# Almost Died



## Trvshwvng

A sobering thing went down within the past couple days. I'm here in Tallahassee with my wife and another StP user (not sure if they wanna be named so I won't til further notice) doing some recon at the yard to determine the best spot to hop on & head west for an event in Vegas. We finally find a decent spot with all the essentials complete with a coin op laundry and decide to spange for some food and wash our gear while waiting for our ride to come through. Some Rainbow dude gives me a couple quarters and seems eager to help so I have him shoot me along the road in his truck right quick to see if anything is going down in the yard. Sure enough there's five Union Pacific units getting ready to pull a junk line in our direction. I have the driver flip around and drop me back at the coin op and thank him before letting the other two know the hour is nigh. Here's some irony: I'm singing Murdertrain by Dethklok in my beat Mashed Potatoes Johnson voice minutes before this fucked up incident.

DINGDINGDING
The RR Xing across from us tells us "Hey kids! Time to go!" So we gear up and run over, not giving a fuck about the ten cars on the street about to watch us hop on the fly. The units pass out of sight and here come a few rideable grainers. My wife is the greenest so with safety in mind we send her first in case of the unspeakable taking place and damn good thing...

She attempts to run along side and jump to get hold of the ladder but instead gets thrown and spins STRAIGHT DOWN to the fucking rails. Her pack gets caught on the freight and starts dragging her along (wish she remembered the quick release on her ALICE like I taught her but panic immobilizes some). My buddy and I froze for a split second as she was being dragged and I remember yelling FUCK NO!!!! Luckily reality overcame horror and he took off with me in tail, ripped her from the tracks and I dragged her back onto the street. She sat there dazed with most of her arm and leg free of any skin that was once there. I took her torn pack and threw it into some shrubs and tried to get her to stand while our friend called 911 and split after making sure she was gonna live. She couldn't stand, left leg definitely broken so I carried her off the street and into the shade when I confirmed there wasn't any back or neck damage. Cops come, blah blah. CDA contacts CSX but luckily only charge pressed was some Florida statute "attempting to ride train without pay" which was kinda funny once I wasn't so shook up. Anyway a broken tibia and fibula later she awaits surgery tomorrow and 10 weeks of recover. Clean break right below the knee and will likely have leg trouble later in life. However very lucky to be alive. I've never come as close to dying as her and most haven't; so save any cynical hate speech and you preachers make sure ya back is to the choir please. I mean she was face to face with the wheels spinnin for a minute there and carried 50ft before getting pulled out and we all know the possibilities that could've manifested into something a little TOO real. This post is meant to be a reminder to everyone about what happens out there - take it as you will.


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## Toasty Tramp

I'm glad to hear no lives were lost. Terrible thing to happen, but at least she's still breathing. Hope recovery and everything else goes well, wish you guys the best of luck.


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## Trvshwvng

Thanks man, seems like everything is gonna be fine. Btw read your post about Officer Bacon. I was right near that same Flying J not long ago - damn near crossed paths.


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## ATX

Man, this is why I've always been afraid to hop on the fly. Having a dog has fortunately precented me from ever trying. Speedy recovery mentally and physically to both of you.


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## Toasty Tramp

Glad to hear everything should be fine  

Man! Wish we would have crossed. Having a random StP get together go down would've been literally the only way to make the thing even better.


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## Trvshwvng

Yeah ATX, and only her second ride Enough to be a bit discouraging. Silver lining: We'll won't have to check weather for rain while traveling w/ all the metals in her lol. Also, she hates dilaudid and they keep bringing her 2mgs a few times a day. The morphine button nods her the fuck out so she dont take em. I'm sure y'all can figure out the rest. 

And MilkToast, that surely would've made an interesting encounter. Seems like cops often got this habit o' spanging themselves for me so it mighta called for two six packs that day eh?


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## Odin

Damn... 
Get well soon...


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## Anagor

Glad to hear she will recover. May she get well soon. Greetings to her from a StP member from Germany.


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## buffalobill

Shit sorry is their Medicare availible ??? This seems to personal I'm not very well versed for the super complex insurance policys could you get treated with out any identification aka illegal.


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## Tude

Wow that is scary - so glad you rescued her - can't imagine seeing that. Get well soon!!


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## Trvshwvng

Thanks Anagor, she has a thing for Europeans so that'll brighten her spirits. buffalobill, she does have whatever weird state insurance the govt is pandering out and Florida did accept it but we jumped through hoops to make it happen. Emergency services are to be provided under federal law, ID or not. That's the story I got at least. Tude, I can't in good conscience take credit for rescuing her because I don't think I woulda been capable on my own had the anonymous third party not been there to take off toward her first.


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## VikingAdventurer

Wow. I'm super glad you guys are (mostly) ok. I'm always really careful when I hop on the fly, and if I feel that ANYTHING is not an optimal condition (even if it's "just a feeling"), I nope the fuck away from the train & wait for the next one. I actually did that over the weekend, ABQ to Amarillo. I stood next to 5 or 6 different trains, any of which I probably could've gotten on, and they all "felt wrong". I even got on one of 'em, and then got a bad feeling, so I jumped off and waited again. 

Safe travels, with emphasis on the SAFE part.


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## Trvshwvng

Viking_Adventurer, I often make decisions based on intuition as well. Not to the point where it overshadows reason though. I'm going to be perfectly honest here and state that I had sat down with my wife after watching her fail to catch an IM on the fly recently and stated my opinion that she is most likely not cut out to be on the rails. She responded by accusing me of patronizing her and REFUSED to believe that what I said was true. Literally said "I refuse to believe that", all while knowing I'm at least "well versed" and it doesn't take an expert to have an idea of someone's capabilities. Oh well. Some learn the hard way.


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## spectacular

Omfg glad to hear she's OK.


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## spectacular

Once I got off a train going too fast and fell on the back of my head and nearly cracked my head open. Def a concussion. Moving trains really are no joke at all. Better to wait for one going super slow or stopped completely.


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## spectacular

How is she now?


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## Trvshwvng

bizzolizzo, I bailed my first two times hopping off, once busted a pack strap and the next I was rolling into Worcester MA around 3am in utter blackness and hit the ground hard but luckily barrel rolled and only injured a finger and sprained wrist. Just enough to be annoying for the next couple weeks.

As for the wife she's ok as of now. Road rash looks heinous and kinda awesome. They've split the surgery into two stages, the first being to install a stabilizer on her leg for two weeks until the swelling reduces. That part is done with. Next they're gonna have to put some steel rods in her. We're in the hospital now watching Thomas the Tank Engine


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## Trvshwvng

I said stabilizer, excuse me its called an "external fixator". Check it out.


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## spectacular

Ay must have been shattered no?


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## spectacular

So scared of trains right now


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## Trvshwvng

It's a clean break but at a weird angle right below the knee. Idk about being scared but a healthy fear is all I intend anyone to have by sharing.


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## spectacular

Well its done the job well


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## Rob Nothing

reality check. good call having her go first.. and thanks for sharing this here.

hope for a speedy recovery, and that you and she together be able and willing to try.. a slower moving train again sometime.


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## Cree

@Trvshwvng

i sent you a PM


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## Cree

@Trvshwvng

Good hanging out with you and B today. Lucky young lady and she will recover in time.


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## Trvshwvng

Thanks again everyone. Same to you Cree and props for all the help & company today.


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## buffalobill

Wow well so much for low key security check points now right ha. It was rumored that I was have to get pins and I was terrified I know how scary and stressful surgeries can be try to have a good spring still


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## buffalobill

Ps is she getting alright drugs haha sorry just came to mind


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## Trvshwvng

The Dilaudid Gods shower us with their most gracious blessings!


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## Jaguwar

Whoa dude that's HARSH! Message heard and all. I wish her a speedy recovery.


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## Trvshwvng

Thanks, @Jaguwar. The scary thing is that it was moving not much faster than a crawl. Only takes a slight misstep. I'm relaying everyone's thoughts and support as it comes which has boosted her morale significantly and I feel has attributed to her quick progress on recovery so far. I've only had negativity at the table once from some jimH1991 kid, who for some reason used what happened to take a personal stab at me. "good luck paying the medical bills with pity pennies", he says. I've always prioritized safety and the third party with us has too. Some may argue that hopping on the fly is never a good idea, but as someone who has never had a problem with it, I think that's rather subjective. Slack can be just as dangerous and has killed riders who never caught a train while moving. If we're to argue against every possible negative outcome then NO ONE should be riding, period! But that perspective is just out of context because we're well aware of the dangers that entail. There are so many variables that a miscalculation is bound to happen and some cause more serious repercussions than others. Some people do some idiotic shit and never serve the consequences, others take extreme measures of care and still get hurt or worse. It's just the risk we take.


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## Jaguwar

Hey how's she doing?


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## Trvshwvng

@Jaguwar She got a rod and plate in her leg. Doing physical therapy now which is painful but overall making good progress - thanks for checking back. It really boosts her morale when you guys ask about her.


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## Jaguwar

Poor thing, that doesn't sound life fun at all. Then again, when you go adventuring, sooner or later it gets hard, even painful. I wish her a speedy recovery.


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## Trvshwvng

Thanks again  Setbacks are bound to take place, especially in these realms. That's what I like though because the need for problem solving allows our logic to be tested to a significant degree, keeping us on our toes. I think its safe to say that in many cases those of us who maintain a good quality of life out here are often the ones that have a high degree of problem solving ability included in their skill set. Lmao okay.... Went WAYYY off topic there, sorry. Just sharing an opinion.

Edit: The kindness of strangers never hurts. Can't always take full credit either.


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## Jaguwar

I happen to agree wholeheartedly, actually, and I'm grateful you mentioned that. That's a topic that's been on my mind for months. Creative thinking is a strong suit of mine, which can make me a really good person to have around when things go sideways, as they invariably do, eventually.


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## iflewoverthecuckoosnest

Holy shit. That must have been terrifying to see happening to your wife.
Good on you for knowing how to handle it.
Sending the best! Lovely to know that she seems to be recovering.


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## Jaguwar

errrrr... sorry, accidentally posted something unrelated in here, and I don't know how to delete it so I'm overwriting with this overly long apology. 

Sorry!


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## Andrea Van Scoyoc

Trvshwvng said:


> A sobering thing went down within the past couple days. I'm here in Tallahassee with my wife and another StP user (not sure if they wanna be named so I won't til further notice) doing some recon at the yard to determine the best spot to hop on & head west for an event in Vegas. We finally find a decent spot with all the essentials complete with a coin op laundry and decide to spange for some food and wash our gear while waiting for our ride to come through. Some Rainbow dude gives me a couple quarters and seems eager to help so I have him shoot me along the road in his truck right quick to see if anything is going down in the yard. Sure enough there's five Union Pacific units getting ready to pull a junk line in our direction. I have the driver flip around and drop me back at the coin op and thank him before letting the other two know the hour is nigh. Here's some irony: I'm singing Murdertrain by Dethklok in my beat Mashed Potatoes Johnson voice minutes before this fucked up incident.
> 
> DINGDINGDING
> The RR Xing across from us tells us "Hey kids! Time to go!" So we gear up and run over, not giving a fuck about the ten cars on the street about to watch us hop on the fly. The units pass out of sight and here come a few rideable grainers. My wife is the greenest so with safety in mind we send her first in case of the unspeakable taking place and damn good thing...
> 
> She attempts to run along side and jump to get hold of the ladder but instead gets thrown and spins STRAIGHT DOWN to the fucking rails. Her pack gets caught on the freight and starts dragging her along (wish she remembered the quick release on her ALICE like I taught her but panic immobilizes some). My buddy and I froze for a split second as she was being dragged and I remember yelling FUCK NO!!!! Luckily reality overcame horror and he took off with me in tail, ripped her from the tracks and I dragged her back onto the street. She sat there dazed with most of her arm and leg free of any skin that was once there. I took her torn pack and threw it into some shrubs and tried to get her to stand while our friend called 911 and split after making sure she was gonna live. She couldn't stand, left leg definitely broken so I carried her off the street and into the shade when I confirmed there wasn't any back or neck damage. Cops come, blah blah. CDA contacts CSX but luckily only charge pressed was some Florida statute "attempting to ride train without pay" which was kinda funny once I wasn't so shook up. Anyway a broken tibia and fibula later she awaits surgery tomorrow and 10 weeks of recover. Clean break right below the knee and will likely have leg trouble later in life. However very lucky to be alive. I've never come as close to dying as her and most haven't; so save any cynical hate speech and you preachers make sure ya back is to the choir please. I mean she was face to face with the wheels spinnin for a minute there and carried 50ft before getting pulled out and we all know the possibilities that could've manifested into something a little TOO real. This post is meant to be a reminder to everyone about what happens out there - take it as you will.



Sorry to hear this. Stories like yours are part of the reason I will never train hop. I love trains, but have a healthy respect for them that borders, terror.

For those that have traveled, can travel and will travel safely by train, good on you.

As much as I love them, I can't and never will.

I'm glad your wife came through such horror, as good as she did.

I know, considering her injuries, it may not seem like much to be grateful for, but I'm so glad she lived.

Stay safe and if you and your wife (and any traveling companions) are ever in my area and need a ride to Tampa or so, please let me know.

Better than playing against "chance," again.


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## Deleted member 20

I am glad she is OK & back in Boston. As some already knew I was the anon third party. I have no problem with others here on STP knowing who I am but wasnt about to be bundled into getiing a citation from CSX, UP, Local PD or Sheriffs for simply being there & involved. 

I recall the 911 op calling me back after I assessed the accident like a trained first responder with precise location details & trauma triage of the patient with details of injuries & summary of the accident. When they called me back I was like I have no idea what happened I was just an innocent bystander walking by & that I was no longer at the scene. It may have seemed cold at the time but survival & my fight or flight instincts were encouraging me to take off. I did just that & hitched directly to the ER about an hour after the incident. I hope that this accident will help repair both the relationship she had with her mom, your relationship with yer wife & who knows even some days you & your mother in law. I see a silver lining in most situations even this near death horrific ordeal. 

I have been close to death before but it never gets easy, especially when others are at the mercy of dangerous machines with little to do but react & pray. I am so happy that she is alive & I would have not only felt terrible but responsible. Be safe out there @Trvshwvng I continued on my trip some 6k miles out west & back & havent found a need to be on a freight train since. I aint saying I am not riding trains anymore but as before I will return to "Riding Solo, Riding Sober" as it had always worked for me in the past & have never witnessed as close a call with decapitation as this event. I hope & pray that you guys find a place to settle down & that she keeps to hitching or rubbertramping & you take occasional rail trips once in awhile to recharge your batteries.


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## Trvshwvng

Aye, the man unmasked!

Everything is fine, yes she is back in Boston and recovering - about to start physical therapy so everyone knows. As for me I took a two week trek on the southeastern rails exploring this and that as sort of a meditation on life. As of now im headed to Jackson TN to see a family member who is about to undergo a pretty touchy surgery. I have deemed 2015 to be the Year of Endless Waiting Rooms. Perhaps the second half of this year will balance out as the universe has unceasingly granted me little room for travel each time I set out. There's been a silver lining to every situation thus far, no matter how stressful and for that im pretty fucking thankful. Especially with the help of some more unnamed StPers... I have been able to pull through with the help of the community. So for that I thank you!


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## Andrea Van Scoyoc

Trvshwvng said:


> As of now im headed to Jackson TN to see a family member who is about to undergo a pretty touchy surgery.




Weird...I too have relatives in Jackson, TN.

Talk about BFE! At least it was last time I was there, which, admittedly, was about 30 years ago, so it might have changed by now.

Anyway...small world. Safe travels...


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## Trvshwvng

Believe it or not, Jackson is metropolitan now! Coulda rode freight here from Chattanooga, Birmingham, through tupelo and finally Jackson but woulda taken forever so I bused my way over. Saw my grandfather yesterday, he didn't even hardly recognize me and kept talking off the wall shit. One of those things where if the doctors operate he will most likely die and if not he'll eventually die anyway. Idk man this year is just really out there.


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## Andrea Van Scoyoc

Trvshwvng said:


> Believe it or not, Jackson is metropolitan now!



Would've never guessed. Thanks for the update!


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## Trvshwvng

Yep as of the mid-2000s.


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## psychofoamer

And this is why you catch stopped trains


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## psychofoamer

And I'm glad to hear she is alive.


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## Parker Free

You guys who hop trains are so much more ballsy than I am! I fell off a little ladder and broke all three ankle bones so my foot was just hanging there. I really can't imagine how fucked up I'd get myself trying to catch a moving train....REALLY glad your wife made it through as well as she did, although...OUCH! Hope she's doing well and feeling good now.


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## juliesunshine

I hope all is going well with recovery and PT. glad 

2015 hasn't been my year either, I've had 3 surgeries for broken bones, all including plates and screws of all sorts. All for stupid stuff! Slipping on some ice, falling off a bridge, I feel you @Parker Free. One of the injuries was my ankle.

This story really sobered me up even more, at the mortality of life. For someone as accident prone as me, definitely staying off the rails.

Safe travels from here on out


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## PegLegRon

As a guy who has been bit once, I have to say damn she is lucky to still have all limbs and be alive, when I got bit a single wheel ran over my foot, of course I didn't learn my lesson and continued to ride till 2013. As I've gotten older I am glad I no longer ride but I wouldn't trade those days for anything. keep safe and happy travels man.


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