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NotObviouslyARobot t1_itjrtin wrote

Reply to comment by Bifferer in A train passenger saw a woman waving for help. It was a hiker who'd been missing. by guanaco55

That's the Durango and Silverton. They're a slow-moving tourist train, and they often drop off adventurers. The Upper Animas River which she was on the other side of, is fast and lethal. If she had tried to cross it with broken limbs, she would have died.

The danger for her was that someone would have written her off as just someone waving to the train.

Source: I've been on the same train ride. People -do- wave to the train from the side. It's a fun train ride. Highly recommend it. Also, take a 4x4 tour up into the mountains above Silverton while you're at it.

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Obandigo t1_itjuust wrote

Yeah, but I'm sure she's waving at the train while she's laying down because she has a broke leg, or if she has found a way to stand while with a broke leg, I'm sure she looked very distressed.

The article said she had to pull her way out to the river bank to try to wave down trains, so I'm sure she is laying down, or sitting and looking very distressed while waiving.Also, very distressed people are usually waving with both hands side to side while yelling help.

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NotObviouslyARobot t1_itk0mwg wrote

She was South of the Colorado Trail Bridge. That's a very densely forested area, and the railway veers away from the river a little bit. She's damn lucky someone saw her. People move around a lot on that train.

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chargers949 t1_itl2mn4 wrote

Wow that’s a great point what is the wilderness emergency hand signal for help? With guns you shoot 3 times. Same with mirror or whistle you try to signal SOS. 3 short, 3 long, and 3 short.

But what the hell hand signal do you make to show emergency?! That is significantly different from hello happy to meet you i love you.

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Pantssassin t1_itl3yy1 wrote

It has been a while so I might have misremembered but waving your arms over your head means help, making an x means you require medical assistance, making a Y means yes, and making an N with one arm up and one down means no. So if it is a situation where rescuers are mistaken you can signal that you don't need help

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OhDavidMyNacho t1_itlmkoj wrote

Waving both arms over your head is the recognized distress signal. Like how arms move when doing jumping jacks, but your arms cross at the top.

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mamahazard t1_itm6rcj wrote

Place your thumb in palm, set other 4 fingers over thumb. Like a fist, but do not punch with this.

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Sdomttiderkcuf t1_itlx7en wrote

It’s insane that she survived the cold of the last 2 days at altitude.

That train doesn’t run that often so it’s indeed good someone saw her. That’s why you should always bring emergency gear with you, not hike alone, and have a way to signal for help.

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MizElaneous t1_itm4ohn wrote

If I didn't hike alone, I'd almost never get to go hiking. That said, I do usually take an InReach with me so I can call for help.

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Sdomttiderkcuf t1_itmzug7 wrote

If you were in Colorado and someone hadn’t totaled my car, I’d be your hiking buddy.

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MizElaneous t1_itohw5p wrote

If I was in Colorado, I'd totally pick you up in my car and take you hiking with me!

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DestinationPoutine t1_iuby49v wrote

>If I didn't hike alone, I'd almost never get to go hiking.

Same. I plan carefully. Watch the weather. Give someone a map that shows where I’ll park and the trails that I intend to check out. Tell them when I plan to be back. Send them a live tracking link. Bring the Ten Essentials and more. Dress in layers. All the usual stuff. This is not difficult.

On the rare occasions when I do have a hiking partner, I still do all of the above.

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BunchaCreeps t1_itkr211 wrote

You’re also blazing by so you don’t have much of an opportunity to be looking at them and determining if they’re okay or in distress

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NoYgrittesOlly t1_itkycnl wrote

> That's the Durango and Silverton. They're a slow-moving tourist train

Literally right above the comment you just made. C’mon man

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Obandigo t1_itml043 wrote

One hand up waving is completely different than two hands flailing in the air.

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Warfeint t1_itk3a1w wrote

I’ve been on that train a handful of times. Although people wave to the train as it passes, it would be easy to not see any onlookers as the scenery is simply distracting itself.

Sadly Silverton (when I initially visited) was diminishing and I mainly went to visit the Masonic lodge, which had since closed down.

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the_almighty_walrus t1_itm6rls wrote

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, wave both hands over your head and repeatedly make an X with your arms.

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raven1121 t1_itnbl5g wrote

I road in the Empire Builder (Chicago, IL to Seattle, WA ) and apparently it's a tradition to moon the train as it passes by , the conductor even made a announcement about it

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