items that had fallen off between the impact spot, and where the train settled about a half a mile down the tracks (we were at top speed right before impact or 80 MPH).

So that was my start to the day. Just be sure to say a prayer for the family of the man in the car, and the train/safety personel who had to witness the incident and secure the scene.

[Ang]

How awful! I'm glad that it wasn't worse and if anyone had to die or be seriously injured, it was only the one person. I will remember this in my prayers.

On a different note, I'll bet we won't read about it in the ND until Friday or Saturday. If it's in tomorrows paper, I will be surprised.

[Roger Kaputnik]

I heard about it on WIMS, practically as it happened!


I am glad you are ok, SSider.


May God grant eternal rest to the driver of the vehicle, and peace to the operators of the train.

[Southsider2k12]

A day like today really gives you perspective on what is important in life.

[Ang]

I saw a little blurb about this in today's Area Brief's in the ND. I guess since it didn't happen in LaPorte Co it wasn't worth more than a cursory mention. Too bad. I hope all the rider's are dealing well with the situation.

Once, when I was a medic in the Navy, a car accident happened right in front of my eyes. We were in a military vehicle, in uniform, waiting at a red light. The right lane had no one waiting in it. Just as the light changed, a car ran the red on the cross street. At the same time, a garbage truck was coming up in the right lane. I guess he knew the light would be green any moment, so he didn't even slow down. He came past us and hit the little car that ran the red. The car rolled three times and stopped several feet along our route. Naturally, we had to stop and provide assistance (Hippocratic oath and all). We used the radio in our vehicle to call for civilian EMS and did what we could do to control the scene until EMS arrived. The poor guy in the car was killed instantly. It was pretty truamatic. The car landed on its roof/hood and the driver was suspended upside by his seatbelt. Since I was the smallest, I was elected to triage because I was the only one who get close to him. I'll spare the grisly details, suffice it to say I had nightmares for weeks.

I realized at that moment how precious life is and how quickly it can be ended.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.post-trib.com/684024,gfatal.article

Train-truck crash fatal

December 6, 2007
By Jon Seidel Post-Tribune staff writer

GARY -- A Gary man was killed early Wednesday morning trying to drive his pickup around a set of railroad gates in time to beat a commuter train bound for Chicago, police said.

Charles Jones, 59, died when a South Shore line train hit his truck at County Line Road and U.S. 12 at 5:22 a.m., according to reports from the Gary Police Department and the Lake County Coroner's office.

No one on the train was injured. However, South Shore officials said the crash delayed the train for about two hours and disrupted the system's entire rush-hour schedule.


NICTD officials wait for westbound South Shore train (not one involved in accident) to pass before removing car from tracks that was hit at County Line Road killing the driver of car early Wednesday.
(Dave Bartman/Post-Tribune)
No one on the train was injured. However, South Shore officials said the crash delayed the train for about two hours and disrupted the system's entire rush-hour schedule.

"Why people can't wait 15 seconds, I don't know," Gary Police Cpl. Agnes Roberts said.

Jones lived in the 800 block of North Wells Street in Gary, just blocks north of the accident scene, a Lake County coroner's spokesman said.

Roberts said the crossing gates were down in front of the railroad tracks when Jones, driving southbound along County Line Road, came upon them.

Jones tried to get around them, she said, but snow and ice from Tuesday night's snowfall made the railroad tracks slippery.

"He lost traction trying to get over it," Roberts said, "and he couldn't get across fast enough."

John Parsons, a spokesman for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, said the westbound train remained at the scene of the accident until about 7:30 a.m.

A service advisory on NICTD's Web site said all westbound service was suspended until that time.

"It held up our entire rush hour," Parsons said.

Contact Jon Seidel at 881-3148 or jseidel@post-trib.com

[Roger Kaputnik]

Well, SouthSider, tomorrow is your big day: How will you celebrate your 9th year riding?

[Southsider2k12]

The same way I have done it every year, get up really early, and go to work!

[Southsider2k12]

Geesh, a day after the truck accident, someone uses the train to commit suicide.

http://www.post-trib.com/news/685743,lpsuicide.article

Train hits man lying on tracks

December 7, 2007
BY STAN MADDUX Post-Tribunecorrespondent

A South Shore commuter train heading to South Bend on Thursday afternoon ran over and killed a man who had laid down on the tracks, police said.

The death is ruled an apparent suicide based on what the engineer of the train relayed to investigators, said John Parsons, spokesman for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, operators of the commuter line.

About 2:50 p.m., an eastbound train carrying 50 passengers hit the man who reportedly threw himself onto the tracks about five miles east of Michigan City, police said.

Because of the investigation at the crash site, Parsons said the train headed back to the station in Michigan City and the passengers were shifted onto a bus for the trip to South Bend.

About 37 passengers at the station in South Bend were taken by bus to Michigan City. From there, the passengers boarded a train for their rides into Chicago.

Parsons said the tracks were clear for the next scheduled train passing through the area.

The identity of the man and his age were not released.

[Roger Kaputnik]

God bless ya!

[JHeath]

The engineers and other employees of the South Shore must be having a hard time with all of this. My thoughts are with them, as well as the families of those injured or killed in the recent incidents.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...;ArticleID=7389

12/7/2007 11:54:00 AM
South Shore SuicideGrand Rapids man left note in car

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP - In an apparent suicide, Erdin Elmi, 25, Grand Rapids, Mich., walked in front of an eastbound South Shore train taking about 35 passengers to South Bend.

John Sullivan, La Porte County chief deputy coroner, said Thursday night the Elmi died of massive head trauma after his head hit the corner of the train. He was pronounced dead at the scene by deputy coroner Karl Smith.

Sullivan said a suicide note was found in a car parked near the school. He said a MapQuest map with directions to the site and a South Shore train schedule were found in the car, along with the man's wallet.

Grand Rapids police have notified the family.

The incident happened at about 2:45 p.m. at the crossing on County Road 300 West, south of Springfield Elementary School. At that point, the train had reached its top speed of more than 70 miles per hour. The commuter train managed to stop about a quarter of a mile down the tracks and remained at the site while the incident was investigated.

The train engineer told investigators he saw a man hiding behind a utility pole, then run in front of the train as it approached. His body was found about 15 feet from the tracks by sheriff's deputies.

"I feel bad for the engineer," said Sullivan, who added he recently attended a seminar that examined how through a train engineer's career, they will be involved in four or five collisions.

Sullivan said it's difficult to slow a fast-moving train. And, he said, "You can't swerve with a train."

At the scene, Adam Zick stood alongside County Road 300 West near the South Shore crossing, trying to get information about the incident he earlier reported to a sheriff's deputy parked at the school. Zick, 23, Michigan City, said he was driving south on County Road 300 West at about 2:45 p.m. and was stopped at the flashing rail crossing signal. As the South Shore train approached, Zick said he noticed "a brown and black object" on the tracks and reported it to the deputy.

La Porte County Deputy Coroner Mark Huffman was at the scene, accompanied by Det. Pat Cicero, an evidence technician with the sheriff's department. Huffman said Thursday night that Elmi was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black t-shirt and heavy brown denim jeans. Evidence found in the man's car indicated he planned to come here, Huffman said, but for unknown reasons.

A Springfield Township firefighter who did not want to be named said he first feared the victim might be a student since the incident happened so close to the school.

John Parsons, Northwest Indiana Commuter Transportation District spokesman, said the train was taken back to Michigan City, and the 37 passengers still aboard were taken by bus to South Bend.

One later train was delayed by 15 to 20 minutes, he said, but the South Shore Line was back on schedule by 7 p.m. Thursday.

Thursday's fatality was the second in two days involving a South Shore train. On Wednesday morning, Charles Jones, 59, Gary, was killed when his pickup truck was hit by a westbound South Shore train at the crossing at the Porter-Lake county line.

[Ang]

My grandfather used to drive the South Shore. Once, he hit a pedestrian at the 11th St/Michigan Blvd crossing. The guy was drunk and walked right across the tracks. My grandpa didn't have a chance to do anything. It rattled him for years. Even after he retired he would have nightmares about it.
My heart goes out to these engineers and my prayers are with them.

[Southsider2k12]

I have been told before that the cases where a person steps in front of the train are by far the hardest to handle. At least in an accident like the one I got to witness, the engineer sees a car. For someone who is willing to commit suicide by this nature, the last thing that poor engineer sees is what a speeding train can do to a human body. I can see why that would have a traumatic effect on a normal person.

BTW, my grandpa worked for decades as an electrician on the SS line. Small world, huh?

[Ang]

I have been told before that the cases where a person steps in front of the train are by far the hardest to handle. At least in an accident like the one I got to witness, the engineer sees a car. For someone who is willing to commit suicide by this nature, the last thing that poor engineer sees is what a speeding train can do to a human body. I can see why that would have a traumatic effect on a normal person.

BTW, my grandpa worked for decades as an electrician on the SS line. Small world, huh?

Is he still alive? My grandpa passed from cancer many years ago. If your gramps is still alive, ask him if he knew Bill Lochmaier.

[Southsider2k12]

Is he still alive? My grandpa passed from cancer many years ago. If your gramps is still alive, ask him if he knew Bill Lochmaier.

Unfortunately lung cancer forced his early retirement, and he died in the mid 1980's.

[Ang]

Huh. My gramps had to retire early for larynx cancer and died in '82