Apperantely they were doing a reverse move with the conductor standing in the rear vestibule when she fell off and was ran over by the train. This is a very sad and tragic event. My condolences go out to all of those who have been affected.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/29/us/colora ... bottomlist

This is particularly poignant to write on Memorial Day. None of us want to lose a friend, a colleague or an employe, certainly not while working. The hardest job an officer will ever do is to knock on a door to say someone is not coming home. This is as true on the railroad as it is in the service. While today is meant to honour those who were lost serving their country, this loss is just as real and just as traumatic. Our condolences to her husband, family and friends.

While I do not see a relationship or a pattern yet, this is the second Line of Duty Death involving a fall on a tourist railroad in six months. The regulators, both state and FRA are certain to take a long hard look at this and revisit the prior episode in New Jersey (That loss was personal - we had met the gentleman and his wife on several occasions.) along with any similar episodes on both tourist roads and (pardon the expression) the real railroads.

Please remember that the Safety Rules exist so that nobody has to knock on the door. It is very easy to become complacent and take shortcuts, to stand on top of a piece of equipment without three point contact, to let go of a handrail without having grasped the next one, to not check your footing, to lose - even momentarily - situational awareness. I could go on and I see some oversight like this every time that I'm out on the railroad. We are as guilty as anyone else of those momentary lapses.

On a day when we are honoring those lost, PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.

GME
for:

Colonel George M Edwards and Susan Brenner

Lieutenant Colonel Robert R Bradly and Dr Patricia Edwards

Captain Matthew M Kelleher and Major Meghan Dawn Edwards-Kelleher

Lieutenant Eric M Bradly

Master Gunner Robin N Edwards, PhD and Amanda Morrow Edwards

Lieutenant Junior Grade Jillian K Edwards