By no means am I defending these people, but I hope everyone realizes railfans are the biggest trespassers of them all. Just because we "know about trains" does not matter one bit as far as the law is concerned. A trespass is a trespass and any railfan that claims they never trespass is lying through their teeth (Mr. Carter, that is not intended at all to be directed at you, I am speaking about all of us).

Having said that, I almost witnessed what I hope to never actually see here in Davis, CA yesterday morning. Standing at the depot, a westbound freight started to creep through on the number 1 main. It had been holding east of the depot so a passenger could clear. Additionally, it was real foggy. This lady comes out from a fence with her dog and immediately jumps onto the number two main before thinking better of it. I think because of the fog and slow speed she thought it was Amtrak and would stop. There was no chance she would have made it. AND, she never looked west, so she would have been flattened if an eastbound was also coming through. I couldn't believe my own eyes when I saw it.

Bottom Line: people are dumb and getting dumber. The operation lifesaver folks do a wonderful job, but they can't change stupidity.