# Running a red...



## williamn (Sep 6, 2016)

Slightly odd experience yesterday on the train from London to Toronto. All smooth (and a packed train) until just outside Aldershot when we ground to a sudden halt. Lots of running about from the staff including checking out the back of the train. After a while we were advised there was a 'safety protocol' that we had to follow and there would be a delay - of at least an hour.

Someone on the train calls VIA Rail and were told that a train in front had run through a red light. The driver was not allowed to continue and it was awaiting replacement crew.

Shortly after staff on our train announced that WE were awaiting replacement crew - which led me to suspect that it was actually our train which had run the red light.

Eventually reached Toronto 2.5 hours late. Most frustrating was the lack of clear and regular communication from the crew, the vagueness of explanations from them, lack of updates as to revised arrival times and the poor compensation (50% of our ticket as a credit only valid for 6 months). One poor woman was in tears as she was going to miss her flight, couldn't afford a new one and VIA refused to compensate. Luckily some kind fellow passenger paid for a new flight for her.


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## railiner (Sep 6, 2016)

williamn said:


> Slightly odd experience yesterday on the train from London to Toronto. All smooth (and a packed train) until just outside Aldershot when we ground to a sudden halt. Lots of running about from the staff including checking out the back of the train. After a while we were advised there was a 'safety protocol' that we had to follow and there would be a delay - of at least an hour.
> 
> Someone on the train calls VIA Rail and were told that a train in front had run through a red light. The driver was not allowed to continue and it was awaiting replacement crew.
> 
> ...


It could be possible that VIA was correct about it being the train ahead being "to blame", and the crew of your train was going to be "out of hours" as a result of the delay, necessitating a relief crew...

That said, whenever any event occurs, be it accident or rule violation, the subject will tend to keep the matter "close to the vest" pending an official investigation...


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## Gulfwind2 (Sep 7, 2016)

The crew on the VIA train almost definitely got hog-lawed because of the delay (required a new conductor and engineer in the cab due to an expiration of contract hours).


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## williamn (Sep 7, 2016)

2 hours seems like quite a small margin of error though - is that normal?


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## Anderson (Sep 7, 2016)

It depends. If I'm on the NEC, I'll "gamble" on my train being into NYP (or WAS) within 90 minutes of posted time...particularly if it's an Acela I'm taking. I generally wouldn't do the same thing on an LD train...but I'll still (generally) bank on arrival within 4-5 hours.

(Of course, I'm also one of those oddballs who will often schedule a large buffer in place "just in case", which has resulted in a number of overnight holds in Los Angeles)


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 7, 2016)

What are you referring to Anderson? Train and flight connections?


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## williamn (Sep 7, 2016)

I was called my a local news station yesterday who suggested there was more to this incident than meets the eye...

Also I got an email from VIA CEO today (as did presumably all the other passengers) - no further information but an apology and now a 100% travel credit.


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## Anderson (Sep 13, 2016)

Seaboard92 said:


> What are you referring to Anderson? Train and flight connections?


Correct. I'm also definitely more willing to "throw the dice" if it's a connection from a plane to Amtrak than vice-versa so long as it's more than a 1x daily route.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 13, 2016)

I've been debating the viability of a connection from the Silver Meteor arriving at 11 and departing on a LH 380 at four pm from JFK. I strongly doubt it's doable.


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## williamn (Sep 13, 2016)

And here's what actually happened: http://www.lfpress.com/2016/09/12/via-train-blew-through-stop-sign-meant-to-stop-crash-with-go-train


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## railiner (Sep 13, 2016)

The article mentioned the engineer(s) were suspended...

Did I understand that correctly--there were two?

I wonder if they were both distracted from observing and calling the signal?

That has been the subject of much debate over whether having a second person in the cab is beneficial or a detrement to safety...


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