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Authorities have confirmed that 27-year-old Jared Nilles of Fargo, whose body was found Monday along the railroad tracks between Glyndon and Hawley, Minn., was a passenger on an Amtrak train bound for Chicago, Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist said this morning. The Forum newspaper account: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/354865/group/homepage/
That Empire Builder was exactly an hour late leaving Fargo at 03:13 Monday 19 March. Victim fell off the train 20 miles later, which would be about 03:30. That's flat country and (pretty) straight track, speed limit probably 70. So really quickly after he boarded, he disembarked.
Foulplay? Disoriented? Unfamiliar? I dunno. Obit notes victim Jared Nilles was a college grad, a writer, performer and athlete. He was a Fargo native and attended school -- and worked some projects -- in Minneapolis, so I'm betting he had ridden the Builder before.
And kudos to that freight conductor who had pretty good eyes to spy a body on the right-of-way in the pre-sunrise twilight at 07:00. He must eat a lot of carrots.
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My experience, after riding the Empire Builder at many different times of the year, is that March was a uniquely different crowd between Minot and St. Paul. All of the colleges in North Dakota were having spring break and it was way cheaper to train into Minneapolis to fly than to use a local airport. A half empty train would fill to capacity between Minot and Fargo. Most were up all night partying and had brought their own refreshment. The lounge car was a mess of empty containers and passed out young folks by morning.
Not to jump to conclusions, but it is possible this was not a quiet night of sleeping passengers that we typically imagine.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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Updated story notes witness describing victim as "very intoxicated," and victim's father stating son had a drinking problem.
Interestingly, LEOs filed affidavit requesting cellphone records in effort to match calls/texts with times/towers in attempt to re-create his last minutes. Witness noted vic was texting also.
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