In the last two months there have been three railroad related incidents in the Pedley area. And one in Riverside at the Santa Ana River Bridge resulting in a fatality.

6/23/06 – 2240hrs – Union Pacific freight train vs. Pedestrian
An elderly woman survived being struck by a train Clay St. near Van Buren in Pedley. An eastbound UP stack train led by UP 5296 had just left the Pedley Station when approaching Clay St the engineer noticed a body lying on the tracks. Being that the crew did not see the body moving they assumed that the person was already expired and they went into a non-emergency stop stopping the head end of the train about a 1/3 mile to the east of the intersection.

E16 with T17 were dispatched and responded to the location given. Arriving on scene at 2042hrs E16 encountered the stopped train and many sheriffs’ deputies in the area. Upon exiting the engine Captain Palmer noticed something under the train just to the west of the crossing. Expecting the worst he approached the train and discovered an elderly woman under the train with obvious trauma but still breathing. At this point access to the patient was impossible for two reasons, one not being in contact with the crew and two we were unable to access the patient under the well car.

Several Union Pacific supervisors showed as well as the conductor of the train. Finally we got clearance and accessed the patient thru the top of the well and determined we could extricate up through the well with some effort. The patient was remarkably conscious and somewhat alert. We originally thought she had been struck by the train and just landed underneath it. Later we found out she had been lying on the tracks and the train had hit her as it passed over her causing major trauma to her hands, arms and head, but no other broken bones and all her vitals were stable.

The patient ended being an Alzheimer patient from a facility up the street and had managed to walk to the tracks, where it appears she laid down to take a nap. The patient was expected to recover fully and has to be one of the luckiest people to survive being run over by a freight train.

7/28/06 – 1330hrs – Metrolink vs. Vehicle
Companies 16, 17, 18, & 38 along with 5 AMR units, an EMS captain and battalion chief were dispatched to a MCI, vehicle vs. train at Clay St x/UP tracks.

E16 was the first engine to arrive on the scene. Enroute to the given location we passed Metrolink 411 on the tracks, that was a good thing. When we got to the tracks on Clay we could see a car about 200' down the tracks to the west. E16 along with AMR confirmed one DOA in the car, no other victims at this location. E17 checked on the passengers on the Metrolink and advised no injuries there either. All units were released except for T17 to assist the coroner with the removal of the body.

See photos from the incident here.

8/11/06 – 2000hrs – Union Pacific freight train vs. vehicle
Companies 16, 17 & 18 were dispatched to a reported cut ‘n’ rescue, train vs. vehicle at Pedley x/Jurupa. The Union Pacific Crestmore Local had struck a vehicle trying to pass in front of it at the intersection. Luckily for the driver she almost made it but was struck in the rear quarter panel and did not receive any injuries.