Some years back, I visited a loco shed in Montzen, in Belgium, near the german border; I was given a ride back to the nearest station, Welkenraedt, in the cab of a diesel railcar on a (since closed) section of line which was (by then) only used for staff trains. About halfway, the driver slowed right down to almost walking pace, and sounded the horn several times. He pointed at a large old house a few hundred yards up a slight hill, and explained (in French) that the building was, for lack of a better translation, a lunatic asylum, and inmates were known for jumping in front of trains on a more or less regular basis, hence the extreme caution. The driver said death had occurred, but whether he meant just one, or several, I can't say. Always a worry, no doubt.
|