[proud2brrer]

When I started out on the railroad fourteen years ago, we were all trained to get on and off moving equipment. Today, it is a forbidden act. Some say the "art of railroading" is passing on as the skills taught for generations are replaced with safety rules that are far more restricting. I'll admit that while running a ten thousand ton train that could be a mile long, having to make a complete stop to let someone off and then restarting it can be problematic. I would like to state that in my opinion a great deal of the personal injuries that occur on US railroads are a result of complacency and a lack of situational awareness.

Regarding Matt's commentary on "Extreme Trains", well Matt was accused by many railroad enthusiasts as being a bit "over the top" with his enthusiasm in an attempt to make the show interesting to the general tv viewer. As a fellow "New Englander" and railroader I have to say I enjoyed his attempts to bring the world of modern railroading to the viewers. I would speculate that the average American has far less exposure and understanding of railways than you folks in the UK.