One difference between passenger and freight cars is?

Still baffled?

I see the point you're trying to illustrate but why should the relative sizes of both the rail systems make the US system seemingly less secure? Surely with such a large, open system as in the US, security would be more of a priority and enhanced accordingly.
 
I can't speak to that, I don't know all the security systems in use, and I don't know what precautions are taken where, and frankly, I'm more than a little suspicious that you're so interested in the subject.
 
I can't speak to that, I don't know all the security systems in use, and I don't know what precautions are taken where, and frankly, I'm more than a little suspicious that you're so interested in the subject.

Curiousity is the reason for asking the question, please be assured that I have no sinister ulterior motive other than curiousity about another countries railway systems, a system that I am unlikely to use or visit within my lifetime. Fair enough, you're not familiar with security arrangements within US rail systems, and quite frankly, I don't really know or care about them either.

I have to say though, I do find your statement a little paranoid but then that seems to be the nature of most US citizens and maybe that's justified in some way given recent history.

Rob.
 
Nah, I was just having a go at you! I am serious though, that I don't know enough about the subject to speak on it. I do know that the trains here travel long distances and often slow down enough to allow a person to climb aboard. I'm sure the travelers that wish to do so know the areas where that's likely to happen. The conductor used to be responsible for keeping riders off the freights and I imagine technically they still are. I'm sure when a North American train crosses the border with either Mexico or Canada and the US, they probably get the whole treatment... infrared scanners, heart beat detectors, carbon dioxide measurements, dog searches etc., but I don't think they get that treatment at every yard and siding. It's a big country and fairly devoid of people in many places. Hobos riding the rails are an old romantic tradition going back many years, in fact there's a movie about it set in the steam age called "Emperor of the North". In the past decade there has been an upswing in the practice. Serial killers have been known to use the freight trains to move around (and kill people). It's a very dangerous fad for young people who have no idea the kind of people that also do so. I've even seen blogs about it, with advice about embarking and disembarking moving trains.

Who knows what "Homeland Security" does about freight trains now days, but whatever it is, is sure to be not enough! The odd thing is, rather than planting a nasty on the freight train, it would be easy enough to just sabatogue the tracks where you would like an incident to take place, most trains carry at least one hazardous material.

I don't know how often tracks are inspected, whether it's consistent, or if it varys in different parts of the country.

If I did, I wouldn't say, we're probably both on some FBI watch list by now!:hehe:
 
If I did, I wouldn't say, we're probably both on some FBI watch list by now!:hehe:

Oh dear! I'm quaking in my flip-flops, are you reading this, FBI types? :p

I suppose some system of making the cars rider proof might work but that would probably be too expensive.
 
Ed - great maps. Many thanks! Interesting to see the differences in scale between US and UK. My original post was really an expression of concern about young people being labelled as 'transient'. Although that does happen in the UK (and I fear we'll be seeing a lot more of it in the years to come) there's no tradition here of 'riding the rails' that I'm aware of thank God.

Paul
 
Ed - great maps. Many thanks! Interesting to see the differences in scale between US and UK. My original post was really an expression of concern about young people being labelled as 'transient'. Although that does happen in the UK (and I fear we'll be seeing a lot more of it in the years to come) there's no tradition here of 'riding the rails' that I'm aware of thank God.

Paul

After responding to Rob, I Googled "rail riding", "hobo", and some other terms about the subject, and found a wealth of information regarding the same. The general consensus seems to be that it's mostly an American activity, although it is done in Europe as well. Not so much in the UK. Now you're on the watch list too!
 
I think the main determining factor would be money....it would cost a stagering amount of funds to secure all the rail lines in the US. Thank of those long routes across AZ and NM and the like where there is no towns for miles....how would you even go about sercuring them. And with mile long trains now even bring the caboose back would not be worth it. You would never be able to see front to back of the train anyhow.

Just my thought.
Bill
 
All channels suffer from occasional bad reporting, FOX deliberately lies on a regular basis.
Mick Berg.

Lol, Fox is run by saints compared to Huffington Post, CNN, Time or the NY Times: If you want to see deliberate lying on a regular basis, try those.
 
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Neither channel is evil, both just want to sell a product to a particular audience.
Fox's opinion shows pander to the right, MSNBC's to the left. The news itself on both channels tends to be fairly unbiased. Sure, you get the "leg tingling" and "Obama killing Grandma" stuff on their opinion shows, but the audience shouldn't become aware of events through opinion shows. I myself occasionally watch shows on Fox News because I like hearing the right-wing perspective, but I always remember that it's entertainment specifically designed for what I want to hear.

Back on topic here, this is an awful story. A lot of people are brushing this off as "that's what he gets for being an idiot" (And he did make an incredibly stupid decision), but how many of us weren't dumbasses in our late teens? This kid's permanently crippled at the start of his adult life (and has to live knowing that he got his dog killed) because of one dumb decision that I'm fairly certain at least a handful of members on here have either made or know somebody who did.
 
Well, that's a very fair and balanced view you've expressed. I will point out that in reporting the news MSNBC has been caught with creative edits, where I do not believe Fox has. These deliberate fabrications are in reference to political news, not run of the mill straight news. In that category I don't believe there's a lot of difference what channel you watch. Syria either fired a missile or not! The protestations that condemn Fox News come from the left coast, and I suspect, the left, so I take with a grain of salt anyway. Squander no opportunity...:o
 
Well, that's a very fair and balanced view you've expressed. I will point out that in reporting the news MSNBC has been caught with creative edits, where I do not believe Fox has. These deliberate fabrications are in reference to political news, not run of the mill straight news. In that category I don't believe there's a lot of difference what channel you watch. Syria either fired a missile or not! The protestations that condemn Fox News come from the left coast, and I suspect, the left, so I take with a grain of salt anyway. Squander no opportunity...:o

My mother was an editor for the NY Times in the 70's and, in the 80's, ABC's 20/20. She'd be the first to say that the NY Times is an utter rag, and the "quality" of their journalism if some of the worst out there. Being a liberal feminist, she's certainly not in disagreement with the Times politically. It's about the lack of quality, and the NY Times isn't any better now. Unfortunately, the Times, along with a couple of other newspapers and wire services, largely sets the news agenda in the U.S.: If they don't carry a story, odds are, you're not going to hear about it.

Funny thing is, those whining about Fox rarely seem to check bylines: Much if not most of Fox' reporting comes from other sources such as the Associated Press. Look at their website, for example. While not much better than the NY Times, pretty much all U.S. print, electronic and televised media makes at least some if not quite hefty use of AP as well.

Well, at least stories like this get people talking! :)
 
I love how indecisive the news can be....was he inbetween, on, in or under the car....was it a load shift or wreck....lol almost like the don't know what the heck they are talking about...hmmmmm

Fox13Now.com reports that the unidentified man became pinned inside a railcar when a plate of steel shifted and may have been stuck for roughly eight hours.

South Salt Lake Fire Chief Ron Morris said crews had to extricate the teen, who is believed to be a transient who rode the train along with his dog prior to the accident.
“We believe he may have gotten on the train in Denver, came across this morning from Denver, we’re not sure what time,” said Morris. “The plate steel in the railway car shifted and pinned him. We believe he had been in there for maybe eight hours before he was found.”


Yeah, that's FOX for you.

John

Upon closer inspection, the poster that complained about the article must not have read the article, because the omissions he complained about were in the article. The second poster just took that opportunity to pile on, and must not have read the article either, or else deemed that it was not required and may in fact have been at odds with his goal, given the opportunity to criticize Fox News. Mick Berg then supported the second poster to verify the fact that there is something inherently wrong with the company's reporting, although the article in question clearly presents the pertinent facts.

This is common. When you accept an initial fact that is incorrect and expand upon it, your whole argument then is incorrect as a result.
 
I see. I, on the other hand read the article, but did not watch the video. Your criticism then, of the video, may have been justified.
 
You didn't start it and I think it was more a discussion of news outlets rather than politics, but your apology is gracious just the same.
 
I'm no fan of Fox, but I think this is a case where we shouldn't be shooting the messenger. It's just a shocking story about young people in danger, probably as a consequence of homelessness and joblessness and sadly a sign of the times. In the US and the UK.

Now you're on the watch list too!
That's OK Ed, I've been there for years!

Paul
 
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