Palmetto 89 Incident in Chester, Pa. (4/3/16)

[fulham]

Says the engineer tested positive for weed and opiods. I cannot believe this s*&t is still going on after the accident at Chase Maryland. I have stated this before...Amtrak appears to be a tough place to get hired...yet they still find a way to hire these idiots who abuse drugs. I don't care if week is legal or not, if you are operating a train over the NEC with its high speed and operating complications you better not be a druggie. PERIOD! Whoever hired this guy should also be fired. Too many lives are at stake to take these chances. Hopefully this was an aberation and not and not a current issue amongst NEC Engine personnel.

 

[Acela150]

Interest story, the comment section was a waste of time.

In short failure to follow policy, add a sprinkle of poor equipment (radios).

The radios they give rail workers these days are cheap trash at best.

Says the engineer tested positive for weed and opiods. I cannot believe this s*&t is still going on after the accident at Chase Maryland. I have stated this before...Amtrak appears to be a tough place to get hired...yet they still find a way to hire these idiots who abuse drugs. I don't care if week is legal or not, if you are operating a train over the NEC with its high speed and operating complications you better not be a druggie. PERIOD! Whoever hired this guy should also be fired. Too many lives are at stake to take these chances. Hopefully this was an aberation and not and not a current issue amongst NEC Engine personnel.

It's entirely possible that the manager that selected Mr. Hunter has either retired or moved on.

Railroads will fire anyone for Rule G unless noted in the employees file.

The article also states that the opioids were a result of a morphine dose given at the hospital. So there for it's only weed he tested positive for. As they would have been forced to let the morphine go as it was before his drug test

 

[me_little_me]

Says the engineer tested positive for weed and opiods. I cannot believe this s*&t is still going on after the accident at Chase Maryland. I have stated this before...Amtrak appears to be a tough place to get hired...yet they still find a way to hire these idiots who abuse drugs. I don't care if week is legal or not, if you are operating a train over the NEC with its high speed and operating complications you better not be a druggie. PERIOD! Whoever hired this guy should also be fired. Too many lives are at stake to take these chances. Hopefully this was an aberation and not and not a current issue amongst NEC Engine personnel.

I have not heard what impact his drug use was on the incident. Would he have been unable to stop had he not had those drugs in his system? If so, then it may be a reason to terminate him but it would not be a reason to imply he was the primary or secondary cause of the accident. Sometimes companies find a way to blame the low level guy so as to protect managers or the failure to have or follow procedures.

 

[keelhauled]

I have not heard what impact his drug use was on the incident. Would he have been unable to stop had he not had those drugs in his system? If so, then it may be a reason to terminate him but it would not be a reason to imply he was the primary or secondary cause of the accident. Sometimes companies find a way to blame the low level guy so as to protect managers or the failure to have or follow procedures.

The level was apparently low enough that it was not considered a factor. That said, the engineer is also no longer an Amtrak employee so make of that what you will.

 

[Acela150]

Says the engineer tested positive for weed and opiods. I cannot believe this s*&t is still going on after the accident at Chase Maryland. I have stated this before...Amtrak appears to be a tough place to get hired...yet they still find a way to hire these idiots who abuse drugs. I don't care if week is legal or not, if you are operating a train over the NEC with its high speed and operating complications you better not be a druggie. PERIOD! Whoever hired this guy should also be fired. Too many lives are at stake to take these chances. Hopefully this was an aberation and not and not a current issue amongst NEC Engine personnel.

I have not heard what impact his drug use was on the incident. Would he have been unable to stop had he not had those drugs in his system? If so, then it may be a reason to terminate him but it would not be a reason to imply he was the primary or secondary cause of the accident. Sometimes companies find a way to blame the low level guy so as to protect managers or the failure to have or follow procedures.

It doesn't matter. It's a Rule G violation. Your fired. Period. No matter how much is in your system. Unless it's noted with the proper authority that you're allowed to take say a painkiller and that authority has approved it.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

According to this article the workmen also tested positive for drugs.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tests-maintenance-workers-killed-train-drugs-45091170?cid=clicksource_4380645_7_hero_headlines_headlines_hed

Both maintenance workers killed by an Amtrak train near Philadelphia last year were on drugs when the crash happened, test results show, but that doesn't appear to have factored into safety lapses and miscommunications being blamed for their deaths........

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Wow it just gets better...

 

[Thirdrail7]

Whoever hired this guy should also be fired. Too many lives are at stake to take these chances.

Yeah!!! Fire everyone involved with the interview/hiring process!! They should have known that after a certain period of time on the railroad, turning to drugs was imminent!!! In fact, let's go after his parents too!! They should have known as well!!!

 

[Dutchrailnut]

think its time to read this : https://dms.ntsb.gov/public/59500-59999/59509/599674.pdf

 

[Thirdrail7]

The NTSB Tees off on Amtrak, citing multiple layers of condoned safety lapses