CalTrain owes my family a gigantic and sincere apology.
My mother-in-law took our three children on CalTrain from San Bruno to Redwood City on Tuesday.
The ride to RC was fine. They hung out, had a great day.
The ride back was HORRIFYING and I am thoroughly disgusted with the entire ordeal.
The doors opened at the San Bruno station to let passengers off.
Our 7 year old son stepped out of the train, followed closely by our 7 year old daughter. Before she could step down, the doors shut on my daughter and the train took off, leaving our son standing alone on the platform. My mother-in-law pounded on the doors, telling him to stay where he was. Then she ran through the cars yelling that there was a child left behind. She searched frantically for someone in a uniform who could help. She couldn't find anyone to help. Finally, a man stood up, identifying himself as the "conductor". He told her there was nothing he could do, refused to stop the train, refused to help. Defended himself saying that he looked before he closed the doors...which, in this situation, was impossible. He didn't do his job. His indifference in this situation was shameful. Mom-in-law calls 911, since no one who actually worked on the train would help.
The San Bruno Police raced to the station to find and assist our son...who, by the way, was alone and crying and terrified...wandering the platform, saying he was lost...Finally, a good samaritan (a karate teacher) helped him. She called 911 as well.
The SB Police forced CalTrain to hold the next train going BACK to San Bruno so that my mother in law and daughters could be reunited with my son.
So far, my mother in law has filed a formal complaint with CalTrain, as will we...
I have to wonder if we'll get so much as a response, let alone an apology.
Is it company policy to leave small children behind and do NOTHING to assist in an emergency such as this?
According to the despicable conductor, this did not qualify as an emergency.
~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~
Update!
9/20/07 - Caltrain emailed a letter of apology, explaining that this sort of thing is not commonplace and that they did a thorough investigation of the incident. They sent out four complimentary ride tickets, in hopes that we would bring the children back on the train for a more pleasant experience.
I fully appreciate the response to our letters and hope that Caltrain will take measures to insure this sort of thing never happens again...and if it does, that they have much safer procedures set up. They are a public transportation agency and public safety should be on the forefront of their agenda...not schedules. read more