A Deadly Ride
On Sunday, I took the train to L.A. After a recent trip that involved getting stuck in Ventura and being three-hours late, I scheduled defensively, deciding to come a day early just-to-be-sure. It turned out, this wasn't such a great idea.
Of course, I had no idea how things were going to transpire. I wasn't even sure as they were going along. We were chuggling down the coast quite blissfully, I was sending periodic Twits and texts to the Tootz (on one end) and BigTea (on the other) when we were suddenly unavoidably delayed.
Since the Tootz said my texts read like a story, I thought I'd reproduce them here.
3:41PM (To Tootz)
Train is pretty much on time so far.
3:50PM (To BigTea)
We are now stopped in a tunnel.
3:56PM (To BigTea)
And they asked for medical personnel. That, with the vague noises I can hear coming from the outside, does not bode well.
4:12PM (To Tootz)
Bad things happening. I will be late. Stuck in a dark tunnel with no air.
(Then I took this photo as an illustration of the view out my window.)
4:27PM (To Twitter)
A man in an orange hat with a flashlight is illuminating the graffiti covered walls.
4:31PM (To Tootz)
The paramedics just walked through. There is no air in here.
4:38PM (To Twitter)
There is likely someone dying on the tracks below but they aren't telling us anything.
4:40PM (To Twitter)
And it's very hot and there is no air in here.
4:45PM (To Tootz)
They just told us they are going to replace the crew and they don't know how long this is going to take.
5:02PM (To Tootz)
I should never say the train is on time. It's the kiss of death.
5:35PM (To DD)
I just got a whole bunch of messages. I don't know how long this is going to take. Could be a couple more hours and then an hour to Union Sta. We have no toilets and no air.
5:44PM (To Twitter)
Thank god I have my Kindle. Finishing 'Operation Sheba.'
6:00PM (To BigTea, Tootz, Twitter)
Wow. Now the lights have gone out. Things keep getting worse for our hero.
6:10PM (To Twitter)
Though things might look bleak for our hero, it's not nearly as bad as for the person who was trying to cross the tracks.
6:17PM (To Tootz, BigTea)
We are out of the tunnel, but we aren't exactly moving.
6:24PM (To BigTea)
Can you check the news to see what happened? They aren't telling us much.
6:39PM (To Twitter)
And we are moving. BigTea is checking the news for what happened since the authorities have not shared any information.
6:41PM (To Tootz)
We are leaving Chatsworth. Good sign.
And then yesterday, I found this, which is the news report fromKABC Channel 7.
Needless to say I'm not looking forward to today's return ride.
Of course, I had no idea how things were going to transpire. I wasn't even sure as they were going along. We were chuggling down the coast quite blissfully, I was sending periodic Twits and texts to the Tootz (on one end) and BigTea (on the other) when we were suddenly unavoidably delayed.Since the Tootz said my texts read like a story, I thought I'd reproduce them here.
3:41PM (To Tootz)
Train is pretty much on time so far.
3:50PM (To BigTea)
We are now stopped in a tunnel.
3:56PM (To BigTea)
And they asked for medical personnel. That, with the vague noises I can hear coming from the outside, does not bode well.
4:12PM (To Tootz)Bad things happening. I will be late. Stuck in a dark tunnel with no air.
(Then I took this photo as an illustration of the view out my window.)
4:27PM (To Twitter)
A man in an orange hat with a flashlight is illuminating the graffiti covered walls.
4:31PM (To Tootz)
The paramedics just walked through. There is no air in here.
4:38PM (To Twitter)
There is likely someone dying on the tracks below but they aren't telling us anything.
4:40PM (To Twitter)
And it's very hot and there is no air in here.
4:45PM (To Tootz)
They just told us they are going to replace the crew and they don't know how long this is going to take.
5:02PM (To Tootz)
I should never say the train is on time. It's the kiss of death.
5:35PM (To DD)
I just got a whole bunch of messages. I don't know how long this is going to take. Could be a couple more hours and then an hour to Union Sta. We have no toilets and no air.
5:44PM (To Twitter)
Thank god I have my Kindle. Finishing 'Operation Sheba.'
6:00PM (To BigTea, Tootz, Twitter)
Wow. Now the lights have gone out. Things keep getting worse for our hero.
6:10PM (To Twitter)
Though things might look bleak for our hero, it's not nearly as bad as for the person who was trying to cross the tracks.
6:17PM (To Tootz, BigTea)
We are out of the tunnel, but we aren't exactly moving.
6:24PM (To BigTea)
Can you check the news to see what happened? They aren't telling us much.
6:39PM (To Twitter)
And we are moving. BigTea is checking the news for what happened since the authorities have not shared any information.
6:41PM (To Tootz)
We are leaving Chatsworth. Good sign.
And then yesterday, I found this, which is the news report fromKABC Channel 7.
Needless to say I'm not looking forward to today's return ride.
posted by Gina Black at 11:54 AM
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7 Comments:
Good luck for the trip back. And God speed to the woman. How terrible being a train driver must be at times.
Oh Gina! I am SO Sorry!
My worst nightmare...ack!
I hit lots of stuff, but they have never left me in a tunnel for hours!
One time hubby was with me and I turned to him and commented "Welcome to MY life".
A 3 hour stop is normal when a train kills someone--either a suicide or terminal stupidity (as in your case).
Deaths on the tracks happen several times/year on the SF-SJ-Gilroy line. It usually takes 3 hours for a coroner to arrive and do what needs to be done.
Gina: I talked to my conductor on the train today and he confirms what anonymous said. Your train was stopped in place, because it was a crime scene. I said to the conductor, that they should have (at least) been allowed to leave the tunnel, since they were in there with THE ENGINE! He repeated that it was a crime scene and that it takes several hours to clear.
My other question for you is, how could you get reception in the tunnel? Was it that you were so close to the end? Do you normally Twitter in tunnels? (that sounds so weird, even to my ears) :-)
angel--the part that makes no sense to me was that the train had necessarily moved past the point of impact by the time it stopped. Leaving several hundred people in train cars in a dark tunnel in California seems very unsafe.
As to how I sent the messages--it was hit and miss. some of them I had to keep trying and others just went through. I did notice that some people were able to use their phones in there and others weren't.
And, actually, being able to communicate with the outside and express myself really, really helped with the claustrophobia.
How terrible, Gina. Poor woman, and poor passengers:(
I'm late reading this, but I wanted to say how sorry I am... for you and the victim. I actually read about that when it happened.
I'm glad you had Twitter to help you get through the hours.
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