[RP TownTalk] Speaking of trains..... reply

Wed Apr 6 18:01:10 UTC 2011

I've lived in my apartment building for over 20 years and the area from the 
Queensbury crossing up to about Sheridan Street has, unfortunately, also seen a 
few suicides.  If people want to get on the tracks, they will do so, whether 
it's fenced or not.  Too, I can't see how the entire track can be fenced 
in.  During morning rush hour, when traffic is backed up to the tracks from 
Route 1, I've seen people park ON the tracks instead of waiting on the east side 
of the track until they can safely cross.  And have seen lots of people jogging 
on the tracks, with their headphone plugged in.  Can't think what can be done, 
can anyone else?  Maybe have the railfans or someone else connnected with the 
trains, have displays at town functions like the farmers' market, Riverdale 
Day,etc., on safety around the tracks?  I not only feel badly for the people who 
are hit by the trains, but for the train engineers; even if the train is going 
very slow, if someone is one the track, there is simply no way the engineer can 
brake that train in time to avoid hitting someone.  

________________________________
From: Melissa Avery <m.avery at rocketmail.com>
To: Maureen Farrington <maureen.farrington at gmail.com>; 
TownTalk at riverdale-park.org
Sent: Wed, April 6, 2011 8:54:51 AM
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Speaking of trains.....

That particular area of train track has claimed numerous fatalities since the 
1800's, because people have always walked up and down the track.
The man who is considered the founding father of Riverdale Park,The first 
manager of the Riverdale Park Company,  Joseph Blundon, lost his life in the 
same spot Brad was struck,  in 1909.
He fought for years prior to his death with the B&O for railroad safety . He was 
able to get the crossing bars at Queesburry installed in his life time.

At one time there was a fence around the  tracks, because so many people were 
hit by train or trolley car. That fence was removed in the era of the modern 
electric railroad.

I find it very disconcerting that area is cleared, and graveled  practically 
saying "come on in", when it should be saying "Danger -No Trespassing". 
Especially since there is such a well established history of human death at that 
location.
Melissa

________________________________
From: Maureen Farrington <maureen.farrington at gmail.com>
To: TownTalk at riverdale-park.org
Sent: Tue, April 5, 2011 3:37:38 PM
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Speaking of trains.....

Hi everyone, I was a good friend of Brad's. 

He walked those train tracks a thousand times, it was a straight walk from his 
house to his girlfriend's.  He actually met his girlfriend at the Riverdale 
Farmer's market, and despite being a University Park boy, he had grown fond of 
our little town.  I don't think I can begin to write here to describe what an 
amazing man he was.

Brad's mother requested Bradford Pears at the wake, and I asked Vern for help, 
and the town just dropped off a massive bucket of beautiful fresh clippings.  I 
know this will give her some comfort.

Here is a link to a picture of him at my wedding; that's Alan and Sarah blurry 
in the background.

http://twitpic.com/4fs30o

-m

On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 2:57 PM, Dwight Holmes <dwightrholmes at gmail.com> wrote:

Wow. That is sad, troublesome, and fascinating at the same time.  Sad that 
someone lost their life in that manner.
>
>Troublesome that it took 5 days for the news to percolate to the surface here.  
>Though I do see that it was in the Patch recently - my bad for not perusing my 
>daily Patch brief!
>http://riverdalepark.patch.com/articles/pedestrian-fatally-struck-by-train
>
>And reading on further in the Patch, I see that the accident apparently took 
>place not at the crossing on Queensbury (which would be difficult to imagine how 
>it could happen), but a bit south from there. Melissa Avery's very interesting 
>article fills in the background on the exact spot, which i just learned is known 
>as Blundon's Crossing:
>http://riverdalepark.patch.com/articles/the-tale-of-blundons-crossing
>
>And fascinating that there is a branch of law for railroad crossing 
>accidents?!?!? The page Nina linked us to is for a law firm that bills itself as 
>"Railroad Crossing Lawyer"!
>
>Here's the WCBS blurb that DressenLaw.com picked up:
>http://wusa9.com/news/article/144319/44/Man-Struck-And-Killed-By-Train-In-Riverdale
> 
>
>
>
>On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 2:43 PM, Nina Faye <ns_faye at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>http://dreesenlaw.com/railroad-news/2011/04/man-struck-and-killed-by-railroad-accident-in-riverdale/
> 
>>
>>
>>--- On Tue, 4/5/11, Dwight Holmes <dwightrholmes at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>From: Dwight Holmes <dwightrholmes at gmail.com>
>>>
>>>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Speaking of trains.....
>>>To: "Sue Collins" <wheadle at yahoo.com> 
>>>
>>>Cc: TownTalk at riverdale-park.org
>>>Date: Tuesday, April 5, 2011, 2:31 PM 
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Really? When was that? First I've heard of it.
>>>
>>>
>>>On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 2:23 PM, Sue Collins <wheadle at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>I saw a VERY little news item last week about a man who'd apparently hit by a
>>>>train at the Queensbury Road crossing.  Didn't hear any more about it after
>>>>that.  Does anyone know if the police found out the circumstances, who the 
>>poor
>>>>man was, etc?  Very sad that someone dies in such a manner and it barely rates 
>>>a
>>>>passing mention on the news, huh?
>>>>
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>>>>http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/
>>>>
>>>
>>>-----Inline Attachment Follows----- 
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/
>>> 
>>
>
>_______________________________________________
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>
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http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info
>
>
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