(Cergy-Préfecture, may 19th 2005)

When I stepped onto the large platform where the 17h52 train
for Paris Saint-Lazare stood waiting it seemed unusually quiet
there. I noticed that for some reason the train had not fully
entered the station yet. The last two, three coaches were still
inside of the tunnel. The doors were open though. Some of the
passengers were peeping out, with hands holding briefcases,
hands holding newspapers. They looked up and down the
platform, somewhat impatient because of the apparent delay.

As I walked towards the rear of the train – which is where I get

in, because it is where I get out – an elderly gentleman carrying a
greyish green shopping bag came up to me.
The man began to whisper, hurriedly.
Something about a 'bump' … or that the train had 'jumped' … ?
He shook his head and I nodded in reply, even though I did not
understand much of what he was saying.

A woman joined us.

"Didn't you hear ?" she asked. "That awful cracking sound ? …
How could one describe it ? … Sounded like something being
torn and crushed at the same time … Never heard anything like
it before in my life …"
She almost seemed indignant over that.
Then she shuddered and put a hand on my arm.
"Didn't you hear ? And there was someone screaming, just
before the train's brakes started shrieking ... "
She looked at us.
And all became very quiet again.
There was hardly a sound.
Just a low humming that went on and on and on … something
electric maybe … but nothing else … only a humming.

J.K. Harsman
[ http://www.harsmedia.com/SoundBlog/ ]