USA Union Pacific ' Big Boy ' steam loco.

[Amlag]

There are now numerous YouTubes of this 500 ton steam loco withdrawn about 60 years ago and which has been restored to full working order and is now since a a week or two ago running again on the US Rail system. Currently involved with other locos in the 150 celebrations of the Trans Continental railway.
One thing that is very noticeable are the huge turnouts of people all along the routes that the
' Big Boy' 4-8-8-4 loco is taking , with people standing close to the lines and in the Cesses without any policing/ aggro etc .
There seem no boundary fences and hardly any HV clothed persons anywhere; other than a couple travelling with the loco and its special train which includes a 'Challenger' 4-8-4 steam loco.

 

[route:oxford]

Might be worth your while to have a visit to the US and ride on Amtrak services.

Here's an interesting example of the lack of separation between rail, road and passengers. It's Kissimmee Station in Florida. As you can see it splits, the station has one half on one side of a level crossing and the other half on the other side. No fences, nothing.

https://goo.gl/maps/wQPEMiMohACnUqAF8

 

[edwin_m]

I've always wondered why in the USA, a country notorious for taking just about everything to litigation, the rail companies didn't feel obliged to fence their tracks to avoid lawsuits from people hit by trains.

 

[duffield]

I've always wondered why in the USA, a country notorious for taking just about everything to litigation, the rail companies didn't feel obliged to fence their tracks to avoid lawsuits from people hit by trains.

Precedent? If they start fencing, then they can be sued for inadequate or broken fencing. If they stick with no fences, then they can say that this is how it's always been and there has never been a requirement for fencing.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

I've always wondered why in the USA, a country notorious for taking just about everything to litigation, the rail companies didn't feel obliged to fence their tracks to avoid lawsuits from people hit by trains.

Installing and maintaining fences is a daunting enough task on our network; can you imagine the cost and time involved in maintaining fences in rural US, where you might be dozens of miles from the nearest track/road?

Whilst the US does have a claim/litigation culture, I'm not sure this extends to where the individual is doing something blatently unsafe or already prohibited. I.e. if you're injured whilst on someone's property without permission, the latter somewhat voids your right to claim damages for the former. Over here it's very much the opposite: Network Rail have a duty to actively prevent people from coming into harms-way, even if they would be trespassing in the process.

To give some wider context, comparing safety between the US and UK railways is a bit like apples and oranges: we're gulfs apart. I.e. see the Washington state crash the other year (on a brand-new line no-less): it was entirely preventable by tech that has been mandated here for the last two decades (ATP/TPWS-OSS). When the attitude towards/impetus to provide fundamental safety systems for your passengers is so lacking, it's not unsurprising that policing trespass isn't a priority.

 

[edwin_m]

Installing and maintaining fences is a daunting enough task on our network; can you imagine the cost and time involved in maintaining fences in rural US, where you might be dozens of miles from the nearest track/road?

Whilst the US does have a claim/litigation culture, I'm not sure this extends to where the individual is doing something blatently unsafe or already prohibited. I.e. if you're injured whilst on someone's property without permission, the latter somewhat voids your right to claim damages for the former. Over here it's very much the opposite: Network Rail have a duty to actively prevent people from coming into harms-way, even if they would be trespassing in the process.

To give some wider context, comparing safety between the US and UK railways is a bit like apples and oranges: we're gulfs apart. I.e. see the Washington state crash the other year (on a brand-new line no-less): it was entirely preventable by tech that has been mandated here for the last two decades (ATP/TPWS-OSS). When the attitude towards/impetus to provide fundamental safety systems for your passengers is so lacking, it's not unsurprising that policing trespass isn't a priority.

Thanks for these thoughts. The issue of being on property without permission certainly looks significant.

I did some back of the envelope analysis of risk to train passengers travelling the same distance on US versus European railways. I don't recall the details now but the US came out significantly worse.