03-27-2010, 01:23 PM
Bob C Wrote:Thank You, Stein, for your time and effort reporting, researching and explaining this (perhaps) painful accident...
You are welcome, Bob.
And you are right - it does feel a painful. I have never worked on the railroad myself - life took me in a different direction after a round in the army signal corps as an electronic warfare operator.
But quite a few family members during the last four generations have been railroaders. My great grandpa and his brother, my grandpa and several of his brothers and in-laws, both in Norway and in America, three of my uncles, my brother, his wife, his wife's parents and several cousins. My dad was born in a station agent's home at a rural railroad station. I have been around trains most of my life. Several of my friends happen to work on the railroad.
Even though I am not related in any way (as far as I know) to the tower operator or the switching crew that was on duty when it happened, and even though I am perfectly aware that it is a pretty irrational feeling, I guess I identity with the railroad, and it feels like a family member has done something that I am not very proud of.
I know - totally irrational. Anyways - the important thing about accidents is to try to learn from them, so we try to avoid doing the same mistakes many times.
Stein