But someone managed to shut down the fifth locomotive unit, he said. Thats the one that maintained brake pressure to keep the train in place.
If the operating locomotive is shut down, theres nothing left to keep the brakes charged up, and the brake pressure will drop finally to the point where they cant be held in place any longer, Burkhardt said.
There are two ways to shut down the fifth unit: Theres an emergency lever on the outside of the locomotive that anyone wandering by could access. Or, there are a number of levers and buttons inside the unlocked cabin.
Both means were used, said Burkhardt."
Sounds like someone should have set the manual brakes on some of the tanker cars. Or leave the train in some low spot where it's uphill in both directions.
It'd be better to just keep the train going 24/7.
“There are two ways to shut down the fifth unit: Theres an emergency lever on the outside of the locomotive that anyone wandering by could access. Or, there are a number of levers and buttons inside the unlocked cabin.”
This is crazy to have something like that with no security. How about if the diesel just stalls?
This company had better get out their checkbook.
Which makes this sabotage / terrorism.
At best someone screwed up, at worst, mass murder.
Enviroterrorists?