Ralph M. LaRue saved Shirley E. Ward from being killed by a train, Greenville, Ohio, July 31, 1963. Shirley, 2, wandered to a railroad crossing and into the path of a freight train which was within 1,000 feet of her when LaRue, 43, locomotive fireman, in the cab of the lead engine, saw her. He shouted a warning to the engineer, who immediately applied the emergency brakes. As the train’s speed decreased to 45 m.p.h., LaRue stepped from the cab onto a walkway at the side of the engine. He ran 30 feet to the front of the locomotive, which then was 150 feet from Shirley as she stood against the outside of the rail. The speed of the train had decreased to 25 m.p.h., and it jerked repeatedly as LaRue, holding to handrails, descended three side steps at the end of the walkway. He held to the railing with one hand, moved one of his feet forward to a footboard at the front of the engine, and leaned ahead of it. As the engine moved to within two feet of Shirley, LaRue forcibly thrust against her shoulder with his open hand and pushed her out of the path of the train, which moved over the crossing at 18 m.p.h. and stopped 350 feet beyond it. Shirley escaped serious injury.
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