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Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Trainhopping in Colorado

From the NY Daily News:
A Colorado college girl's legs were cut off at the knees when she fell under freight train while trying to hop aboard, officials said.

Police in Longmont, Colo., said the 17-year-old Colorado State University student was train hopping with three male pals when she slipped and was crushed by the northbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe train at around 1:35 p.m. on Monday.

A 17-year-old boy who was with her was also injured after he fell and was dragged by the train, Longmont police spokesman Cmdr. Jeff Satur told the Longmont Times-Call.
The girl was flown by helicopter to Denver Health Medical Center, where she had surgery late Monday afternoon, Satur said. She was reported to be in stable condition.

No names have been released, but police said the people involved ranged from 17 to 25 years old.
Witnesses and police said the group was hanging out near an auto-body shop when the train rolled by.
"They all made a run for it," Satur told the Times-Call.

The speed limit for trains in Longmont is 25 mph, but it's not clear how fast the train was moving.

You know when you are doing something and it seems fine at the time and next thing you know one of your friends is being rushed to the hospital with no legs. I like how they say "it's not clear how fast the train  was moving" as if that matters. Even if the train is going 2 miles an hour and your legs are under it, I'm pretty sure you are still fucked.

Anyway I hope what comes out of this incident is an increase in our respect for hobos. Jumping on trains and riding them around the country is tough work. Too tough for some kids in Colorado for sure. Next time maybe the "make a run for it" plan will lose out to the "keep our limbs" plan B.

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