Amtrak engineer dragged off train, assaulted

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/17/7 | Michael Cabanatuan

[Kenny Bunk]

What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
When?

Stop with the insane questions. Something happened. OK? Those whom a whimsical God hath placed in the MSM deem that you have enough info.

The real story is that a group of disaffected youths from a glorious culture sought to find their place in our harsh and unforgiving society. This unfortunate mishap, in which the lives of young, perhaps minority(?) people were placed at risk by a capitalistic enterprise, is George Bush's fault.

Honestly, do white men now feel they have the right to just drive a train through the barrio any darn time they feel like it? Who can blame the community for taking matters into their own strong hands?

Go now, you politically incorrect running dog of capitalism; you racist, homophobe, member of the VRWC, and sin no more.

[David_G_Burnet]

Done.

[Constantine XIII]

There seems to be something missing in this story.

Well I remember reading a story a few years back about how Mexicans in the South West were blocking train tracks, then they would rush out and rob the products from the trains when they stopped.

Maybe the missing info here is that some Mexicans who know how to stop trains were having some fun and beating Americans. But we don't know, because there are important points missing from this write up, as you mention.

LOL, ok, if you say so. :P

[Teacher317]

“You peon subscribers don’t need Who, What, Where, and When. We’ll tell you what we think you need to know and you’ll like it.”

[ishabibble]

>>Go now, you politically incorrect running dog of capitalism; you racist, homophobe, member of the VRWC, and sin no more.<<

OK now, the jig is up. Which one of my relatives are you?
Any one of my sisters said the exact same thing to me over Easter dinner!!

[engrpat]

From The Sacramento Bee : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amtrak attack suspect to be tried as adult

Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, April 19, 2007

WOODLAND -- A 17-year-old suspect in a violent attack on two Amtrak employees earlier this week in West Sacramento will be tried as an adult on charges that include attempted murder, the Yolo County district attorney announced Wednesday.

On Monday night, an Amtrak Capitol Corridor train engineer was severely injured when he and the train's conductor were attacked, according to a news release issued by the office of District Attorney Jeff Reisig.

The suspect faces charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem, train robbery, vandalism and criminal street gang activity, the release states.

Because the attack occurred within a safety zone established by a 2005 injunction against the Broderick Boys criminal street gang, the suspect -- who previously had been served with a copy of the injunction -- also will be charged with violating the terms of the injunction, according to the release.

The suspect will be arraigned today at 1:30 p.m. in Yolo Superior Court.

[starbase]

[Everything isn’t about the Mexicans, you know.]

{Of course, you're aware that I never claimed everything was about the Mexicans either,...}

LOL, ok, if you say so. :P

The operative word is "everything" my FRiend, I never said "everything" was about the Mexicans, which was your message to me.

But if it let's you off the hook then here, "Everything is about Mexicans!", there I finally said it. ;-)

[Kenny Bunk]

Which one of my relatives are you?

Dearest Mis-Guided Cousin,
I would have responded to your guilt-ridden query earlier, but Sis and I had a PETA Meeting, then we had to rush over to support our local Somali imam who had just been arrested for having a really trivial amount of explosive material in his taxi, this delayed our attendance at church, where we were scheduled to welcome undocumented migrants from Latin America, registering them to vote and making sure our local hospital emergency room screens them properly, then we had to deliver copies of Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" to all our local schools, (a Mr. George Soros (?) sent them to us).

Between all of these events, we were on air fund-raising for PBS, then a rally for Barak Obama to support his statement on the Supreme Court's interference with a woman's right to choose. Tonight we're taking the children to see "The Vagina Monologues."

Perhaps we could touch base by phone over the weekend?

Regards,
Your cousin from Maine,
(where under Governor Baldacci, I am considered a dangerous right-winger.)

[semaj]

I recently took a train from Seattle to Fresno. What suprised me is the lack of any type of weapons screening before boarding the train. I could have walked on loaded for bear. This is a security issue that needs to be looked into before the Jihadists get any bright ideas. I would not recommend riding trains until this glaring oversight is remedied.

I hope someone from Homeland Security is listening.

[Porterville]

Wow, that is incredible. What race are you? I bet you are.... an Eskimo? or maybe Laplander? Or possibly just anti Mexican that sees a Mexican beind everything you dislike... right?

I bet you don’t even like nachos because the name is to “Mexican” for you?

[Star Traveler]

You said — “I recently took a train from Seattle to Fresno. What suprised me is the lack of any type of weapons screening before boarding the train. I could have walked on loaded for bear. This is a security issue that needs to be looked into before the Jihadists get any bright ideas. I would not recommend riding trains until this glaring oversight is remedied.”

Well, I’ve taken the Coast Starlight, almost the entire distance, several times. And I’ve taken the Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited (combined) acrros to L.A. They are both great rides. One of those times was back in 2003 and then again in 2005.

In 2003 about the time of the Second Gulf War and just a few days before the fall of Baghdad (which was about 4/9/2003, I believe), I was on the Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited, headed towards L.A.

My cousin and I had a sleeper, and it was very roomy with a self-contained shower, which is very nice to have on those longer trips. And so, it was at San Antonio that the Texas Eagle (that we were on) joined up with the Sunset Limited.

Now, there was some Indian guy riding out to L.A. (on the Sunset Limited) who originated from Florida. He was in Coach. I heard that there had been some problems with him, maybe drugs, being drunk, or something. But, it was after leaving San Antonio that we were having a nice ride out west and enjoying the scenery — and my cousin was always wanting a smoke break (can’t smoke on the trains). I don’t smoke but she smokes up a storm. So, every stop, every chance she got, she was *out the door* and off the train, smoking...

So, that’s the “set-up” for what’s about to happen. At around Del Rio, Texas, all of a sudden (as we were in the sleeper, looking out the window (they’ve got big view windows in those things, too) and my cousin is getting anxious for the next smoke break, wondering when it’s going to be.

All of a sudden, I hear some hollering and screaming in the next car up, and then the train suddenly jerks and starts slowing down pretty rapidly. I wasn’t sure what was going on — but it looked like we were slowing down pretty rapidly (from about full speed) to stopping in the middle of nowhere.

My cousin is just thinking to herself, “Oh boy, a smoke break!” I’m wondering what the commotion is. People are really disturbed up front in the next car. And when the train stops, people are rushing and getting out the door (mind you — in the middle of nothing — no city, no building, no nothing...)

My cousin just saunters out the door and lights up. I found out that people had actually *dove off the train* as soon as they could and out the doors... Some people were in the bushes.... :-0

What I found out is that this Indian (American Indian, about 35-40 or so) had been disturbing people all night and that day, early in the day, had started mumbling about a *bomb* being on the train.

Now, remember, we’re at the time of the invasion of Baghdad and many people were worried — everywhere — around the country about traveling on trains, busses, planes and so on. They were worried about attaacks here on our soil.

So, this Indian kept saying that God told him that there was a bomb on the train and *We are all going to die!!” Well, that got people *really* freaked out. And, on top of that, he got so agitated that he pulled the train brake, and that’s why the train lurched to a stop in the middle of nowhere.

AND — that’s why people were *literally* (and I’m not kidding) “diving” out the doors and into the brush over on the side of the tracks. Some people did get pretty scratched up. But, they thought that there was a real bomb on board and that they were going to get blown up.

Now, being back in the sleeper cars, I missed all the initial information and “fun” (found out later about all the details). And so, all I knew was that there was a commotion up there, people screaming and hollering (didn’t know why), and my cousin — well..., she just says, “Oh well..., I’m going for a smoke break.” It didn’t matter to her that people were diving off the train. :-)

So, finally, they examined everything, didn’t find a bomb, got people back on the train, restrained the Indian, called ahead to Del Rio and had the police waiting there for that Indian. And we got the train going again.

BUT, I want to tell you — *all the way to L.A.* — from Texas, you couldn’t pass a single seat on the whole length of the train, and *everyone* was talking about nothing but the bomb threat and what happened — every mile of the way to the end destination

It was quite funny, because I would walk back and forth the whole length of the train, and I would catch the conversations as I was going — and *that* was the topic of the next two days...

So, as you were saying about the “checks” on board, no, I didn’t really have any examination of the baggage, but I really didn’t want to go through that anyway. I carried all my stuff on board and had a big sleeper area, so I didn’t care. They only checked I.D. and that was it.

I really don’t think that the trains have ever had too much problem with that. The trains are a completely different clientele than the Greyhoud busses, for example. It’s usually a *very friendly* crowd and you usually get to know people around you. And that’s true, especially when you’re riding the train for about 2-1/2 days, too.

One time, when I came out to Dallas, from Portland, Oregon — I left on a Monday noon and got into Dallas about Friday, 7 PM. That was a nice and scenic ride. I loved every bit of it. And now, I wouldn’t want to go on these train trips without having that sleeper.

The train is a great way to travel and I hope they don’t limit that too much because of all the security stuff.

There was an incident along that Sunset Limited (I think in Arizona) where they had someone take some tracks apart along the route and the train derailed. That only happened one time and it’s never happened again. I think they can get going, maybe up to 100 MPH along that route, if they need to make up time. And a lot of the time, they *do* have to make up time and they’ll really “gun it” for long distances and you’re really sailing along...

Regards,
Star Traveler

[Star Traveler]

Hey, a nice little story for you at #91...

[Jo Nuvark]

Great story ST. You really are a Star Traveler.

...Jo

[Star Traveler]

Oh, those train rides are the most fun thing... and throw in a little bit of excitement, and then you’ve got quite a story. I got some pictures of that guy when they were pulling him off the train in Del Rio. He didn’t have a happy look on his face... LOL

[Jo Nuvark]

You were born under an adventurous star.
I hope you’re planning to write a book.

I enjoy the trains too. Used to use them
on the east coast to get to school and of
course rode the metro to school when I
lived in Belgium. We took the family to
Europe in 2001 with Eurail passes. There’s
just nothing like it.

Think hubby and I will take the train up to
Alaska next year. Can’t wait.

[Star Traveler]

You said — “Think hubby and I will take the train up to Alaska next year. Can’t wait.”

Well, you might consider taking a B.C. Ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert one way, transferring to the Alaska Ferry System at Prince Rupert, and then going up to perhaps Skagway, get off a couple of days, take the rail over to Whitehorse, come back to Skagway, get back on the ferry and keep going over to Anchorage, or wherever.

http://www.wpyr.com/

http://www.skagway.com/

Perhaps on the way back you can take the rail portion, overland. One way by ferry, the other by rail. That would really be fun.

I took that BC Ferry from Port Hardy (on Vancouver Island, north end) to Prince Rupert. You can get a *stateroom* on that ferry, because it’s about a one day ride. It’s not a cruise ship, but it’s almost that way. You have “ferry prices’ for an almost “cruise ship” ride. It goes the inland passage up to Prince Rupert.

Last year (or maybe the year before, they did have an accident on that ferry route and they lost a ferry (that one that I rode on) in the middle of the night (hit a rock and sank in an hour). They got everyone off except two were missing. But, that was the first time I think they have lost a ferry in decades. It’s extremely rare. But, it was sort of shocking to me (and everyone else in BC) because you just don’t consider those things happening. But, it just went down like a rock about midnight or so. It was an interesting rescue story that they had, from a nearby Indian village (the only one around for hundreds of miles, I think). But, don’t let that scare you ... :-) They’re pretty much safe all the time.

The ferry rides over from Vancouver (the city) to Vancouver Island (like close to Victoria are very interesting. Those ferries are absolutely huge. I think it’s almost ten stories down to water level from the upper decks where you can walk about.

The BC Ferries web page is at —

http://www.bcferries.com/

I remember hearing that they have the largest ferry system in the world. So, you will find a lot to ride on around there, and places to see. The page for the Inside Passage is —

http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/inside/

Depending on the time of the year and the day of the week, you can take a long and scenic ride, or shorter and quicker one. It will be anywhere from 12 hours to over 24 hours riding on it. And you can get a stateroom, which is nice.

The Alaska Ferry System is here —

http://www.akferry.org/

The connecting point for the BC Ferries and the Alaska Ferries is Prince Rupert.

Well, look it all over and figure out some fun plans...

Regards,
Star Traveler

[starbase]

Listen, my FRiend, I hang out on FR to spread goodness, happiness and knowledge, not to freak people out due to whatever raw nerves they have.

Here is more information on this Amtrak event, and it turns out it was, in fact, an Hispanic gang called the Broderick Boys.

Now I'm not going to rub it in or say nasty things to hurt your feelings, but I knew almost for sure who was involved, not by prejudices or stereotypes, but by simple logic.

I have read that Mexicans have shown they know getting on tracks will stop trains, and I read they did that in the South West and then ran out and opened the train cars and grabbed goods. And they did this repeatedly.

I didn't invent that, I read it. Ergo, it is logical when one hears again of this very specific behavior, which is not common at all, that one may justifiably draw a relation between the two facts.

I hope you won't be so hostile all the time, but in the end, it was, in fact, Mexicans (or the fake classification of Latino, which could include French, Spanish, Italians, even Romanians, all Latin cultures), who attacked the train.

My logic wasn't related to any group of people, but only groups of data.

Simple logic. You don't have to be afraid of it.

[Jo Nuvark]

30 years ago, when we lived up here, we took the
ferries through the lockes up into Victoria and
the gardens, stopping at some of the islands along
the way. It was beautiful.

Your idea sounds terrific and we can take the pickup
and trailer as well. It would be a whole different
kind of trip, but lovely.

Thank you for the great links ST. More than helpful
as usual.

...Jo