Initial SF MTA Statement Differs From Reports That Dying Man Found By J Tracks Was Hit By Train

Note from a resident and frequent J-rider: There's almost no clearance on the J-Church right-of-way; this applies to PCCs and Bredas alike. The outbound platform at 22nd and Church is also very narrow; in footprint it's probably the same dimensions as the original layout from 1917.

It's also become slightly more confusing than usual for casual passengers, because the 21st/Chattanooga outbound stop (which is the stop previous to 22d/Church) now has a platform in the right-of-way, one that is used by about half of the streetcars that go through there; the remainder continue to stop in the middle of 21st itself. If I were to make an educated guess, I suspect the deceased signaled early, realized he got out at the wrong stop, and decided to follow the ROW to 22nd instead of going downhill and up again.

I see a lot of pedestrians and bicyclists using the right-of-way; I've also seen a few Muni fare inspectors writing tickets for doing this. I'm not going to scold anyone else for encroaching on the ROW, because I do it myself once in a great while, but at least I have the cunning to do so at a time with light service and with full awareness that I'm putting myself in harm's way, and making myself subject to a fine. Sometimes a bad knee and asthma defy common sense, I guess.