Accident at Olympic Station - 7th Ave CTrain Service Suspended

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by GGG

So you would perfer no train on 36th avenue and no West line being built so that we could get rid of the level crossing on 7th ave and elsewhere? To me I perfer the extensive average system over a limited premium system.

That's all a matter of perspective given this snapshot in time. Thing is that tunnels can and will be retrofitted for the system, but the system had to prove that it would be justified first.

Edmonton has been looked at as a comparison for "doing the right thing" and putting the infrastructure downtown underground to begin with, but guess what? For their future west and southeast lines, they are going to be connected with an at-grade portion in the downtown. This is partly because the initial tunnel was seen as a boondoggle and a case of overbuilding for the system that resulted in the 30+ years after it was built.

[frinkprof]

Any building of the 8th Avenue Subway will not be motivated by safety concerns, but by capacity and efficiency. Even after the 8th Avenue Subway is built and in use, the 7th Avenue transit mall will continue to be used by the northeast and west lines.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by zamler

Same logic? You don't think it's an option to put the stations underground in the downtown core, along 36th street and a few other locations? Many cities have underground transit systems and they work really well, and sure as heck free up valuable road space and don't clutter up intersections.

And I'm disappointed by people that point to automobile accidents and death, and use that to justify a poorly designed light rail transit system.

If our current, completely imperfect, automobile traffic system is a suitable standard for safety when it comes to transportation, then by what other standards should we be expected to hold light rail transit to?

People die accidentally every day, most of which are preventable to some degree. We would be remiss as a society if we did not do whatever was reasonable to prevent as many of those deaths as possible. Part of that process of preventing is that we as a society need to prioritize where our safety funding is spent, to maximize the total number of lives saved. Our government, as an extension of our society, has decided that an appropriate amount of funding has been committed to the safety of those using our LRT system, so as to maximize the return on those funds. I suspect that the diminishing returns on safety for further development was a factor in that choice, since it is probable that those funds could be spent elsewhere for a larger return.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by flames_1987

Dear god some of you people are tough to handle when you start making comments like that, without a grasp on the whole story or what might've actually happened. Jumping to the verdict that a guy is just an idiot and making light of his intelligence, when we could be talking about a man losing his life here.

I just got done watching CTV and the witness they interviewed it sounds like he got something caught in the ctrain doors and was banging for people to help him, and other people waiting on the platform began to yell in hopes of stopping the train from taking off. If this is the case, the guy could've been simply trying to make the train and just honest to god bad luck.

Or perhaps the full report will come out and it turns out he was under the influence and his lack of awareness caused him to fall between the two cars. Either way, I really get disgusted at how some people on CP react so quickly after something like this happens, and the insults being thrown at this guy.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/ca...261/story.html

"At least one peace officer tried to assist the man, who appeared to be intoxicated," said Calgary transit spokesman Ron Collins. "But it was too late and he fell between two cars."

Police confirmed alcohol was a factor in the incident, which snarled traffic and halted train service in the downtown for several hours.

EDIT: CFCN also noted during their news segment that the individual was "well known to transit officers."

[Moose]

Originally Posted by zamler

But none of the downside of above ground quagmire. Yes I'm hung up on that, sue me. I don't like the ugly mess of the crossings, it ruins the cityscape IMO.

Do you have a proposed solution that wouldn't cost an enormous amount of money? Street level transit is substantially cheaper than the alternative. I don't think most people can even wrap their minds around how much more advanced transit systems cost. Look at the current issues in Toronto with the 'Transit city' plan for LRT. Rob Ford wants to scrap it for subway extensions, but the costs (and this is for adding on to an already established subway system) are outrageous.

I'd like Calgary to have a state of the art subway system, but unfortunately I'm in touch with reality.

[shermanator]

Sorry, but a drunk guy running after a train is not a safety hazard of th C-Train system IMO.

[frinkprof]

The guy ended up living.

Middle-aged man escapes C-Train collision with stitches


By Stephane Massinon And Jason Markusoff

Calgary Herald February 5, 2011 8:14 AM


A man pinned underneath a C-Train car and taken to hospital in life-threatening condition was released hours later after receiving stitches to his head.

The pedestrian was seen running on 7th Avenue around 3 p.m. Friday near the Centre Street and Olympic Plaza platforms.

"At least one peace officer tried to assist the man, who appeared to be intoxicated," said Calgary Transit spokesman Ron Collins. "But it was too late and he fell between two cars."

Police confirmed alcohol was a factor in the incident, which snarled traffic and halted train service downtown for several hours.

The pedestrian was trapped under the train's middle car, said fire department spokesman Brian McAsey.

Fire crews used pneumatic lift bags to raise the train car a few inches.

[...]

Link to rest of the article

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Who is able to get hit by a train and only receive stitches.

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by chemgear

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/ca...261/story.html

"At least one peace officer tried to assist the man, who appeared to be intoxicated," said Calgary transit spokesman Ron Collins. "But it was too late and he fell between two cars."

Police confirmed alcohol was a factor in the incident, which snarled traffic and halted train service in the downtown for several hours.

EDIT: CFCN also noted during their news segment that the individual was "well known to transit officers."

Thanks for the update, couldn't get a clear story of the event all night. Obviously this was self inflicted and the guy seems to have a lot of demons.

[Ducay]

Sweet, thanks for wasting an extra hour of thousands of people's lives you dumb drunk hobo.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by flames_1987

Obviously this was self inflicted and the guy seems to have a lot of demons.

Really, do you also read crystal balls and tell fortunes ?

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Sweet, thanks for wasting an extra hour of thousands of people's lives you dumb drunk hobo.

Cold, maybe somebody should just round up all the drunks and psych patients roaming downtown and cull them before this happens again.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Pinner

Cold, maybe somebody should just round up all the drunks and psych patients roaming downtown and cull them before this happens again.

Perhaps we could use some sort a camp....a concentrated camp for those in society we deem unwanted and lesser. It definitely sounds like it could be the final solution to the hobo problem.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Who is able to get hit by a train and only receive stitches.

Drunk people. Very similiar to how they survive their "accidents" but wipe out entire families so often.

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by Pinner

Really, do you also read crystal balls and tell fortunes ?

I'm sorry but what exactly did I say that would come off as being arrogant or being a fortune teller? I've made posts in this thread defending the fact that this is still a human life and perhaps we should lay off the insults and preconceived notions, but the guy seems to have a history with the police, was drunk downtown before 3PM, I'd say it's a pretty fair assessment to say this guy has a few demons in his life.

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Who is able to get hit by a train and only receive stitches.

Chuck Norris got hit by a train once and the train only received minor stitches.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Who is able to get hit by a train and only receive stitches.

[pepper24]

Good to hear that the guy is alright.

[thesmugger]

lucky guy

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Perhaps we could use some sort a camp....a concentrated camp for those in society we deem unwanted and lesser. It definitely sounds like it could be the final solution to the hobo problem.

The logistics involved in rounding up all those canuck fans, renders this idea impractical