Modern Vespa

So on the news another Metrolink commuter just hit another train in Rialto and 15-20 people were hurt, staff on scene. Saw a blurp on NBC "Breaking news".

The perception of the rest of the Country for Los Angeles must just keep getting better.

First the riots, then the fires, then the earthquakes, then Brittney, now Metrolink.

Geez.................

SDG

Looks like it was just a "scrape" and not a crash. From latimes.com: Phew!

Im with you SDG. Not good...

A buddy of mine lost his father in the glendale crash about 2 years ago. Everytime there's a metro link related accident he/we all re-live that terrible moment.

Pretty Sad....

Ya my daughter was a Ballerina and she danced for years with a gal that lost her father in the last Metrolink accident 2 months ago.

I mean, seriously, WTF is in charge of this stuff?

SDG

It isn't just Metrolink. Google "Caltrain accidents" and you'll see that Bay Area commuter trains hit people with appalling frequency.

True story: my brother, bay area high school teacher and part time rockstar was taking a class on a field trip to San Jose. I think they were on the Caltrain. Anyway, somewhere along the line the train slowed to an accident and his students got a nice view of severed body parts freshly strewn around the tracks from another train that had hit it earlier.

Most of the Metrolink accidents I've either witnessed (have seen 3 after maths, and actually caught one in action -- I work in Glendale near San Fernando Blvd.) have been due to dumbasses in cars, trucks or tractor trailers hanging out on the tracks.

That said, it goes without saying how sad it is when large group of innocent people suffer for the mistakes or crimes of single person -- not just in train accidents.

I'll be thinking hard about this when my son and I take the Metrolink train from my mom-in-laws house in Irvine this weekend.

Geez...with all these train accidents I can't wait for that high speed train to start running!

Thread hijack:

Holy crap, your brother is in From Monument to Masses? I love them!

er I think the correct wording should be "people walk into a trains path with appalling frequency".

Be surprised how safe they are. Rail is far safer than air, requires far lower subsidy per passenger, and has a much smaller environmental footprint. Though the aviation lobby (who con your Gummitt for $30b a year (so GM/Ford/Chrysler now look ok?)) would have you think otherwise.

Generally HSR runs on a dedicated corridor that avoids all the traps a traditional (19th century build) rail line has. ie no grade crossings, so no cars trucks or pedestrians, only trespassers in the corridor.

Unless it is a cheapy version....

Threadjack continues:

Yep. He's the one who looks kinda like you in your avatar, but with longer hair and a goatee (bass, keyboard player). They just got back from touring Europe & a couple shows in Russia.

I just heard the Metrolink (or Amtrak) pass by. My office is THAT close. See? Back on topic!

Did anyone else notice the frequency of the word "safe" in the description of recent Prop 1A about the high speed train???

If it does happen, I hope our high speed train has a safety record like the French TGV minus the train operator and staff union strikes.