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BU freshman fatally hit by train under the turnpike in Allston
By adamg on Wed, 09/07/2016 - 12:38am
Updated, 12:25 p.m.
A 17-year-old Boston University freshman died when he was hit and killed by a train on the Worcester Line tracks under the turnpike early this morning, Transit Police and BU Today report.
He was hit around 12:15 a.m. The tracks run along the BU campus.
His death is under investigation, but foul play is not suspected, police say.
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Comments
Kids on the tracks
The rail yard finally installed a sturdy, climb-proof fence several years ago (chain link with very small openings; you can't get a toehold and can barely get a finger hold) and there had been pretty much no trespassing onto the tracks for a long time. This past Saturday night I was doubly dismayed to notice several guys from a neighboring house gathering branches from a brush pile on the disused tracks to add to the bonfire they had built in their back yard.
fence repair wasn't easy
Fence was only replaced after other tragedies, most notably this one: http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2006/02/05/withou...
Harvard, CSX, MBTA, and BU all argued about ownership of the fence, with Harvard & CSX eventually agreeing to replace it. Back in 2005.
Ugh.
It appears that my earlier inkling, articulated on twitter, was correct at least w/r/t the victim being a new student. What a tragedy.
On a happier note, nice to see you doing what you do very well (providing good info) over here. Take the numbskulls to school when they chime in.
Fence repair
Yes, I spent a lot of time throughout 2007 trying to get that fence repaired, and getting a runaround from CSX, the MBTA, the city, etc. The 2 BU students were killed in 2005, but the fence wasn't replaced until at least 2008 - I can't track down anything among my emails, etc., that shows exactly when it was finally done.
welp
thats a shitty effing way to start a new chapter in your life
I don't think a better fence would change anything
They could build Trump's Wall around it and kids would still find a way over it. Especially after a few beers.
"No fence is gonna stop me from getting on those tracks! Robin, the Bat Hook!"
ED-209 style killer robots.
ED-209 style killer robots.
But being the MBTA they'd be broken down most of the time.
No, but a little education might
No, but a little education might. I'm thinking of a slideshow, to be distributed to all colleges and universities in the Boston area, that starts with a slide saying "In the past n years, college students in Boston died in the following stupid ways:" and then continuing through: wandering on railroad tracks, joining a crowd of 300 on a triple-decker balcony, unwise disposal of smoking material in/near a wooden structure, firing up a barbecue grill on same, ingestion of unknown substances from an unreliable source, ingestion of way too much of a substance with a known toxic effect, etc. Show them the names, ages, faces, hometowns of the kids who died while on their college adventure in Boston -- the ones who also thought it couldn't happen to them. Then say, "There is no difference between them and you - yet." And then let them make different choices, or not.
At BU Orientation there is a
At BU Orientation there is a portion about doing do stupid things. Granted they went for a humorous tone of "look at these idiots" rather than a morbid tones. Thus it was more stories like how one guy threw a beer keg out the West Campus window - Defenestration! for the fellow BU people - when police came knocking.
I'm pretty sure it has prevented some stupid shit, maybe even some deaths. But don't underestimate the cleverness of idiots. And how idiotic one can be even when normally pretty bright.
Good idea whose time has come!
Maybe putting a scare into some of these kids is a good idea, to scare some sense into them.