Almost Died

[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.

 

[spectacular]

Well its done the job well

 

[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.

 

[Cree]

@Trvshwvng

i sent you a PM

 

[Cree]

@Trvshwvng

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

 

[Trvshwvng]

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

 

[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

 

[buffalobill]

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

 

[Trvshwvng]

The Dilaudid Gods shower us with their most gracious blessings!

 

[Jaguwar]

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

 

[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.

 

[Jaguwar]

Hey how's she doing?

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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!

 

[Andrea Van Scoyoc]

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.

 

[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.