“Comparing a train engineer to an airline pilot is ridiculous.”
Admittedly, I only skimmed the article due to liberal-nausea syndrome or LNS. But I think the comparison was promoting a stewardess to air line pilot. Meaning this guy was promoted not on merit but because he was the right diversity flavor.
He had been in the job for 4 years and a conductor 4 years before that so this looks to be a case more of reckless, irresponsible and completely inexcusable than outright clueless.
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2221535!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_1200/article-amtrak-0513.jpg
(.....needs re sizing for posting)