Dog on the railway.

[Donny_m]

Watching a discussion unfold on a local Missing Dogs Facebook page.

Photos of a large dog on the mainline outside of Bristol. Within a heavily palisade fenced area so no easy way on and off.

BTP repeatedly called and no answer.

Network rail 24 hour emergency line
called and have claimed there’s nothing they can do.

Seems a bit off doesn’t it?

Addition; I remember a scene on the network rail TV show where they search for and collect a dead dog from the tracks, so they clearly do have procedures for animals .

 

[Spartacus]

Generally any concern causing trains to be cautioned or someone to go retrieve the dog isn't because of concern for the dog (officially), it's for the owner, or others, who may access the line to go get the dog..... nudge nudge.....

 

[popeter45]

i would say try calling the RSPCA, they prob have had similar before so will know what best to do and prob have higher level contacts to get stuff done

 

[Surreytraveller]

Network Rail will not bring the railway to a stand due to a dog on the line, unless there's a threat of a human going to rescue it. And even then it'll be cautioning

 

[Horizon22]

Is it definitely "on the mainline"? Not within depot infrastructure or sidings (which may not be managed by NR)? Normally something like this would be logged, to which there appears to be nothing.

 

[Llanigraham]

Network Rail will not bring the railway to a stand due to a dog on the line, unless there's a threat of a human going to rescue it. And even then it'll be cautioning

They will certainly caution all trains and ask for reports from those drivers and if neccessary will stop trains.
The risk is not the dog but idiot owners who are willing to trespass to recover the animal.

 

[robbeech]

Is it definitely "on the mainline"? Not within depot infrastructure or sidings (which may not be managed by NR)? Normally something like this would be logged, to which there appears to be nothing.

I suspect it’s probably quite difficult to establish whether “normally” something like this would be logged if it isn’t logged.

 

[Horizon22]

I suspect it’s probably quite difficult to establish whether “normally” something like this would be logged if it isn’t logged.

Calls to the NR Emergency Helpline should be logged by the appropriate route, if relevant. Several members of these forums may have access to those log items

 

[Donny_m]

They will certainly caution all trains and ask for reports from those drivers and if neccessary will stop trains.
The risk is not the dog but idiot owners who are willing to trespass to recover the animal.

My friends (partner at the time’s) mum was the lady who got hit and killed by a train rescuing the family dog who jumped the 3 foot high wall in Teignmouth about 12 years ago. You can make your point without calling people idiots especially when enough people have tragically died in that way that you may run into people affected by it while doing so.

I would 100% attempt to rescue my dog from the railway I would react in the same way as it being my child.

 

[Horizon22]

I would 100% attempt to rescue my dog from the railway I would react in the same way as it being my child.

Then you would in effect be trespassing and putting yourself at serious risk. I am very surprised you would make a statement like that considering what happened to personal contacts of yours.

 

[LowLevel]

My friends (partner at the time’s) mum was the lady who got hit and killed by a train rescuing the family dog who jumped the 3 foot high wall in Teignmouth about 12 years ago. You can make your point without calling people idiots especially when enough people have tragically died in that way that you may run into people affected by it while doing so.

I would 100% attempt to rescue my dog from the railway I would react in the same way as it being my child.

The problem is that 95% of the time as you see with drownings of people in rivers doing the same, the animal will survive doing whatever it needs to do to remain safe - sadly humans are less good at reacting instinctively to hazards than dogs are. It doesn't always hold true but that is why the concern is regarding possible owners on the line rather than people.

I'm surprised at the 24 hour line saying there's nothing they can do - generally the local Mobile Operations Manager would be sent to see what is occurring and whether there's any risk to the safety of trains.

As an animal lover who has had to deal on several occasions with the consequences of trains vs dogs I understand your concern but the rational approach has to be the best option.

 

[GB]

Peoples dogs (or pets in general) are often felt as part of the family and when they are deemed to be in danger or at risk, owners will put themselves at risk to rescue them. Whether that's right or wrong I can certainly understand and see why it happens.

 

[BlockBackBobby]

They will certainly caution all trains and ask for reports from those drivers and if neccessary will stop trains.
The risk is not the dog but idiot owners who are willing to trespass to recover the animal.

They most certainly will not for a dog

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

My friends (partner at the time’s) mum was the lady who got hit and killed by a train rescuing the family dog who jumped the 3 foot high wall in Teignmouth about 12 years ago. You can make your point without calling people idiots especially when enough people have tragically died in that way that you may run into people affected by it while doing so.

I would 100% attempt to rescue my dog from the railway I would react in the same way as it being my child.

"You may run into people affected by it", this is a railway forum, how many of its viewers and members do you think are train drivers or other frontline rail satff who have experienced probably exact that sort of incident, or the many human fatalities that happen every year on the UK's railways. If you consider this, you may begin to understand why someone might refer to someone who trespasses on the railways, yes, even to fetch little fido who's run off, as an idiot, or even worse. I've hit 2 people (both killed) in my not very long time as a train driver, trust and believe me, you really really don't want to be "that guy" (my number 2) who thought he could get away with a shortcut and it wouldn't happen to him. It did.

 

[Mintona]

I reported a dog on the line about five years ago and was told by the signaller that they basically didn’t care and don’t caution trains for stray dogs anymore.

 

[Spaceflower]

Then you would in effect be trespassing and putting yourself at serious risk. I am very surprised you would make a statement like that considering what happened to personal contacts of yours.

Obviously not a dog owner then. No dog owner would stand by and watch their dog run around on a railway line without attempting some sort of rescue, especially if the so called 'powers that be' weren't willing to help. Yes, there could be questions about how it got there in the first place but as for a rescue, 99% of people are already scaling that fence......fact. And the OP is merely reflecting reality and the emotional nature of normal people.

 

[Horizon22]

Obviously not a dog owner then. No dog owner would stand by and watch their dog run around on a railway line without attempting some sort of rescue, especially if the so called 'powers that be' weren't willing to help. Yes, there could be questions about how it got there in the first place but as for a rescue, 99% of people are already scaling that fence......fact. And the OP is merely reflecting reality and the emotional nature of normal people.

No I am not. But I am aware that railway lines can be dangerous and trains can run at speed, as I would hope the majority of people are aware. At the very least, I would hope someone would think of calling the emergency services which would eventually get through to the right people.

 

[Spaceflower]

Yes of course but if time is of the essence and your family member is at immediate risk of death, then time is of the essence. This fact is backed up by the statistics. I mean look at how many people drown each year saving their dogs/kids. It's what we do so I'm with some of the other contributors on here that trains should be checked due to high likelihood of this happening and would also hope for a bit of compassion and understand in the resulting follow -up work.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

In the cold light of day it's easy to describe such actions as idiotic, and logically speaking they are... however, describing those people who have made poor decisions under emotional stress (and paid the ultimate price) as "idiots" doesn't actually add anything of value to the discussion. It just offends people who may have lost loved ones in this way.

Obviously we don't want to encourage people to take risky actions to save their pets, but there are more effective ways to discourage such behaviour than to simply call them idiots... or worse, bring up the "Darwin Awards" thing which was only marginally funny twenty-odd years ago.

 

[waterlooroader]

Per the rule book, signallers do not have to caution trains for domestic animals (Including dogs)

However, I have cautioned drivers for dogs in the past; if only for the fact that most dogs have an owner, who could easily turn into a trespasser in an attempt to retrieve the dog.

 

[Signal_Box]

My friends (partner at the time’s) mum was the lady who got hit and killed by a train rescuing the family dog who jumped the 3 foot high wall in Teignmouth about 12 years ago. You can make your point without calling people idiots especially when enough people have tragically died in that way that you may run into people affected by it while doing so.

I would 100% attempt to rescue my dog from the railway I would react in the same way as it being my child.

Im a dog owner, so I know how you feel but…..

How many owners have lost their lives in rivers and the like trying to rescue their dog? More often than not the dog finds it’s way to safety in the end. My own dog who loves water got “stuck“ on a rookie island in a swallow (by river standards) river after taking a swim, she was a strong swimmer and loved it. She however refused point blank to get back in the water which she’d just come out of to swim back the ten feet or so the bank. Crying and shivering I was seconds from effecting a rescue when the silly sod jumped back in the water and swam back to me !

She was just warming up before the next plunge it seems.

Looking back it really wasn’t a wise thing to even consider, I didn’t have any dry spare clothes and the bank leading down was into semi deep water probably up to my Waist before it became swallow again.

Dogs have a natural ability to keep out of danger, generally they’ll get to and stay in a safe place, putting yourself in danger is only going to end one way.

I recall the TV program I’m which the dead dog was retrvird from the railway, it was a small terrier type dog probal to small to get any pace up before the 125 struck it Sadly.

As has been said above we dont caution for dogs or other domestic animals, we don’t even caution for five sheep.
But where dogs go, usually owners follow so I caution rather a delayed train than a DB.

 

[Llanigraham]

Per the rule book, signallers do not have to caution trains for domestic animals (Including dogs)

However, I have cautioned drivers for dogs in the past; if only for the fact that most dogs have an owner, who could easily turn into a trespasser in an attempt to retrieve the dog.

Exactly, we always did Caution and were never criticised for it.

 

[Sean Emmett]

Remember this - Waterloo 26 July 2019. -

Waterloo Dog who caused chaos for commuters is found safe and well | Metro News

Also reported on this forum.

The hottest UK day on record. 38C/100F in London. Power cut off from third rail, no aircon, sealed trains so no opening windows, loads of pax melting in the heat. Fortunately no significant injuries reported, but could easily have been a few heart attacks. All for the sake of one man and his dog.

 

[Unstoppable]

They will certainly caution all trains and ask for reports from those drivers and if neccessary will stop trains.
The risk is not the dog but idiot owners who are willing to trespass to recover the animal.

10/10 for your sympathetic response. You have clearly never owned an animal.

 

[johnnychips]

10/10 for your sympathetic response. You have clearly never owned an animal.

What a ridiculous response. @Llanigraham has clearly said he would caution trains to slow them down to protect both the dogs and their owners.

 

[Donny_m]

Then you would in effect be trespassing and putting yourself at serious risk. I am very surprised you would make a statement like that considering what happened to personal contacts of yours.

Railway bylaws wouldn’t be a factor in my decision making. Personal risk, well there’s always going to be a level of personal risk we would take to rescue a loved one so that’s also not really a total decider.

 

[Trackman]

I remember a large dog that was run over by a train, it was there for about 4 days in the 6ft.
Then I walked into a shop and saw a missing poster of said dog saying 'kids distressed' etc, I didn't have the heart to call them.
What puzzled me is how the hell it got on the line in the first place, it must have travelled some distance unless there was a gap in the fence or the train dragged it there.
I did report it, but it was a case of 'shrugged shoulders'.

 

[the sniper]

Railway bylaws wouldn’t be a factor in my decision making. Personal risk, well there’s always going to be a level of personal risk we would take to rescue a loved one so that’s also not really a total decider.

I'm sure the dog would appreciate your efforts if it cost you your life.

 

[Mag_seven]

I'm not singling out any particular poster but can we try and keep the debate civilised and compliant with the forum rules please.

thanks

 

[43066]

As has been said above we dont caution for dogs or other domestic animals, we don’t even caution for five sheep.
But where dogs go, usually owners follow so I caution rather a delayed train than a DB.

I thought sheep and above were cautioned for as a matter of course, because you’re then getting to a size and weight of animal that will cause serious damage if struck, and potentially pose a derailment risk. I’ve been cautioned for a swan(!) previously but was led to believe that’s because they’re some kind of protected species, rather than because of any risk to trains. I must admit I’d feel far worse about hitting a dog than a swan…

Railway bylaws wouldn’t be a factor in my decision making. Personal risk, well there’s always going to be a level of personal risk we would take to rescue a loved one so that’s also not really a total decider.

Well hopefully you are a responsible enough dog owner that you keep your dog under control and the situation will never arise. It’s only ever one person’s fault if a dog ends up on the railway…