# FRA is pissed off at MNRR



## jis (Dec 4, 2013)

See this letter from FRA:

http://www.subchat.com/read.asp?Id=1262259

Needs no further explanation....


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## Ryan (Dec 4, 2013)

Well now, how about that.

I've rehosted the letter:


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## afigg (Dec 4, 2013)

jis said:


> See this letter from FRA:


Not the sort of letter you see very often from a federal regulator to one of the agencies or companies they oversee. Putting the MTA and MNRR on notice.


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## NW cannonball (Dec 4, 2013)

afigg said:


> jis said:
> 
> 
> > See this letter from FRA:
> ...


Putting the MTA and MNRR on notice - heh -

And -- diverting blame from the FRA - an admittedly underfunded and toothless regulator.

Don't buy the *expense* excuse - for either FRA or MNNR - please think, please.

What would it cost to have a second well-paid person calling signals - $100/hr? Divide by the number of passengers - that would be about a dime per trip per passenger - very roughly.

Installing "PTC" or "ATC" or "ASES" might cost hundreds of millions - oh my. But divide by the number of passengers and the years of benefit -- dirt cheap. Basically zero up to a dime per passenger.

The technology is mostly "off the shelf". Integrating with ancient infrastructure raises the cost.

I'll be happy to see our infrastructure upgraded to 20th Century standards. May not happen until 22d Century.


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## Ryan (Dec 4, 2013)

In the long run (which is what we should be considering), people are expensive and fallible. Automated systems are much better and don't require health care and pensions.


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## NW cannonball (Dec 4, 2013)

RyanS said:


> In the long run (which is what we should be considering), people are expensive and fallible. Automated systems are much better and don't require health care and pensions.


In the long run - yeah - you and me are expensive and fallible. Automated systems are designed, built, and implemented by - hehe - expensive, fallible humans. Expensive fallible humans pay the fare. Sometimes, expensive fallible systems built by expensive fallible humans -- fail. Not all that simple.


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## jis (Dec 4, 2013)

Bu they at least don't fall asleep  unless provided by Micro$oft of course. Then all bets are off


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## Nathanael (Dec 5, 2013)

If you get the right designer, you can design an automated system which is very reliable. Expensive, and falliable, but with the right designer, not very falliable, and you only pay the cost once...

On the other hand, if you do a half-assed job on the design... :eyeroll:


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