Comments on: The great train mugging

By: Bruce De Benedictis

Bruce De Benedictis — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:16:31 +0000

Illegal acts are illegal acts. Would you feel better if you were beaten up by someone who was here legally, rather than illegally?

After all, the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City attacks were committed by legal residents.

By: Arthur K.

Arthur K. — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:55:09 +0000

I just read about this story in the July issue of Trains magazine, and am trying to find out if the assailants are residing illegally in the United States. It seems the press is purposely omitting when crimes are committed by people that are here illegally. It also seems that our systems are being tested by those here illegally. If we don’t start equating these types of acts with terrorism, history is doomed to repeat itself. This story was not picked up by the national news as far as I can tell. If anyone has additional info, please post it here.

Arthur K.

By: Capricious Commuter

Capricious Commuter — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:06:53 +0000

It is disturbing indeed, on a number of levels.

Human or not, if the engineer wants to talk to people outside of the train who aren’t on a station platform, he should do so with a loudspeaker or out of a window. It’s fortunate that this group of criminals didn’t decide to board the train to rob and terrorize the passengers, too. Would you want the captain of an airliner to open his door for just anybody? Maybe a terrorist couldn’t crash into a building, but he could certainly find a freight train on that busy route.

By: John T

John T — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:38:46 +0000

Erik,

Thanks for the information. This incident is very disturbing, both for the unprovoked violence and the security implications for the entire Capitol Corridor system. The fact the the engineer opened the door to talk to those who were blocking the tracks seems like a very human thing to do, to try and discuss the problem with those who are causing it. Unfortunately, as we see in this case, that doesn’t always work.

Your point about east bound trains is well taken, opening the doors could put the passengers at risk. However, I think that Mr. Keating had the right idea, to try and converse with those causing the problem to try and get an amicable solution so that the train could go on its way. Clearly, that didn’t happen, and policies need to be reviewed.

John T