When an injured dog got stuck on train tracks in Ukraine, an unlikely companion was able to protect her until help arrived.
Train tracks can be dangerous for any number of reasons — to pedestrians, bikers, and vehicles alike. Between the surprisingly high speed of oncoming trains and the complicated construction of the tracks, a lot can go wrong if you try to cross a railway when you shouldn’t. While it’s possible to warn pedestrians, bikers, and drivers about the perils of unsafe railway crossings, there’s one demographic that may have missed the memo: pets.
In fact, one unfortunate dog named Lucy got stuck on snowy train tracks in Ukraine. After falling on the tracks and failing to get up, Lucy was effectively stuck. However, Lucy wasn’t on her own. In a story that’s made its way around the internet, a male dog named Panda came to Lucy’s rescue and guarded her until help could arrive.
Although everything ultimately worked out well for Lucy and Panda, this incident is a reminder — albeit a light-hearted one — that train tracks and railway crossings can be dangerous, despite being critical transportation infrastructure. For railway operators committed to railway safety for their personnel, passengers, crew, and cargo, investing in proven solutions is a must.
An Unexpected Canine Rescue
When Lucy failed to cross the train tracks and fell, she was completely helpless. Unable to move, she was caught on an active railway in subzero temperatures. Thanks to Panda, however, Lucy wasn’t alone. Panda stayed with her on the tracks for two days, helping to keep her warm in the cold and laying down with her when trains passed overhead.
After two days, Denis Malafeyev — a local man with experience in animal rescue — noticed Panda and Lucy on the tracks. He and others tried to bring the two dogs to safety, but Panda had become extremely defensive of Lucy and displayed outward signs of aggression to the rescue team. After a train passed — thankfully without harming the dogs — Malafeyev and other rescuers were able to calm Panda down and remove Lucy from the tracks safely.
Understanding Rail Safety
There’s not much that railway operators can do to prevent situations like Lucy and Panda’s, and a much wider range of factors can make railway maintenance challenging, from snow and ice to dirt and sand. That said, there are steps rail companies can take to ensure that their tracks, switches, and other infrastructure are in peak condition and that personnel, passengers, crew, and cargo complete their journeys safely.
To combat the elements and regular wear-and-tear, railway operators need lubrication and de-icing solutions capable of standing up to harsh conditions and heavy use. By applying these kinds of industrial products as needed — and going in for the best offerings available — it’s possible to keep train tracks safer for everyone involved.
Investing in Proven Rail Switch Maintenance Solutions
As endearing as their story may be, Lucy and Panda are a great example of how conscious we need to be in the vicinity of train tracks. Only by being careful around railways and ensuring that they’re in ideal working order can stakeholders reduce the risk of accidents, delays, and other hazardous malfunctions. With patented products from Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc. — such as our Glidex® rail switch lubricants and Zero Gravity anti-icing products — railway operators can do their part to keep train tracks safe.
With more than four decades of experience in rail infrastructure maintenance, Midwest has the solutions that businesses need to keep their assets in pristine condition. By investing in sophisticated products designed to keep critical infrastructure safe, railway operators can cut down on maintenance costs, improve performance, and help avoid costly and dangerous accidents.
