Railroad employee loses legs after falling from train

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10430212

Published Thursday September 11, 2008
Railroad employee loses legs after falling from train

COUNCIL BLUFFS — An Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. employee has lost both legs after a fall from a train Wednesday night just south of 16th Avenue and Main Street.

Rick Benson, an emergency medical services worker with the Council Bluffs Fire Department, said a 52-year-old Bluffs man was riding on a ladder on the back of a railcar when there was a jolt and he fell off. Benson said co-workers said the man was run over by at least two railcars.

The incident was reported at 10:18 p.m. The man remains at Creighton University Medical Center. Benson said one was severed at the scene and the other was amputated at the hospital.

His name has not been released.

— Andrew J. Nelson and Jason Kuiper

[madaboutharry]

1. That is so sad.

How horrifying, poor man.

[MnFats]

2. oh, but I'm sure President Bush, OSHA, and all the federal agencies..

..that do workplace safety did all they could do to prevent this. Just like they did with coal mines.

[blueknight]

3. i worked 30 years as a railroad engineer,

seen it happen numerous times. my own cousin got cut in half. hope this guy hires a good F.E.L.A. lawyer

[liberal renegade]

4. He was supposed to be riding

on the side of the car, not the back. Had he been doing so, he most likely would have fell away from the train, not under. This comes from a former switchman, brakeman and conductor. He'll get paid, but he's at fault.