Why would you delete the post? What possible reason would you have for that? I'm reporting what I heard from people that claimed to be there. Incidently, after I posted this, the News segment with the kids came on the news which we watched in the Santa Fe cafe. It was clearly these same teens in the news report. The reporter indicated that she looked at the phone and the messages they claimed were there and they occured just before the accident. She then pointed out that there's no way to prove when they were sent, because texts aren't always instantaneous and of course, since Metolink hasn't released a name, there's no proof that this particular engineer was running that train. The Metrolink rep was incredulous. In short, if that was the engineer, then there is some dammin evidence that he was using his cell phone around the time of the incident. I still don't understand the anger at my post? Anyway, they mentioned the guy's name on the news, so I'll mention it here. It was Sanchez (don't remember the first name) the Engineer on the surfliner I was on had said the same name. About that surfliner. He blew through the Irvine stop and had to back up to the platform. Conductor said he liked to run fast and this was the first time that happened. I commented that it probably wasn't a good day to be hotdogging it around here. Oh, and of course, they're going to blame the contractor Mwtrolink has running the trains and demand Amtrak take over again even though the contractor runs trains all over Europe.
The NS has rules against cell phone use on a moving train or while you are performing work GR-27 IF this is the case here and I said IF I can see the FRA mandating a NO cell phone rule across the board. IMO metros need there own tracks, they should NOTsend want-to be's out on the main line. Say what you want when you are on the MAIN line you better know what you are doing and where the signals are. BTW I feel for all involved
I don't think posts are deleted here just because they're potentially erroneous or they don't mesh with someone else's understanding. Let's calm down here. The investigators are working on it.
Locomotive #8485 Here is the link to a photo of Locomotive UP #8485 involved in the crash (taken on 16 August 2008). http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?city=West Colton&country=California, USA God bless the rescue workers, train engineers, passengers and all their families.
I think the text message question is speculation at this point, BUT I hope it serves as a warning to all my fellow railroaders: GET OFF YOUR CELL PHONE STOP TEXT MESSAGING TAKE OFF YOUR IPOD PUT AWAY YOUR DVD PLAYER & PAY ATTENTION to your job! Don't kid yourself, it happens all the time and it is inappropriate and dangerous.
AMEN BROTHER ! I preach this every day but its like beating my head on the wall Everyone should have to go to one of these then maybe they would take that advise.
From what I understand, Metrolink has the same rules regarding Cell phone use. Also as regarding seperate routes, I'm not sure the point you're trying to make, The metrolink equipment is fully certified heavy rail equipment. The line in question is actually owned by Metrolink not UP (I think) Commuter and Frieght share busy corridors all the time. The Racetrack in Chicago being the best example. regardless of why the accident happened, it is not typical.
:thumbs_up:Well said. Of course we need that type of rules on the streets with folks who decide to yap and not pay attention. Someone could get killed on the highways or even get hit by a train when they least expect it. :tb-shocked: One of the prelim reports are saying that it could've been the engineer of the Metrolink that ran the redboard, BUT and I emphasize-BUT it is TOO EARLY to finger-point at this time. Let's let the NTSB handle this and not the media.
I must say I am pretty fascinated by the recovery equipment used to get an SD70ACE back on the tracks. Another picture... It's pretty impressive that UP seems to have cleared the freight train cars so quickly. (By saturday morning?) Anyone have any info on how they did this?
I hate to sound cold, but when something like this happens it always seems to be the fault of the passenger engineer. It just makes me wonder what kind of training they go through. Freight engineers are thoroughly trained for the most part (although there are a few that shouldn't touch a throttle.)
Demanding separate rail routes for passenger and freight due to the apparent 'softness' of passenger trains is another example of dual standards of road vs rail. Family car vs 40 ton truck? This was clearly a horrible and unfortunate event, but around 100 people die on US roads every day. I had a similar thought but more that it's always the fault of the dead person. But I'm sure that the investigators will not be as biased as the media. Couple of other things. Re. the business of running through a closed trailing turnout which was discussed a couple of pages back: Clearly a loco is heavy enough to do this without blinking; if the train was running cab car first (push mode) would that still hold true? I'm guessing a passenger car weighs only about 1/3rd of a loco. I wonder too if the impact location on a tight curve actually reduced the damage. It seems the two locos and first passenger car have gone sideways and flopped over which should have absorbed a bit of the energy. Notwithstanding the matter of sighting distances a straight-on head to head could have been even worse.
Like stated earlier the points will move right over being shoved thru(might bend stuff up). Its when you make a reverse move you have your problems. The locomotives are designed to BY-PASS what ever they impact in a head -on collision
I don't know so I'll ask. One man loco crews on the Metrolinks? And nobody in the UP units - were they remote helpers? If it was a one-person cab crew, that has to be considered a contributory issue as well. This is why the time-honored tradition of calling the signals across the cab was done to make sure the crew was in agreement on what they saw. My FRA safety email blast this morning included a link to the KCLA story that the engineer was supposedly texting. It was without editorial comment, but it was forwarded. Even on many shortlines, there's a 'no distractions' rule that is usually reminded by crew members. For railfans and employees alike, if you are in the cab, this is a chilling reminder. Distractions can take many forms, and its not unique to rail. There's been more than a few aircraft incidents over the years when the crew was doing something else other than the job at the time of the event.
The UP train had a crew of three. A number of news articles from Saturday said that there were five crew members on both trains, and the engineer of the Metrolink was the only one killed. I did read one article that referred to removal of "a body, apparently the conductor of the freight train", but for the moment I'm assuming that was a mistake, since the same article (!) repeated the four out of five survived info.
Hey, I've been watching this from the east coast & I have some thoughts & answers. 1) Here at NJT,my class was trained from 22-23 months. Intense training. At the end they took 2 guys a week( I was the 1st out & running) to do check rides & promotions. 2) Cell phones are to off & in your bag. This is bull. If there's a problem with your train,the trainmasters &/or roadforemen are calling you to see what's up. 3) If he (the Metrolink engineer) was texting & not doing he's job properly,(speeding,etc.) he would've been held criminal respondsible. I have found out the hard way that even if you do everything right,& the accident(RR) isn't your fault, you still come out FUBAR'ed. I was cleared on the scene of a major accident & came out of it permenently disabled(I was dead once,paralized twice,& almost died a second time). 4) I can't believe the spokeswoman for Metrolink admitted that her engineer went through the stop signal on TV. Don't be surprized if Metrolink goes bankrupt in the next week or so. 5) My question is,Aren't cab signals in effect in this territory? My heart goes out to all involved in this horiffic event. From the rescue workers to all the families who lost loved ones.
Well, I can buy the idea of an FP40 moving the switch and taking himself out onto the main. He wouldn't have felt it. Odd. This guy (the MetroLink engineer) was a "regular" and knew the turf. Chatsworth siding is not NYC Metro, New Jersey or Chicago... It's sitting there all by itself and in your face. Same can be said of the signal. I also agree that the MetroLink spokewoman jumped the gun in blaming the commuter engineer. He isn't around to defend himself. It was a horrific scene, one that caused that lady to shake and cry once she got there. But reserve your statements; let NTSB do their job. I was supposed to go there right after it happened but because I was in my own personal vehicle and not a company one, my manager directed me away from the scene. Just this morning, my manager called me at home and has directed me to go there tomorrow... Sad on top of sad.
Does anyone know the relative weight of an SD70ACe compared to an F59? And if there were a large difference in their masses, would that tend to make the lighter loco suffer more damage, similar to what happens when heavy and light automobiles have a head-on collision? Or does the weight of the rest of the train which is behind each locomotive also influence what happens?
Does anyone really know if this practice of reading and repeating the signals, over the radio between the lone engineer and the conductor, is actually followed on commuter railroads such as NJ Transit or Metrolink? I have ridden as a passenger on NJ Transit trains, and I have never noticed this taking place.
