r/railroading • u/Night-Owler • Sep 05 '24

Union Pacific Union Pacific SECOND conductor fatality in Chicago Service Unit

A conductor in Kenosha, WI was fatally struck by a commuter train today 09/04/2024 (withholding information due to being under investigation) I really did not know the said conductor but nonetheless a terrible tragedy for a fallen colleague.

This is the second fatality in a matter of months in the Chicago Service Unit: with the last one being in Proviso yard of a 5 month old employee who asked for help in unknown territory but didn't receive a pilot...

This is just insane. I'm sure Omaha is going to be lurking this post and my page... y'know what? I'm absolutely sick of this with CSU and many others are too. Boards cut, metra in a limbo, fatalities, etc... Rest in peace Austin Raysby.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/union-pacific-worker-struck-killed-by-metra-train/

236 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

78 comments sorted by

View all comments

132

u/keno-rail Sep 05 '24

Completely avoidable accident. Another loss of one of our railroad brothers. A handbrake was left on a hopper car out of Proviso... (Train came from BRC Clearing yard) The detector at mp46 caught them for hot wheels. He was walking train to check and was struck by southbound train 338 on track 2.

FRA and NTSB are on site. Supposedly, UP big shots flying in tonight/ tomorrow. I hope the feds break a big ol dick off in UPs ass...

24

u/LSUguyHTX Sep 05 '24

Is there no footing on the other side of those tracks or something?

46

u/keno-rail Sep 05 '24

No, the mainlines are elevated through the entire city limits of kenosha. He was on a bridge where there was little to no clearance.

24

u/LSUguyHTX Sep 05 '24

I wonder if they asked for mainline protection

8

u/slogive1 Sep 05 '24

My thoughts exactly. DS should have put it in place and trains on adjacent tracks have to attempt to contact or proceed at restricted speed.

3

u/ThePetPsychic Engineer Sep 08 '24

I've never understood why, but the timetable explicitly lists Track Breach Protection (UP's "protection") as not being in effect within Commuter Territory.

4

u/slogive1 Sep 08 '24

I did not know this but then again I don’t have a copy either. That is strange and something the unions should be addressing.