Yes, the Engineer did fall asleep, but that was only part of the problem. I would ask the NTSB why the word “alerter” was not in their report. PTC, “Positive Train Control”, is mentioned, but it requires GPS tracking and other equipment the railroad industry claims is expensive. A tiny percentage of American locomotives have PTC. There was an “alerter” in the GE locomotive at the north end of the train on the day of the derailment, but it was turned-off because the Engineer was in the south-end Remote Control cab. The “alerter” system was invented over 50 years ago and requires the Engineer to push a reset button when a buzzer goes off. If the Engineer fails to push the reset button, the train goes into emergency braking very quickly. The alerter system is cheap and reliable. It has prevented an untold number of accidents. So the question the FRA and NTSB should be asking is simple: WHY didn’t MTA-Metro-North have an alerter in the south-end Remote Control cab? In my opinion, it was totally irresponsible of them to not have it installed. An Engineer or any person in the cab of a locomotive can become disabled by falling asleep, having a heart attack, having a stroke or other medical condition. What if a bullet or rock comes through a cab window and disables or kills the Engineer? I have been investigating railroad accidents for 25 years and I keep seeing the FRA – NTSB mostly blaming the Engineer instead of pointing a finger at (1) who employed the Engineer (2) who was responsible for making sure the Engineer wasn’t ill and (3) who was responsible for providing a safety system, the alerter, to make sure passengers were protected from a disabled Engineer? Here is excellent coverage of the situation by the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/nyregion/as-metro-north-resumes-service-riders-get-back-to-routine.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
In my opinion, having only one person in the cab of a passenger train is utter stupidity and grossly negligent. It’s done for one reason and one reason only–to save money. Safety? Human life? Do the RR operators care? Railroad crews got it right and posted this little poem in locomotives and cabooses: UPHILL SLOW, DOWNHILL FAST, TONNAGE FIRST, SAFETY LAST. Has anything really changed since the 1800’s?
Yes, the Engineer did fall asleep, but that was only part of the problem. I would ask the NTSB why the word “alerter” was not in their report. PTC, “Positive Train Control”, is mentioned, but it requires GPS tracking and other equipment the railroad industry claims is expensive. A tiny percentage of American locomotives have PTC. There was an “alerter” in the GE locomotive at the north end of the train on the day of the derailment, but it was turned-off because the Engineer was in the south-end Remote Control cab. The “alerter” system was invented over 50 years ago and requires the Engineer to push a reset button when a buzzer goes off. If the Engineer fails to push the reset button, the train goes into emergency braking very quickly. The alerter system is cheap and reliable. It has prevented an untold number of accidents. So the question the FRA and NTSB should be asking is simple: WHY didn’t MTA-Metro-North have an alerter in the south-end Remote Control cab? In my opinion, it was totally irresponsible of them to not have it installed. An Engineer or any person in the cab of a locomotive can become disabled by falling asleep, having a heart attack, having a stroke or other medical condition. What if a bullet or rock comes through a cab window and disables or kills the Engineer? I have been investigating railroad accidents for 25 years and I keep seeing the FRA – NTSB mostly blaming the Engineer instead of pointing a finger at (1) who employed the Engineer (2) who was responsible for making sure the Engineer wasn’t ill and (3) who was responsible for providing a safety system, the alerter, to make sure passengers were protected from a disabled Engineer? Here is excellent coverage of the situation by the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/nyregion/as-metro-north-resumes-service-riders-get-back-to-routine.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
In my opinion, having only one person in the cab of a passenger train is utter stupidity and grossly negligent. It’s done for one reason and one reason only–to save money. Safety? Human life? Do the RR operators care? Railroad crews got it right and posted this little poem in locomotives and cabooses: UPHILL SLOW, DOWNHILL FAST, TONNAGE FIRST, SAFETY LAST. Has anything really changed since the 1800’s?