In rural Wisconsin, where freight trains quietly pass through towns like La Crosse, Prairie du Chien, and even Whitewater, few realize the emotional burden train engineers and conductors silently carry. Behind every horn blast and crossing gate lies a job that too often involves witnessing tragedy, from fatal accidents to suicides on the tracks. “It’s not something you’re trained to handle emotionally,” as stated by Chris Dregne, a BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) train engineer. “You’re helpless. When someone is on the tracks, all you can do is pull the emergency brakes and wait until you slowly come to a stop, which can be miles after you initially pulled them.”
Across the Midwest, train crews deal with what the rail industry calls “trespasser incidents,” collisions involving individuals on the tracks. While these incidents may seem rare to the public, industry data shows that rural routes see more fatalities per mile than urban ones, due in part to isolation, lack of fencing, and increased mental health challenges in underserved areas.
But what happens after the collision? Rural rail lines, like those operated by Union Pacific, Canadian National, and BNSF through southern Wisconsin, are particularly vulnerable. Fewer crossings are monitored, and the tracks often run through isolated farmland or wooded areas, where visibility is limited and foot traffic is harder to control.
Though the public often mourns the victim, little attention is paid to the emotional toll these events take on the railroad workers involved. There are few formal systems in place at the local level to support conductors or engineers after these traumatic incidents, and many workers are left to cope on their own or rely on informal peer support.
There is growing advocacy for better trauma support. “From what I’ve heard when talking to conductors and engineers who are still active on the railroad, the mental health resources have gotten better since I started, but there seems to be more that could be done,” says retired BNSF engineer J.F. He adds, “Hardly anyone realizes what it’s like to see someone take their life right in front of you and know there’s nothing you can do to stop it.” “Trains don’t stop on a dime; by the time you see them, it’s already too late. You sit there, helpless, knowing what’s about to happen.” As rural Wisconsin grapples with mental health access challenges, the silent trauma of train crews reminds us that behind the rails are people carrying more than just freight, but invisible scars, too.
Here is my article that I gained inspiration from: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0m1x4jrw1ro
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