Ghost Train hunter killed by real train....

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A person commented on the story you posted Aardvark with a link to a better version I believe. This one you find out it was the Cop who said they didn't hear the train coming, not the victims.

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4448088

I think it's interesting how certain news sites leave out details that make the news story. I feel if they are going to report the story they should have all their facts before hitting enter. I'm tired of all this biased news.
 
perry_weekley said:
A person commented on the story you posted Aardvark with a link to a better version I believe. This one you find out it was the Cop who said they didn't hear the train coming, not the victims.

I think it's interesting how certain news sites leave out details that make the news story. I feel if they are going to report the story they should have all their facts before hitting enter. I'm tired of all this biased news.
Click to expand...

Hi Perry_weekley,

Thanks for the link.

Your comments are correct... but remember....news must pass the "spin" test.

All news has "spin" to get audience for the location where the incident occurs.

Sadly, often we often never get all the facts that apply...only what the media feels we... need to know.

But, whatever, still a sad event for all involved.

Have fun,
 
Kind of sadly ironic: waiting for the "Ghost Train" ... and end up driving the "Dirt Bus". No doubt alcohol or intoxicants were involved, either that or shear supidity, waiting mid trestle for a abberation to appear ... "Woo...Woo Woo ... Oh No A Train"... sheesh what-da-ya suspect runs on these long steel rail like type thingies ?

See min: 2:30 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVr5AJz2xNo
 
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Oh well, the Earth just got lighter, one more idiot down.

Looking for a ghost train= idiot.
Getting hit by a real train while looking for a ghost train= major idiot.

How hard is it to NOT get hit by a train, and how do you not hear one or see one coming? Wasn't he LOOKING for a freaking train? If it was a ghost train, you would think they would be looking even harder given the slight possibility that it might be transparent and swarming with some kind of eeeeeeeevil... Ha!

Oh well, I gotta go stand in the middle of the freeway and try to find that elusive ghost truck.

Why would a train be a ghost? You never hear about ghost motorcycles or a ghost Prius? Just because they are neat, it gives them no special ghost treatment over other vehicles, and people get killed on the freeway everyday. There should be a ghost traffic jam.
 
You know, I'm really tired of the idiot remarks. I decided to google maps the location. It is North of Charlotte. The bridge itself doesn't look to be that used, otherwise it looks very old and sorta abandoned.

The area surrounding the bridge is heavily wooded. Meaning sound would of been knocked down to maybe that of a mile, maybe less.

There is a crossing but it's maybe a mile, maybe a mile and a half away. From what I have read it seems like the engineer might of not sounded at the crossing.

Also there is a bend leading northward toward the bridge. With that type of slow bend it would be hard to see a train through the trees till it was almost right on the bridge.

I think it's lucky that their all alive. Their not idiots, if anything I think it was a right place, wrong time. It says they were there early which means if they had waited just that extra five minutes, he might still be alive.

Then again it was said by some commenters as well on a article that the NS doesn't usually schedule trains on that track for that day. Meaning either the local dispatcher has sorta made it a local holiday or they were just lucky and it was a slow day. The fact a train was there and it was unexpected means that the train was breaking a routine for many years. If anything I think this will point a little toward possible mismanagement or employee change. Even if the official report doesn't say so I think in the end it would lead back to those two reasons.

Now for the paranormal aspect. If you make fun of ghost hunters in general, you insult me. I very much am a strong believer in the paranormal and have had experience to back it up. I feel if you mistake their judgement and claim their idiots just because of that you should look at yourself, and how not long ago you were called a terrorist for taking photos of a train. Stereotyping is not acceptable anywhere.

I hope the man rests in peace. He is obviously a hero since he save a life before having his taken. I don't feel anyone who did such a great deed before their death deserves to be name called or having people stepping on his name because of what he believe in and what he was there to do. Maybe next year they will see the ghost train, and pay remembrance to a fellow ghost hunter who lost his life.
 
oh so, it was the railroads fault someone was hit by a train then? NS is to blame? have you lost all sense of reality? those trains, they swerve out of the way to hit people you know. you have to watch them.

the group 'gathered on a railroad bridge'... that was freaking stupid. no other way to put it, STUPID. regardless of what they were doing or how silly it was, gathering on railroad tracks is never a good idea. its too bad the guy got hit, but it makes me think that itll only make the gathering of idiots on the tracks even more now that there is a death related.
 
norfolksouthern37 said:
oh so, it was the railroads fault someone was hit by a train then? NS is to blame? have you lost all sense of reality? those trains, they swerve out of the way to hit people you know. you have to watch them.

the group 'gathered on a railroad bridge'... that was freaking stupid. no other way to put it, STUPID. regardless of what they were doing or how silly it was, gathering on railroad tracks is never a good idea. its too bad the guy got hit, but it makes me think that itll only make the gathering of idiots on the tracks even more now that there is a death related.
Click to expand...

Man do you ever need a reality check, NS is partially to blame, most places require the horn to be sounded when approaching a bridge, tunnel or any other place that restricts a persons ability to get out of the way, the horn was not sounded, it was three light engines so there would of been next to no engine sound from them, on a curve in a wooded area, so no visual warning, and them putting themselves into that danger is no reason to call them stupid, have you never ran across a road and made a driver brake and/or swerve to miss you, they did not realize the danger, remember that it is a lightly used line, and because they did not know that a train takes a lot more time to stop than a truck a man is dead, and all you can do is be childishly sarcastic.

We have all done things without thinking that could get us killed, I know I have, its called being human, and if you have never done anything remotely dangerous either,
#you need to get out more,
#you have an incredible sense of whats going on around you and you think twice before making each and every step (boring)
#you have been very lucky.

Cheers David
 
pommie said:
Man do you ever need a reality check, NS is partially to blame, most places require the horn to be sounded when approaching a bridge, tunnel or any other place that restricts a persons ability to get out of the way, the horn was not sounded, it was three light engines so there would of been next to no engine sound from them, on a curve in a wooded area, so no visual warning, and them putting themselves into that danger is no reason to call them stupid, have you never ran across a road and made a driver brake and/or swerve to miss you, they did not realize the danger, remember that it is a lightly used line, and because they did not know that a train takes a lot more time to stop than a truck a man is dead, and all you can do is be childishly sarcastic.

We have all done things without thinking that could get us killed, I know I have, its called being human, and if you have never done anything remotely dangerous either,
#you need to get out more,
#you have an incredible sense of whats going on around you and you think twice before making each and every step (boring)
#you have been very lucky.

Cheers David
Click to expand...

I think the "need to get out more" comment is silly, same as the comment left by someone else that it must have been alcohol. I get out and have plenty of tasty beers, I do not drive impaired because I have a morbid hatred for law enforcement, but that is a whole other can of worms... But I'm not going to get hit by a freaking train looking for a ghost. Eating psilocybin mushrooms is the only legitimate excuse for that, and in that case, you should always slide down the rainbow or ride your unicorn off of the bridge when a train approaches. It is people defending idiots that has made this world so soft and so quick to sue anyone for anything. A fool is a fool. Live and let die.
 
Out of this,
We have all done things without thinking that could get us killed, I know I have, its called being human, and if you have never done anything remotely dangerous either,
#you need to get out more,
#you have an incredible sense of whats going on around you and you think twice before making each and every step (boring)
#you have been very lucky.
Click to expand...
You pick this out,
motorbreath said:
"need to get out more"
Click to expand...
and say that is silly, taken out of context as you have it is actually an insult, but in context, as one example of three, it makes perfect sense.
And as you call someone who made one mistake to many, and paid with his life, a fool, I take it you have never done anything foolish or risky in your life, if thats the case, you havent got one.

Cheers David
 
motorbreath said:
I think the "need to get out more" comment is silly, same as the comment left by someone else that it must have been alcohol. I get out and have plenty of tasty beers, I do not drive impaired because I have a morbid hatred for law enforcement, but that is a whole other can of worms... But I'm not going to get hit by a freaking train looking for a ghost. Eating psilocybin mushrooms is the only legitimate excuse for that, and in that case, you should always slide down the rainbow or ride your unicorn off of the bridge when a train approaches. It is people defending idiots that has made this world so soft and so quick to sue anyone for anything. A fool is a fool. Live and let die.
Click to expand...

Personally I'm against the sue and get sued mentality. It's just the fact it wasn't really anyones fault The railroad had a bit of fault and the people had a bit of fault. Heck this was the first time the railroad really had a problem there. They have never complained before and this " ghost hunt" has been going on, it seems, for a 100 years.

I also believe your comments on it having to be drugs means you have no real mature views on life. These were just people who believe that it is possible to get stuck between heaven and hell, or die so rapidly the soul has no idea what to do.

Personally from a psychological level their perfectly fine. Their not crazy, their not doing drugs, and their definitely not stupid. These are normal humans like you and me who happened to be, like I said, in the right place at the wrong time.

Also to NorfolkSouthern37 I was trying to make the point that it wasn't just the peoples fault. That the railroad has a to take some of the blame. If they don't take some of the blame then it is mainly lying and claiming that they are right, we are wrong. I'm thinking of Matilda actually. The scene where the principal tells her how grown ups are always right. Well here's the same case. If the railroad denies having done anything wrong here it is mainly them telling us they are always right, we are always wrong.

So I conclude, the railroad, and the ghost hunters, who were not on drugs, alcohol or were stupid, are to blame exactly. It was a combination of events taking place from both sides of the track here. It takes two too tango.
 
the railroad should not carry responsibility to let stupid trespassers know when to get off their property. every railroad bridge i have seen has a 'WARNING NO TRESPASSING: CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH' sign posted on it in some form or another, to me that's enough warning already. whether any horn warning was given or not - and im sure it was, you dont just see people all over the tracks and not try to give an audible warning, the first step, blow the horn!

in those regards i see no fault with the railroad, just idiots on the tracks. it doesnt matter if they did it before or for 100 years, they were trespassing, it was wrong, and now they got caught with their pants down. THEY were still wrong.
 
pommie said:
...have you never ran across a road and made a driver brake and/or swerve to miss you...
Click to expand...

no because thats freaking stupid. if i ever did there would have to be a damn good reason to.

im not saying i never did anything stupid, but hanging out on a railroad bridge is one of those stupid things that kinda ranks up there under 'no excuse'. there is no excuse for this stupidity. sorry i just think that way. if i go out and do something stupid, yes i was stupid, i dont understand why its so hard to understand.
 
pommie said:
Out of this,

You pick this out,

and say that is silly, taken out of context as you have it is actually an insult, but in context, as one example of three, it makes perfect sense.
And as you call someone who made one mistake to many, and paid with his life, a fool, I take it you have never done anything foolish or risky in your life, if thats the case, you havent got one.

Cheers David
Click to expand...
No, I have been quite the idiot plenty of times, I just haven't ever been killed by a train. I'm a little grouchy today, and my terrible comments were made in light-hearted, however sarcastic jest.
 
perry_weekley said:
Personally I'm against the sue and get sued mentality. It's just the fact it wasn't really anyones fault The railroad had a bit of fault and the people had a bit of fault. Heck this was the first time the railroad really had a problem there. They have never complained before and this " ghost hunt" has been going on, it seems, for a 100 years.

I also believe your comments on it having to be drugs means you have no real mature views on life. These were just people who believe that it is possible to get stuck between heaven and hell, or die so rapidly the soul has no idea what to do.

Personally from a psychological level their perfectly fine. Their not crazy, their not doing drugs, and their definitely not stupid. These are normal humans like you and me who happened to be, like I said, in the right place at the wrong time.

Also to NorfolkSouthern37 I was trying to make the point that it wasn't just the peoples fault. That the railroad has a to take some of the blame. If they don't take some of the blame then it is mainly lying and claiming that they are right, we are wrong. I'm thinking of Matilda actually. The scene where the principal tells her how grown ups are always right. Well here's the same case. If the railroad denies having done anything wrong here it is mainly them telling us they are always right, we are always wrong.

So I conclude, the railroad, and the ghost hunters, who were not on drugs, alcohol or were stupid, are to blame exactly. It was a combination of events taking place from both sides of the track here. It takes two too tango.
Click to expand...
To be honest I fail to understand your "right place at the wrong time" argument. I don't consider standing in the middle of a railroad bridge the right place to be. Maybe if you were about to commit suicide it would be the right place. Now I don't believe these people are idiots as I too believe in the paranormal, but I have to say they might be missing a few brain cells and should of done some research before they decided to spend the night of a railroad bridge that is only wide enough for a train. They should of known that trains can take up to a mile to stop and that freight trains run at random hours and most freights that I've seen run at night or the very early hours of the mourning, don't stick to schedules or often times don't have a schedule. Now this train was only three engines so no it wouldn't take a mile to stop however it still takes a long time to stop. This was proven at a fatal train/car accident near my town. A train consisting only of three engines and no cars was traveling at about 40 mph and was approaching a railroad crossing for a back road. This crossing had no gates and a car drove in front of the train and the driver was killed, the train took about a hundred yards to stop and was blowing its horn. This just proves that with warning a train consisting of three engines can be fatal. Back to the original story, I can't see how the railroad is at fault for this accident. Maybe the engineer was a little sleepy and his reaction time was slowed but even if he was wide awake and reacted as soon as he saw the people the accident still would probably be fatal. As for your the dispatcher is at blame for sending out an unscheduled train, maybe you live next a commuter line where every train follows a strict schedule but if you spend any time living near a freight line especially a branch line or shortline you'll find out that trains rarely follow a schedule and can come at any hour of the day or night. In my opinion the railroad is not at fault, how could they know a group of people was standing in the middle of the tracks? Usually the average person has no psychic abilities. I believe the people are at fault, I think there is a road and a river at the bottom of this bridge, why couldn't they wait at the bottom of the bridge? I think that is the right place to stand around, out of the path of a deadly object. If the railroad is at any fault I guess it's because they built the line, if the line was never built none of this would of happened, so blame the industrial revolution and railroads for building everywhere at the death of one person. If I were the railroad I would be pressing trespassing charges on these people. Oh well they did want to see a train.
 
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perry_weekley said:
.....in the right place at the wrong time.

.
Click to expand...

Actually, the correct term would be at the wrong place at the wrong time....standing in the middle of a train trestle is never the right place to be. Getting killed by a train isn't news, but the irony of the situation tends to make the victim the butt of jokes, which is unfortunate....but I must confess that the first thought that came to my mind when I read the story is, "Well, that was a stupid thing to do!"
btw, son of Perry Weekley, as an official ghost hunter, since ghosts are the spirits of departed people, can you explain how a train becomes a ghost? Is the ghost hunting hobby a result of personal encounters, or the entertainment media?....:cool:
 
norfolksouthern37 said:
the railroad should not carry responsibility to let stupid trespassers know when to get off their property.
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Agreed with the above post.
As far as I know, it is against Federal Law to trespass on railroad property to begin with, so no, this was in no way the responsibility of Norfolk Southern. If it is against Federal Law...posting a sign and sounding a horn is quite frankly, an act of courtesy by the railroad company.
No one person has the right to be on the railroad bridge at any time unless fully authorized by the railroad company, that includes these ghost hunters idiots.
It is a load of crap to say that there could be a "ghost train" in the midst, the said event happened over 100 years ago, its an old story. That is all it is.
It is a true shame that such silly, childlike things have caused so much grief to a family and to a operating crew. It is very sad indeed. People need to use more common sense, and in this case two things should have been considered before entering the bridge. 1. Perhaps I shouldn't trespass on a railway bridge? 2. Why am I hunting ghosts in the first place?



Just my Thoughts,
Woody

Oh, by the way Justin, just remember that old saying..."You can't fix Stupid!"
 
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