Re: PC:Re:Train Wrecks

[Jerry Jordak <jer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

While this isn't exactly on-topic, I'll throw in a couple cents on this:

I was impressed by some of the grade crossing accident footage--like the
B&O F7's in Kent, OH....nothing like seeing something 20 minutes away from
home shot in the 1950s.... They even had clips from the Cleveland area
(one of a Wheeling & Lake Erie train that clipped a pickup truck, and I thought
there was one other, but maybe not.)

I was also surprised that even though it was a FOX special that they did tone
down the sensationalism compared to some of their other "caught on tape" shows.
They did have guests from Operation Lifesaver and the NTSB to present a 
genuine safety message to viewers and they really tried to drive home the point
about not driving around gates. The "soda can" analogy was a real good one...

Too bad they didn't have more footage, though....they must have showed the NS
and BNSF trains hitting trucks three or four times each, at least. And 
thankfully they didn't show all of the tape of the BN commuter train hitting 
the pedestrian....

They did hype up some of the wrecks though, like the Cajon Pass ones and the
Amtrak wrecks (and it's NOT the "El Cajon" pass!). The computer simulations
they put together for the different wrecks were pretty well-done.

So overall, I'd have to say that FOX did a reasonably good job with this one.
A few errors here and there, and some sensational hype, but otherwise, pretty
good. (If you want a truly unbiased documentary, though, the only places you'll
find one still is probably PBS or the Discovery Channel.)

[So I guess if you guys and gals want to talk about this one for a couple of
 days, since I opened the can of worms, that's fine with me....]

Later,
-Jer