Metrolink Wreck

[user 1215]

This is all very interesting. The engineer should have been able to see BOTH yellows and a red while sitting at the station (note, that the station only being about a mile from the switch, he could have been texting the kids while stopped at Chatsworth, if that, indeed was the case). I cross a track near my home almost daily and can see almost two miles in each direction and have no difficulty reading the signals. He should have never left the station until the freight passed, and the conductor should have known that the freight was coming and wondering why his train was going so fast.

 

[Walt]

CNN is quoting the NTSB this morning, as having determined that the Metrolink engineer apparently didn't even apply the brakes at all before the collision.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

Note the info from downloads, specificly the 50 mph then slowing to 42 (the track speed was 40 over in that curve.

The NTSB spokeswoman said that they were only able to partially analyze one of the Metrolink data recorders so far. These are the numbers:

Freight Train*****Metrolink

Speed 25*****42 MPH

Time after applying emergency brakes 2****0 seconds

Sight distance 1,000 feet

Metrolink -- Speed when passed red light (last signal of system of three signals

50+ MPH, then slowed down to 42 MPH -- did not apply brakes.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Los Angeles Times:

Metrolink balked at safety upgrade's cost

Engineer led solitary life marked by tragedy

Rail safety and the human error excuse (Op-ed piece)

 

[Guest_George Harris_*]

Los Angeles Times:
Metrolink balked at safety upgrade's cost

Engineer led solitary life marked by tragedy

Rail safety and the human error excuse (Op-ed piece)

Bird cage liners, all of them

 

[GG-1]

Los Angeles Times:
Metrolink balked at safety upgrade's cost

Engineer led solitary life marked by tragedy

Rail safety and the human error excuse (Op-ed piece)

Bird cage liners, all of them

Mahalo George

I couldn't think of a polite comment

 

[Guest_Yerry_*]

Yup. . . bird cage liner.

And today I ran into a MSNBC item about signals; it had some transportation PROFESSOR saying that any stop indication can be un-done by something as simple as a burned out light bulb.

Good thing us non-prof types know that a dark signal means "stop and proceed after getting permission by radio."

 

[amtrakwolverine]

according to google news

The Metrolink train's usual routine is reportedly to wait until the Union Pacific freight train clears the track.

and

The NTSB has determined Sanchez ran a red light that could have prevented the collision and did not apply the brakes. The agency said the tracks and signals were working properly and that human error was to blame.

the AP press said that a lady who bread her dogs with the driver said he had diabetes but he did not eat right and he had been sent home before for failing to control his diet. he could have passed out and ran the light.

sounds like a repeat of this wreck http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinton_train_collision

the engineer of the CN train had high blood pressure he had diabetes he had a problem with his colon and he was a alcoholic. they say he collapsed and may of even died on the way to the toilet while his assistant slept.

 

[user 1215]

You know, as a private pilot, I have to get a physical exam at least every three years. That's if I don't carry passengers or do anything more than just tool around at 1000 feet to go sightseeing. To exercise my commercial pilot license (for sightseeing, flight instruction, etc), I have to pass a medical exam every year. If I flew corporate jets or airliners, I would have to be checked out every SIX MONTHS.

Are locomotive engineers required to pass a medical exam? If so, how often? A Metrolink driver should get checked every six months - they are no less liable for the 222 passengers on their train than a regional jet carrying 70.

Psychologial evaluations should be a part of that. If this guy was truly on edge with the suicide of his boyfriend a couple years ago and the suicide of a pedestrian on his train just a month or so ago, as macabre as it sounds, it shouldn't be discounted that the thought could have crossed this guy's mind.

To bring this back to Amtrak, does Amtrak have a policy of two souls in the cab for LD trains? Maybe they should think about that.

 

[frj1983]

Make the rails safer
L.A. Times editorial.

"And Metrolink, which has the second-worst commuter-rail fatality record in the nation, and not coincidentally shares an unusually high proportion of its tracks with freight trains, should receive one of the federal grants for a test installation."

While I'm not going to say anything about Metrolink having "the second-worst rail fatality record in the nation," I do find myself amused by the second phrase in the above sentence...the Editors have obviously not been to Chicago! Don't most Commuter Train Systems run on busy freight tracks? Or were they perhaps thinking of Europe?

Having only been to New York once, I'm not entirely sure how the Commuter Train System functions there, so I'll plead ignorance with regard to that!

 

[WICT106]

One should not underestimate the ability of the mass media to misinform the general public. Positive Train control ? These people obviously know nothing about railroad operation.

 

[Guest]

In the accounts I have read, the MetroLink engineer had worked for Amtrak for 10 years. But it sounded like he was working for a contractor who provides engineers to MetroLink. Is that right? And if so, why doesn't MetroLink employ its own engineers?

well yes. most of them went to the other company when amtrak lost or gave up the contract with metrolink.

 

[Guest_Spokker_*]

Are locomotive engineers required to pass a medical exam? If so, how often?

No, just reds.
I'll be honest, this guy didn't exactly look like the pinnacle of health. Based on the pictures that have been coming out, he looked like he was about to drop dead at any moment.

Psychologial evaluations should be a part of that. If this guy was truly on edge with the suicide of his boyfriend a couple years ago and the suicide of a pedestrian on his train just a month or so ago, as macabre as it sounds, it shouldn't be discounted that the thought could have crossed this guy's mind.

He was a disturbed loner. Guy can't talk to neighbors. Prefers to communicate with teenagers. Prefers to hang out with a 77-year-old woman (who herself blew him off last Christmas). Steals Xbox consoles. Not exactly the kind of guy I want operating a train.
This guy was and continues to be a creep.

 

[Guest_George Harris_*]

This guy was and continues to be a creep.

Thank you Spokker for this excellent thorughly researched psychological analysis. Useful for armchair analyists that a peculiarity of US law is that it is impossible to legally slander or libel the dead.
Part 2: Our wonderful California senators have now decided that they have a solution that should be made law. This considering, if I am quoting correctly, Dianne Feinstein said on TV something to the effect that she was shocked that freight trains and passenger trains operated on the same tracks. Hey stupid, they have for the last 180 years.

 

[Guest_Spokker_*]

This guy was and continues to be a creep.

Thank you Spokker for this excellent thorughly researched psychological analysis. Useful for armchair analyists that a peculiarity of US law is that it is impossible to legally slander or libel the dead.

The guy was a saint.

 

[Guest_Spokker_*]

So you're a parent, and you find out your boy has been exchanging text messages with a 44-year-old man. You're telling me you're not going to give the guy a knock on his door and put a stop to it?

I heard a great line on the radio the other day. A guy said, "The only 44-year-old man allowed to text my son is ME."

Then I would put a stop to all this railfanning nonsense. The Southern California rail network is not a life-sized model trainset for these kids. It's supposed to be a professional operation intended to get people where they need to go. If you're loitering at a station without a ticket you need to go home.

I'm not slandering this engineer at all. My opinion is that he's a creep. Most people are starting to adopt that opinion as well. This whole thing is screwed up. And you people sit there and anyone who criticizes Metrolink, the engineer, railfans, or anyone associated with trains "knows nothing about the railroad."

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Several of the last few post are over the edge of good tast. As a moderator I am going to refer these to the others to insure am unbiased review.

But Please all of us stay with known fcats and let the professionals reach a conclusion. Some time prople in my professionan rush to get scoops and may not always have correct information. Being first sometimes becoms so ??? that checking stories gets forgotten. Wish this was not true but it happens. Let us not compount the loss of truth.

Mahalo

 

[Guest_George Harris_*]

GG-1: I think we have gotten way too far afield in dealing with the person and personality of the engineer, plus, it is truly kicking a man while he is down. Who his friends are and aren't, his social life, state of mind, etc. are completely irrelevant to the issue. Whether he was distracted by extraneous matters or was incapacitated due to some health issue will come out in the analysis, and to guess about it here is completely useless. Whether or not "he was a disturbed loner" or "My opinion is that he was a creep" or he had thousands of friends and a large family is completely irrelevant to anything concerning the subject at hand, and in my opinion should dissapear from the thread.

And, to another question: No, Metrolink does not empolyee its own engineers or other train crew members. Veolia has a contract to operate the trains. Amtrak had the contract in years past. When the contract operator changed from Amtrak to Veolia, the employees running Metrolink trains had to change employers if they wanted to keep doing it. That and that alone is the reason for this man and a lot of others to have that particular change in employers.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

She told the truth, and lost her job

An L.A. Times Op-ed piece about former Metrolink spokeswoman Denise Tyrell. The online headline is very different.

 

[nr272]

So you're a parent, and you find out your boy has been exchanging text messages with a 44-year-old man. You're telling me you're not going to give the guy a knock on his door and put a stop to it?
I heard a great line on the radio the other day. A guy said, "The only 44-year-old man allowed to text my son is ME."

Why, presumably they were talking about trains?

 

[sky12065]

So you're a parent, and you find out your boy has been exchanging text messages with a 44-year-old man. You're telling me you're not going to give the guy a knock on his door and put a stop to it?
I heard a great line on the radio the other day. A guy said, "The only 44-year-old man allowed to text my son is ME."

Why, presumably they were talking about trains?

I can understand the statement "The only 44-year-old man allowed to text my son is ME." But if I still had a minor male child, I would certainly make an exception for grandfathers, uncles and a number of other close family male freinds and relatives that I trust!

 

[sechs]

She told the truth, and lost her job

It's really hard to take this woman's side when she wasn't doing her job.

We only know it's the truth in hindsight, and there are still questions as to what exactly occurred. And, she wasn't terminated; she quit.

 

[Guest_Spokker_*]

Whether or not "he was a disturbed loner" or "My opinion is that he was a creep" or he had thousands of friends and a large family is completely irrelevant to anything concerning the subject at hand, and in my opinion should dissapear from the thread.

It's completely relevant.

He either dropped dead due to his poor health, killed himself due to his tragic life, or got distracted by text messages. But go ahead and bury your head in the sand. "It was just a mistake..."

 

[Guest_Spokker_*]

So you're a parent, and you find out your boy has been exchanging text messages with a 44-year-old man. You're telling me you're not going to give the guy a knock on his door and put a stop to it?
I heard a great line on the radio the other day. A guy said, "The only 44-year-old man allowed to text my son is ME."

Why, presumably they were talking about trains?

So if you had a son or daughter that was into trains and they were exchanging messages 44-year-old engineers ON DUTY you would be perfectly okay with it? You wouldn't rush out and at least meet the guy?

You'd think a guy should get some friends his own age.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

You know, as a private pilot, I have to get a physical exam at least every three years. That's if I don't carry passengers or do anything more than just tool around at 1000 feet to go sightseeing. To exercise my commercial pilot license (for sightseeing, flight instruction, etc), I have to pass a medical exam every year. If I flew corporate jets or airliners, I would have to be checked out every SIX MONTHS.

I thought a pilot is actually allowed to excercise the priviliges of the instructor's certificate without a current medical if the circumstances of the instruction are such that the student is fully qualified to act as pilot in command (that is, the student has a valid pilot's license and medical for the type of flight being conducted).