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NYC Subway Rescue |
Keeping Track
In order to carry a lot of weight at a fast speed, trains are built to run on tracks. For this reason, trains are a very helpful mode of transportation for lots of people! In lots of big cities all over the world, thousands and even millions of people rely on trains that provide them with public transportation to get around for everything from going to work to running errands to seeing their friends, and more!
To the rescue!
One of the biggest public transportation train systems is in New York City, where on an average weekday, over four million people ride on the subway. – On March 16th, 2009, one of these four million riders showed himself to be a hero!
While waiting for his train, a man named Chad Lindsey noticed that another man standing on his platform swayed at the edge and then fell down onto the train tracks! Train tracks are very dangerous – because trains travel so quickly, they usually cannot stop in a quick instant if something is on the tracks and in the way. A person or animal who is on a train’s tracks when a train comes through can be very seriously injured or even killed if they are not able to get out of the way in time.
Mr. Lindsey noticed that the man who had fallen down seemed to have hurt himself when he fell and appeared to be unconscious, meaning he’d be unable to help himself get up and out of the way. Bravely, Mr. Lindsey jumped down onto the tracks and pulled the unconscious man towards the platform, where other people helped to pull the hurt man up off the tracks. Mr. Lindsey then quickly pulled himself up off the tracks so that everyone was safe before the next train arrived! Mr. Lindsey gave a quick report of the incident to the police, and then boarded the next train and continued on his way, a humble and heroic citizen!
Safety Rules
If there are train tracks where you live, remember to never, ever, play on or near the tracks. When you are on a train’s platform waiting for a train to arrive, always stay far back from the edge, hold a grown-ups hand, and stand with your feet securely planted so that if someone bumps into you, you won’t accidentally stumble too far forward. Make sure to step over the gap between the train and its platform when you board, and listen to the instructions of the grown-ups you are with!
If you ever see someone on train tracks who shouldn’t be there, the best thing to do is probably to call a grown-up or a police officer right away, instead of trying to help that person yourself. Whether the person is hurt or just playing, an adult will know best how to deal with the situation!
If you are always safe and smart, you will probably never have to worry about problems with trains or train tracks. Most people consider modern day trains to be safe and reliable forms of transportation!