Men Charged After Jumping to Avoid Oncoming Train
Three men were charged.
By Rachel Hatzipanagos
April 11, 2012
http://fairfaxstation.patch.com/articles/clifton-men-charged-oncoming-train-ravine

Three men will be charged with trespassing after an incident last week when one of the men had to jump into a Clifton ravine to avoid an oncoming train.

The men, ages 19, 20, and 31 will be charged with misdemeanor trespassing and, in addition, a charge of trespassing on a railroad track, according to Robin C. Chapman, spokesman for the Norfolk Southern Corporation.

Their names have not been released.

The Fairfax County Police Department reports that the men were hiking through the woods in the Hemlock Regional Park in Clifton on April 4 when they came across a railroad bridge. As they crossed the bridge, they encountered the oncoming train.

Two of the men made it across, but police say a third jumped to avoid being struck by a train. He was taken to a nearby hospital by an FCPD helicopter where he was treated for his injuries.

The train, #337, was on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Manassas line, which had departed from Union Station in D.C. at 7:50 p.m.. The accident reportedly delayed the train for more than an hour
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It was most likely this bridge:
http://binged.it/HEklUS

Lots of walking paths and trails through that area. People always like to stand around on the bridge, no idea why.

So if I'm to interpret the thread title correctly, it is FCPD's position that one should not jump to avoid the train in order to avoid charges?

The wooden cross rails on that bridge are pretty far apart - so crossing is not as fast as one might think - have to be careful with footsteps. But there are 2 tracks - in an emergency just slide over to the other track. Of course, they probably didn't want to be seen (and the train would try to stop if they saw anyone on the bridge). Either way, it would be very foolish to attempt to cross the track on foot.
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LOL get a trespassing charge...or get hit by a train.

VA Phins Fan Wrote:
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> LOL get a trespassing charge...or get hit by a
> train.

Or don't panic and jump over to the other set of tracks. Sounds like two of the three were fine, but one of them had to go and win the stupid prize. Now all three are in hot water.

Moron.

I have actually found myself on foot in front of an oncoming train in a similar situation when I was young and dumb. They come up very fast and there is very little time to make whatever move you are going to make.

But what McGruff and Patch have advocated here is offensive and dangerous. Of course you fucking get out of the way, you don't take your chances with the train out of fear of being arrested, that's stupid.

justsayin Wrote:
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> But what McGruff and Patch have advocated here is
> offensive and dangerous. Of course you fucking
> get out of the way, you don't take your chances
> with the train out of fear of being arrested,
> that's stupid.

McGruff certainly is not advocating any such thing. I merely found this and brought it to your attention.
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I think the moral of the story (and the trespassing charges) is they shouldn't have been on the tracks in the first place. Dude wouldn't have be a human accordion right now if they hadn't been doing a lame recreation of Stand By Me.

Furey Wrote:
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> I think the moral of the story (and the
> trespassing charges) is they shouldn't have been
> on the tracks in the first place. Dude wouldn't
> have be a human accordion right now if they hadn't
> been doing a lame recreation of Stand By Me.
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Stand by Me Wrote:
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> Furey Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I think the moral of the story (and the
> > trespassing charges) is they shouldn't have
> been
> > on the tracks in the first place. Dude wouldn't
> > have be a human accordion right now if they
> hadn't
> > been doing a lame recreation of Stand By Me.



The difference being, in this case it was a two track bridge; the idiot could have just stepped onto the other set of tracks!

jutsayin wrote:
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>>So if I'm to interpret the thread title correctly, it is FCPD's position that one >>should not jump to avoid the train in order to avoid charges?

Actually, I think FCPD's position is to stay off the tracks in the first place.

It would be nasty fall from the middle for sure.
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McGruff - The Crime Dog! Wrote:
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> McGruff certainly is not advocating any such
> thing. I merely found this and brought it to your
> attention.

Then you need to do a better job of reading the content that you copy-paste here.

justsayin Wrote:
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> McGruff - The Crime Dog! Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > McGruff certainly is not advocating any such
> > thing. I merely found this and brought it to
> your
> > attention.
>
> Then you need to do a better job of reading the
> content that you copy-paste here.

That was going to be my suggestion to you. It's a news story, so don't shoot the messenger.

A Civil War era photo of the same bridge.
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