Pedestrian incident at Lombard on UP-W...

This morning's inbound train 14 was delayed at Lombard when the train struck and killed a pedestrian on the tracks. It has since been confirmed that this was a suicide. As of 7:25am, train 14 has now been cleared to move, but overall, trains in both directions. are still delayed up to at least an hour.

Due to the incident, many of the following EB trains were switched onto track 3 (normally the WB track) at Turner interlocking, just W of the West Chicago depot, meaning that inbound passengers between Winfield and Glen Ellyn had to cross over to the south (outbound) platform to catch the trains. The announcements weren't coordinated very well however, several Metra engineers on the inbound trains following 14 reported hordes of people crossing in front of their trains at College Ave and Glen Ellyn, when they realized the train was running "wrong main". Commuter control maintains that they made the announcements, but it seems only the Wheaton passengers received the message, so there could've been PA problems at the other stations. Trains appear to be moving now, but it's probably going to take the rest of the morning before things return to normal.

All in all, a very tragic and hectic start to the day. I didn't know the unfortunate soul who decided to end their life this morning, but I ask that you keep this person and their families in your thoughts and prayers today...

From the metra site:

Friday, August 19, 2005

Union Pacific West Line
Due to a grade crossing incident in Lombard, the train due into Chicago at 6:46 a.m. is operating 80 minutes late.

All inbound trains to Chicago are anticipated to be operating 10-60 minutes or more late.

The train due into Geneva at 7:30 a.m. has been annulled and the train due at 7:53 a.m. will pick up all passengers and is operating 25 minutes late.

The train due out of Chicago at 7:15 a.m. has been cancelled.

Train due out of Geneva at 8:05 and due into Chicago at 9:15 will not operate.

doepack wrote:This morning's inbound train 14 was delayed at Lombard when the train struck and killed a pedestrian on the tracks. It has since been confirmed that this was a suicide.

............................................................................................................

All in all, a very tragic and hectic start to the day. I didn't know the unfortunate soul who decided to end their life this morning, but I ask that you keep this person and their families in your thoughts and prayers today...

I feel sorry for the unfortunate train crew that this inconsiderate person used to end his/her life. I also feel sorry for the hundreds of commuters who this selfish person inconvenienced and for the family he/she left behind.

F40CFan wrote:I feel sorry for the unfortunate train crew that this inconsiderate person used to end his/her life. I also feel sorry for the hundreds of commuters who this selfish person inconvenienced and for the family he/she left behind.

Agreed, it was a tough morning for everyone involved here, from the train crew, to the inconvenienced passengers, and true, they shouldn't be forgotten either. When it comes to egregious and blatantly selfish acts, the choice of suicide pretty much tops the list. It's a shame this unfortunate person saw no other way out.

Yes. Sadly, there were many ways out, but appearently this person wanted to harm people as well as take him/herself out. Ya know, a gun down the throat does the same job, and it harms less people................................................

Now now now,

There were no injurries accept emotionally to the engineer, of corse. When people are that crazy, they don't care, all reason is gone; they see it as the easy way out but eventually killing yourself is the worst thing you can do.

For anyone wondering, the cab car was the METX8448 with engine 155 pushing.

AMTK84 wrote:When people are that crazy, they don't care, all reason is gone; they see it as the easy way out but eventually killing yourself is the worst thing you can do.

Why people are this nuts to go into a path of a train, and killing themselves. They can seek help from their problem than taking their lives, from the person who commited it by getting hit by the Amtrak on the MD-N line to this on the UP-W.

Hopefully nobody would be stupid enough to try to kill them selves like what happen in L.A. when that person stopped his car in front of a speeding Metrolink train killing 11 people(think is was that many) on the train, and faced murder charges, because he survived.

For people who thinks that killing themselves is the right thing really need big time help.

AMTK84 wrote:Now now now,

There were no injurries accept emotionally to the engineer, of corse. When people are that crazy, they don't care, all reason is gone; they see it as the easy way out but eventually killing yourself is the worst thing you can do.

For anyone wondering, the cab car was the METX8448 with engine 155 pushing.

I was in the vestibule of the cab car that struck and killed a 16 year old girl a couple of years ago at Hanson Park on the MILW-West. I saw the face of the engineer and the conductor who had to walk back and confirm the incident. I would not wish that on anyone. Talk about a haunted look, it could give you the creeps. That is why I have no simpathy for those who take the easy way out and impact the lives of others so significantly.

At the risk of sounding cold, they should drive a car into the lake.

Another thing I have no simpathy for is, along with F40C Fan's statement, is those people who walk around crossing gates at what ever station or in some cases road crossing and get hit; the same goes for those iddiets who drive there cars around gates. When we hear about stuff like this, my mother (whoo is a highschool social worker) has always said that killing yourself is a perminant solution to a temperary problem.

AMTK84, your mother sounds like a very intelligent woman. I couldn't agree with her statement more.