Teenager killed by train in Junction City
JUNCTION CITY, Ore. -- A teenage boy was hit and killed by a train in Junction City at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Junction City police officials said.
Police responded to a "train vs. teen" accident reported at Front St. and 6th. They arrived to find the youth two blocks down the road alongside the tracks parallel with 4th Street. The teenager was declared dead at the scene.
Investigators said that the person was hit by an Amtrak passenger train going south through Junction City at around 75 mph. The conductor reported that he spotted a group of three teenagers at the railway's intersection with 6th Street and immediately activated the emergency brakes and blew the train's horn.
The train finally came to a complete stop near First Street. Officials said that the train engineer was not impaired during the incident.
Officials reported that only one teenager was injured, the other two youths were not hurt during the incident.
Junction City residents at the scene said they knew the victim as a classmate, an 8th grade boy.
In a press release, police said they will be working with the school district to help students cope with the loss when they return to classes on Monday.
The scene was closed down for three hours while officers re-constructed the accident and interviewed witnesses and Amtrak personnel.
For more information on train safety visit the Operation Lifesaver website.
Anyone who witnessed or has additional information about the incident is asked to call the Junction City Police Department at 541-998-1245.
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This is a developing story, updates can be found on this website or its television affiliate when they become available.
Amtrak has to have the worse safety record in the country.Amtrak 2010Killed 132 people44 killed at crossings82 pedestrians killed2 passengers killed4 fatalities under TRAIN ACCIDENTS:Â 765 passengers injured648 employees injured21 derailments6 collisions not at crossings135 crossing collisions1,764 total injuriesPlus equipment damages, attorney fees, etc.
Sounds like there needs to be a memorial area ( away from the track) created for memorializing those lost. Some place safe. Maybe a bench to sit at. Some place for flowers, skateboards, pics and just things to remind of those lost.
Such a tragedy. Apparently Amtrak can travel up to 79 MPH as long as there are gated crossings. At 75 MPH they would be covering 110 feet per second, over one third of a football field in the blink of an eye. Seems to me that is a little fast in the middle of a town. I feel badly for all involved.
I'm so sorry for this boys family and friends. Â It is a tragic. Â I'm sorry for the conductor for he has to live with this forever.... Â the other kids, too.... Â Hope this will teach some kids a lesson that you can't run from a train..... Â
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Rest in Paradise, young man!!! Â You will be missed by lots of people.
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...hit by an Amtrack (spelled wrong) passenger train going south through Junction City at around 75mph....For more information on train safety visit the Operation Lifesaver website....The media even think about what they write?
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Things a REAL railroad Operation Lifesaver (OL) group would ask!!!1. Why are all OL directors handpuppets of the railroad or government only giving lip service safety messages?2. Why nothing is ever mentioned by OL that would cost the railroads a penny on the obviously missing safety equipment and track maintenance work?3. Where are the crossing safety signals for the trains going too fast with  no brakes or steering at 1,000s of crossings?4. Where are the track video monitors for the trains going too fast with  no brakes or steering to get the train stopped IN TIME?5. Why aren't railroads paying at least half for crossing signals because it's their trains going too fast with  no brakes or steering while paying the so-called RR directors millions a year.6. Why the crossing humps trapping big trucks aren't required to be removed?7. Why the crossing surfaces aren't wider where if a vehicle fish tails on slick road and is trapped at the edge of the crossing surface trap?8. Why the train cabs aren't required to be lit up like a Christmas tree with emergency vehicle light bars?  LOOK AND SEE!!9. Why the front of trains aren't required to have air bags or something to soften impacts?10. Why trains don't have better braking systems? OLIs message now shows train brakes obviously suck.11. Why there are no bidding invitations on the obviously overcharged crossing projects the tax-payers pay the railroads for. $10,000 just to get the equipment to the sight. TRUCKED IN.12. Why trains are allowed to run in the fog?13. Why the crossings aren't lit up so drivers can see the black rail cars across the tracks at night?14. Why railroads remove and steal signals we paid for on closed re-worked crossings?15. Why $$$millions$$$ of the rail safety budget we pay in is wasted on needless reworks at crossings preventing signals where needed?16. Why the railroad isn't required to de-ice crossings before they roll the trains?17. Why the railroad isn't required to raise their overpasses so big trucks can get under them? The railroad wants to double stack and our road overpasses are too low---no problem WE PAY MILLIONS.18. Why drug/alcohol tests aren't done on rail crews at crossing/pedestrian collisions?19. Why railroads are allowed to get off with the train black box , signal black box (if crossing signals are present), and cab video at crossing/pedestrian collisions?20. Why the fact is hidden that trains kill a few thousand people in 100 million train miles when regular drivers have like ONE death?21.Why Amtrak passengers aren't required to look at the despicable shape of the crossings before they board the trains?22.Why train horns aren't blown at private crossings till the last second freezing drivers?23.Why the railroads track lights can't be at a crossing?24 .Why railroads need track lights and civilians don't?WAITING FOR OLI/OLI.CA response.
 @Jon Brawn How long did it take to type all of that? How many words per second to type all that nonsense?
 @UsaidWHAT ...How long did it take to type all of that?...Only 14 years. I keep it on file to beat Operation Lifesaver coming in with their tracks are dangerous ---yadi---yadi---dog and pony lip safety show.
i realize that everyone has there own opinions, but lets focas on the reality that , the 14 year old boy Julius is no longer with us and what his parents & if any other siblings are going thru. when they have to read unthoughtful & disrespectful articles like the ones i just read. I dont know his parents nor did i have the pleasure of knowing Julius. but my heart cries out for them, as far as for Julius when it's my time to enter into heaven, i cant wait to meet you. and just know that you will and are missed by so many people.i live in a small trailer park right next to where this unfortunite tradgedy happend, asi mentioned before i didnt know Julius,but i made a stained glass in memory plaque in his honor.i hope his family dont mind. so Julius may you always rest in peace
with our father who art in heaven.Â
 @Jon Brawn Before you go blaming the railroads and the trains for every accident out there; Maybe people and kids should be aware of the dangers of playing or being around the tracks. It is common sense that railroad tracks are property of the railroad and that it is a dangerous area to be around. This is a sad event but how many people here recall when they were young and they felt invincible?
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Now think of the few train accidents out there compared to vehicles on the roads. All I can read from Jon up here sums up "blame blame blame". Also towards the end of the his rant he states thousands killed by trains. How many train deaths are from transients trying to jump the train or suicidal people jumping to end it all vs. oblivious people who are considered an accident? Before posting a post stating blame blame blame, maybe he should really do some statistics to enforce your post and not have you sound like the teacher from a Charlie Brown cartoon who goes 'Blah blah blah blah blah".
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Overall, this is a sad event and I feel very sorry for the family and friends of the young man who passed on from it. I can only hope this event can be a lesson learned that it is not safe to be playing near the railroad tracks.
 @KenzieDogg I happen to have those numbers.
The media ever do the math on Amtraks horrific safety record? The miles the train traveled last year compared to normal drivers Amtrak would have 1/2 fatality but they have 132 fatalities for 2010.Amtrak would have needed to travel 11.58 BILLION train miles for 132 fatalities not 36 million train miles.http://www.fra.dot.gov/AMTRAK Killed----132http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled ---1.14 killed per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/2012/U.S.+Transportation+Secretary+LaHood+Announces+Lowest+Level+Of+Annual+Traffic+Fatalities+In+More+Than+Six+Decades1.10 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2010http://www.amtrak.com/Amtraks 2010 annual reportTrain Miles (in millions) 36 million
I was raised around trains, where there was no crossing signals or gates, we were taught to look both ways and to listen....not to walk on the tracks nor to play on the tracks. You stated that the trains should have better brakes to stop but you forget (just as for semi trucks) weight, stopping and the power of the train cars(or cargo trucks with loads) the velocity of the cars and cargo trucks thrusting forward keeps motion going so no matter what you think it is all physics of motion.
The article also stated that the engineer was not impaired which says they did check.
--RIP young man, you have left a great void for family and friends!!!--
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 @Somanyfools You were probably also taught not to drive a train too fast with no steering or brakes but somehow the railroads find the suicide bombers to do it.Â
 @Jon BrawnÂ
What ever happened to "personal responsibility"?Â
Everyone knows when a train is approaching, and its common sense to stop at RR tracks, where there is Always a Stop Sign posted.Â
But, you are on a roll on your "soap box".Â
 @Jon Brawn What about the trespasser who was breaking the law?
 @jimbo56  @Jon Brawn I don't see a eight foot fence the 8th grade boy had to climb over to get to the tracks to be a dirty rotten trespasser. I don't see the security cameras bagged by the 8th grade boy. I don't see the track guard the 8th grade boy would of had to run from. The keep out signs are?  I do see ladders hanging off the railroad structures saying climb up here and brake your neck. Sidewalks going behind the gates with no sidewalk arms.
Google map shows all the other businesses with doors and windows. The Sept. 2011 map even shows a rather large Memorial by the Dari Mart which might tell the idiot driving the train at 75 mph with no brakes or steering to slow down.