Train hits pedestrian; riders left stranded (Houston)

Houston Chronicle ^ | July 9, 2004 | LUCAS WALL and ROBERT CROWE

[Dog Gone]

Chip Lambert, Metro spokesman, didn't know why the sign system hadn't been fixed. He also was unsure why Metro hadn't dispatched employees to each station to assist riders, and pledged to review the complaints today with service supervisors.

This is what happens when you let Democrats govern big cities.

Even in Texas.

[MikefromOhio]

sounds like the return of Slamtrack......

[Dog Gone]

You don't have any opinions about the wisdom of running light rail down the crowded Medical Center area, do you?

[Tall_Texan]

Ahhhh, blight rail!

So where are the trial lawyers to sue for these unfortunate victims who were injured by the mean, evil corporate train? Oh, wait!...

[DocRock]

Chip Lambert reminds me of James Tagert in Atlas Shrugged.

[Normal4me]

"Pervis Richmond, manager of Domino's Pizza near the crash scene, ran out to help.

Pervis? [Gods voice]Pervis Richmond...you are hereby destined to manage a pizza store...for the rest of your entire life. [/Gods voice]

[hauerf]

"You don't have any opinions about the wisdom of running light rail down the crowded Medical Center area, do you?"

By way of comparison, Los Angeles' Blue line (one of four terribly wonderful color coded mass transit lines here) shares considerable downtown roadbed with busy streets. Blue line trains stop at traffic lights and otherwise roar along at perhaps 15 mph (with good tail winds). To say the trains "run" on the streets is incorrect; it is more accurate to say that they "crawl". The Blue line sucks!

[76834]

Latest saga of the "Wham Bam Tram"

[Dog Gone]

I'm extremely proud of the "20 times the national average" in train wrecks. Dammit, we do things BIGGER in Texas.

[weegee]

Houston Wham Bam Thank You Tram PING!

[Dog Gone]

"He had a pulse when I got there, and then the train's hydraulic system dropped on him," said Richmond, an Alief volunteer firefighter.

I thought that was a nice touch to whole incident.

[weegee]

Yvonne McElwee, heading to her home near the Texas Medical Center, was among those who expressed frustration that Metro did not post notices of the shutdown on the electronic sign above the platform. There were also no announcements on the station intercom, she said, and no Metro employees were seen at the station offering to help riders.

Metro doesn't like to air their dirty laundry. Don't expect them to tell potential riders that (A) there has been another accident, and (B) it may be over an hour before another train comes by.

[76834]

WOW, the whole system, pumps, tubes, hoses, cylinders etc etc.
Or did he just get sprayed with a bit of oil?

[Dog Gone]

They're also faking their ridership numbers. Granted, I avoid downtown like the plague, but I have never seen ONE passenger on a train while I was there.

Apparently, they prowl the streets empty seeking cars and pedestrians to take off the road.

Amazingly, earlier this week they suspended one train driver for ramming a car that was lawfully on the tracks. Of course, it was for one day with pay so that he could review safety materials. He's back on the tracks tonight, so drive carefully!

[Dog Gone]

You know as much as I do, but it couldn't have been a positive development...

[Petronski]

Anyone want to ping Willie?

[Flyer]

At downtown's five light rail stations Thursday, many stranded passengers were irate at the lack of communication and assistance from the Metropolitan Transit Authority in completing their trips

Been there. Had to endure that. I think I posted a thread on my experience here somewhere.

[Dog Gone]

Hell, why not.

[Vigilantcitizen]

He had a pulse when I got there, and then the train's hydraulic system dropped on him," said Richmond, an Alief volunteer firefighter.

Damn. I hate it when that happens.

[Not A Snowbird]

Must be "silly people v. trains" week. At least the bicyclist who rode into the side of the Sounder train earlier this week did it only a block from the station, thereby inflicting minimal inconvenience on the commuting public...