Man hit and killed by Fairmount Line train in Hyde Park

I was listening to this on the BFD radio. The initial dispatch sent BFD to the end of West Street in Hyde Park for access but that proved to be somewhat difficult. Crews then went over to Truman Highway where there was apparently better access. There was some confusion regarding whether orders had been issued to stop the trains which also impeded access. The chief on scene ordered all members to remain off the tracks and remain to the side at all times. The command chief on site also ordered "power cut" which is a standard order even though the Fairmount line is not electrified.

Access seemed difficult for the rescue teams per the radio exchanges and would involve cutting locks or cutting out sections in fencing which are in place. There is no information available regarding where access to the tracks was made by the victim but it is not that far from the open and accessible passenger platform at Fairmount Station, maybe about 1500 feet or so.

Why the person was walking there is also unknown but the wooded area abutting the tracks is a known congregating spot for drinking and other activities that want to be out of the public eye. Not that far inbound from the strike area is a burned-out building that was once a part of the paper mill on the river and which has had several fires that had mysterious and unknown origins. That's because it is a hang-out spot.

Fences are in place but the type of fences that can be used are subject to a combination of rules at the city, state, and even federal level which govern what kind of fence is allowed (or mandated). Railroad nationwide have trespass access issues. They raise a fence or repair it only to have holes cut in it again by those bent on maintaining their short cuts. There are limitations to available transit police and where they can patrol.

One of the biggest problems associated with rail accidents involving pedestrians and motorists are those who fail to pay attention and follow the rules. YouTube is loaded with videos of cars and trucks being hit, that willfully went through active crossings with the gates down. It also has a number of "close call" videos of people who were oblivious to their surroundings due to any number of human faults, including blaring headphones in their ears that prevented them from hearing what was coming at them. There are also those showing people just walking into crossings without ever looking both ways as many have been taught (hopefully) over time. There are now cities considering legislation to make it illegal to use a cell phone while crossing the street due to people being hit.

There is a limitation to what can be legislated or imposed to prevent accidents. At some point you have to accept that you cannot fix poor human habits and decisions.

Not addressed here (much) is the trauma felt by the train crew in knowing that they hit someone. This does not impact just the train operator. When an accident like this happens the entire train crew is immediately relieved of duty and have to submit to substantial questioning by local and federal authorities regarding what they saw, heard, or learned as a result of the accident. They also undergo immediate drug and alcohol testing. It can be weeks before they will be allowed to return to the job.

The passengers also may have trauma since knowing that someone was just killed can impact those just present or nearby to the incident, even though they had nothing to do with it. Death impacts different people in different ways.

And not visited here is the possibility that this was a suicide. Suicide by train is a growing phenomena worldwide and one that the USDOT only recently started to instigate in depth. It can take weeks and even months to determine (or guess in this case) if this was just an accident that was preventable, or a willful act to end human suffering. We may never know.

Fences only delay things of this nature. They do not prevent it.

https://www.volpe.dot.gov/rail-suicide-prevention