[ihc] RE: To tell the truth....

["Dennis Bernth" <scoutdude@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, I wasn't sitting alongside the RR tracks fondling my handgun and
contemplating suicide, so I don't think the 'stress' argument will fly. Just
cruising down the highway that runs parallel to the tracks, and the old radar
grabbed the train no problem- steady 79 mph, and this on more than one
occasion. And as far as the limits changing, these incidents occurred over 15
years ago- the last time I wore a uniform and had a radar in a marked car. I
won't go much into the thing about cops having to hallucinate speeds in order
to write tickets- I've had to turn off and go down back roads to get back to
the jail just so I could get there, three in a row at 80 mph plus, I was tired
of writing tickets! There are plenty of legitimate speeders out there IME, no
need to hallucinate any. And in most cases, I categorize people who say the
radar is always wrong with the people that have always had two beers but test
.18 BAC- that's where the BS lies. Can radar be wrong? Sure can. But officers
are also trained to use the radar as a 'supporting tool' just like a
Breathalyzer. It's pretty easy to pick out the guy that's zipping along in
traffic- after a year or two, you get good at estimating speeds even before
the radar locks on. If it goes to court, the officer's observations along with
what the radar said, plus the certifications of the equipment past and
present, usually win. The lazy cops that just use the radar and grab somebody
do exist, and they lose the case if they go to court; if that's what you had,
and you pulled their shorts down in front of the judge, good for you- maybe
they learned to do the job right.
I don't doubt that there are lower speed limits through towns and urban areas-
the Amtrak that runs through our small city is usually at about 30-40 mph. The
one I clocked at 79 mph is more rural, and may well be the same line Howard
spoke of- this one comes out of Michigan and runs along the South shore of
Lake Michigan to Chicago. Where I clocked it was near the Michigan state line,
I'm sure it didn't go through Michigan City IN at 79 mph though.
The other point (which I'm sure Howard can confirm or deny) is that my
understanding is that most if not all trains have a data recorder like a black
box on board. The railroad is able to normally tell at exactly what speed a
train was traveling, whether or not the brakes were locked, etc., when any
'event' occurs. It would be pretty stupid of an engineer that is getting paid
by the hour anyway, and has to keep to a timetable, to crank it up over the
speed limit to gain time, when if something happened the bosses, Feds, and
locals would all have access to the data that shows he messed up.
Dennis

<Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 02:16:28 -0600
<From: "T.R.E.Jr." <T_R_E_Jr@domain.elided>
<Subject: Re: [ihc] RE: To tell the truth....

<- ---I will check on it again, but it hadn't <changed for as long as I could
<remember and last I knew the book stated that <the speed limit for passenger
<trains was 45 mph and for cargo (government) <it was 60. Even in Chicago
when
<running the newest tracks the speed limit was <followed. However, I agree
<that the passenger trains do seem to go a little <faster than allowed, even
<back then when I last read from the book. Trust <a radar gun? I want to see
<it. I have been stopped three times and told <what the gun recorded when I
<knew it was BS... not saying you are lying, just <saying that from my
<experience, police officers have been known to <hallucinate  ;-) ... maybe
<due from the stress that comes with the job. If <you are not an official,
<then maybe you were parked too close to the <power lines for too long. Just
<kiddin'.

<- ---It won't take me long to find out what the <limits are now though. It
is
<possible they changed, I have noticed no <cargo/freight trains that even
<appear to be traveling over 60 though, here in <Alabama nor in
<Chicago/Burbank/Oak Lawn/Tinley <Park/Willow Springs/Buffalo Grove,
Illinois.

<- ---Thank you,
<- -T.R.E.Jr.