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January 26, 2005

The rain's insane, the bane of crashing trains

I suspect that the train crash between two Metrolink trains (and a parked freight train) in Glendale will make the national news. There's something rather surreal about hearing about. a disaster (almost) live as it's happening, though.

Ever since I got tired of the usual ClearChannel morning drivel, which seems more and more like a recap of the previous night's television, interrupted by a few tabloid headlines and the occasional song, I switched over to a "Headline News" style news radio station. For the New Yorkers, it's just like 1010 WINS.

Anyway, I was still surfacing from slumber around 6:11, when the crash occurred. The traffic copter caught it right away and they were reporting on it by 6:15.

Those initial moments of chaos and frantic reporting were interesting as the reporters on the ground--they had two on-site within ten minutes, it seemed--brought in a trickle then a flood of information from eyewitness accounts, corporate officials, and eventually the first responders.

Go figure, two of the responding police departments said the scrambled after hearing about it on the radio. At last count, four departments were involved.

Sometimes, I wish I could have been at certain places at certain times. It occurred to me this morning that I really would have liked to have been stuck in traffic on the 5 to snap a picture of a 30+ convoy of ambulances as they were escorted up to the crash site by CHP.

About to finish my bus commute to work, so signing off until later.

PS: No idea if the rain's actually to blame for any of this, but the rhyme fit.

PPS: This post was originally emailed to myself while on the bus to work and has been dated according to the time stamp of the email.

Update (09:38): The whole thing was caused by a vehicle that was intentionally parked on one of the tracks. Speculation was suicide and that the guy chickened out and ran. Of course, there could have been other reasons. Fucker.

Posted by KinCross at January 26, 2005 08:33 AM

Comments

Surprised it didn't get blamed on terrorists.

By the way, nice pics of me there Ian, I'd forgotten that day in London!

Posted by: Ribby at January 26, 2005 09:33 AM

Posted by: Red at January 26, 2005 12:32 PM

I guess a train crash that involves two loaded passenger trains, an idle freight locomotive (and it's huge!), and a suicidal idiot is a little more noteworthy than your usual train-plowed-into-a-car-on-the-tracks story.

Hey, Ribby... is that you, Chris? You don't sound like one of the waitresses.

Posted by: Ian at January 26, 2005 03:21 PM

Yep, it's me. And I don't look like the waitresses either. Curses.

Posted by: Ribby at January 26, 2005 08:55 PM

Cool stuff. What are you doing out in Paris? Sounds like you've moved onto the mainland.

Posted by: Ian at January 27, 2005 12:43 AM

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