Man killed while crossing tracks at Point Pleasant Beach

[Mark Schweber]

Man killed while crossing tracks at rail station


The Associated Press
3/18/2004, 11:11 a.m. ET


POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J. (AP) — A man was killed by an empty commuter train Thursday morning after he crossed the tracks and attempted to climb onto the platform at the Point Pleasant Beach Station, NJ Transit said.


The incident happened about 1:55 a.m. and involved a train that was not stopping at the station, but only moving to get into position for the morning rush hour, agency spokeswoman Janet Hines said.

Jason Henahan, 26, of Middletown, apparently did not realize the train was not stopping, she said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses told NJ Transit police that Henahan jumped off the southbound platform when he saw the northbound train approaching and crossed the tracks, Hines said.

"The engineer did see him and started blowing the horn and put the train in emergency stop, but unfortunately he was not able to avoid striking him," she said.


http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/inde ... 286660.xml

[nick11a]

Geez. That is tragic. My thoughts and prayers for the man, the engineer and their families.

[TAMR213]

Same for me, thoughts and prayers for all. Anyone know what the count of deaths is up to now (begining in 2003)?

[nick11a]

No I don't. There hasn't been a whole lot in the past few months though which is good. I think the last major one might have been the policeman incident in Dover which was, if memory serves, in the last few days of 2003. Other than that, I don't recall anything.

[Jtgshu]

The Coast Line seems to have more than its fair share of fatalities, especially west of Long Branch. Tehre are so many grade crossings and the tracks run right through the middle of all the towns down there, that they seem to be a lot more frequent down there..........

[F23A4]

I understand from a coworker of mine (also a fellow NJCL rider) that the guy was apparently drunk. Not that it means anything, given his demise. Very sad.

[Lehigh Valley Railroad]

There must be other ways the crossing live tracks to get to the other side.

Sad non the lest

[Jtgshu]

There must be other ways the crossing live tracks to get to the other side.

Sad non the lest

There are two other ways, grade crossings, or pedestrian over or underpasses....millions of people do it safely every day....at grade Xings - either walking or in a car. ANYWHERE else is trespassing.

[Ken W2KB]

Given the time (~2 a.m.) and it being St. Patrick's day night, perhaps the victim's judgment was a bit off. Doesn't diminish the impact on the survivors and the crew, though.

[Acela82]

Sorry for the train crew. But not for the drunken men. What has he to do on the tracks at night and drunken???? I have no pity with such persons.

Mike

[JLo]

What I cannot figure out is why he was there. He lived in Middletown. IIRC, there are no north-bound trains on the NJCL south of Long Branch after about 9 or 10 p.m.

Even if he was drunk, it doesn't appear it was his intention to get killed. Certainly his surviving family deserves sympathy, although the crew deserves more.

[GooStats]

It doesn't surprise me at all that this happened. If you go to Belmar on a weekend, or any night in the Summer, dozens of people leaving bars go cutting across the tracks with oncoming trians, over to the parking lot on 16th Ave. I've posted about it before on the old forum. Drinking+tracks don't mix; it's a disaster waiting to happen.

[GooStats]

As it turns out, this man was my co-workers son. So yes, I have found out first-hand how a tragedy like this affects the family and friends involved. My prayers go out to the Henehan family.

[nick11a]

Sorry to hear that. My thoughts and prayers to you, the victim, the crew and their families.

[Engineer]

My thoughts are with the crew, they are the true victims in this.