Yellow Fever
February 10th, 2011, 09:18 AM
Saskatoon man hit by train, didn't know what hit him
BY SEAN TREMBATH, THE STARPHOENIX FEBRUARY 9, 2011
SASKATOON— A Saskatoon man is lucky to be alive and basically uninjured after being hit by a train.
According to a police news release, a train hit a 29-year-old man near the intersection of 22nd Street West and Avenue F South at 2 a.m. Wednesday.
The Canadian Pacific train was travelling northeast. The man was walking on the tracks in the same direction. The train whistle was blown in attempt to issue a warning.
A witness saw the train hit the man, sending him in the air. He immediately got up and proceeded to walk northeast towards Avenue E North. Police found him at 23rd Street West and Avenue E North in an intoxicated state. He did not seem to realize what hit him. He did, however, indicate he had pain in several parts of his body.
MD Ambulance arrived and transported the man to Royal University Hospital. He was released Wednesday morning with no serious injuries.
The train remained stationary until approximately 3:30 a.m., when Canadian Pacific supervisors completed their investigation.
According to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, there were 81 accidents involving trespassing on Canadian railways in 2010, with 55 resulting in death and 19 in serious injury. The average annual number of trespassing incidents from 2005 to 2009 was 84.
This figure is consistent with a Transport Canada report released in 2007 tracking rail accidents from 1989 to 2006 that showed no notable decrease in the yearly number of trespasser related incidents.
During the same period, vehicle and pedestrian accidents at train crossings declined steadily, from 469 in 1989 to 248 in 2006. The decline has continued, with 180 such incidents in 2010 according to the safety board.
While it's possible to put flashing lights and bells at crossings, it's much more difficult to warn trespassers who wander onto tracks, said Dan Di Tota, national director of Operation Lifesaver, a rail safety advocacy group.
"It's a smaller group of people, and they're much harder to reach out to," he said, noting that trespassers are often intoxicated.
Di Tota said that since railroads are often quiet, pedestrians underestimate the danger.
"There's a false sense of security. It can take a train up to two kilometres to stop. By the time a conductor sees you, it's too late," he said.
As for Wednesday's incident, Di Tota was amazed by the man's luck.
"It's a miracle. He should buy a lottery ticket," said Di Tota.
Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Saskatoon+train+didn+know+what/4251428/story.html#ixzz1DXPwMLpE
BY SEAN TREMBATH, THE STARPHOENIX FEBRUARY 9, 2011
SASKATOON— A Saskatoon man is lucky to be alive and basically uninjured after being hit by a train.
According to a police news release, a train hit a 29-year-old man near the intersection of 22nd Street West and Avenue F South at 2 a.m. Wednesday.
The Canadian Pacific train was travelling northeast. The man was walking on the tracks in the same direction. The train whistle was blown in attempt to issue a warning.
A witness saw the train hit the man, sending him in the air. He immediately got up and proceeded to walk northeast towards Avenue E North. Police found him at 23rd Street West and Avenue E North in an intoxicated state. He did not seem to realize what hit him. He did, however, indicate he had pain in several parts of his body.
MD Ambulance arrived and transported the man to Royal University Hospital. He was released Wednesday morning with no serious injuries.
The train remained stationary until approximately 3:30 a.m., when Canadian Pacific supervisors completed their investigation.
According to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, there were 81 accidents involving trespassing on Canadian railways in 2010, with 55 resulting in death and 19 in serious injury. The average annual number of trespassing incidents from 2005 to 2009 was 84.
This figure is consistent with a Transport Canada report released in 2007 tracking rail accidents from 1989 to 2006 that showed no notable decrease in the yearly number of trespasser related incidents.
During the same period, vehicle and pedestrian accidents at train crossings declined steadily, from 469 in 1989 to 248 in 2006. The decline has continued, with 180 such incidents in 2010 according to the safety board.
While it's possible to put flashing lights and bells at crossings, it's much more difficult to warn trespassers who wander onto tracks, said Dan Di Tota, national director of Operation Lifesaver, a rail safety advocacy group.
"It's a smaller group of people, and they're much harder to reach out to," he said, noting that trespassers are often intoxicated.
Di Tota said that since railroads are often quiet, pedestrians underestimate the danger.
"There's a false sense of security. It can take a train up to two kilometres to stop. By the time a conductor sees you, it's too late," he said.
As for Wednesday's incident, Di Tota was amazed by the man's luck.
"It's a miracle. He should buy a lottery ticket," said Di Tota.
Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Saskatoon+train+didn+know+what/4251428/story.html#ixzz1DXPwMLpE