"...it would help if train engineers knew their routes..."
you are correct, but how many times in the last couple of years has this sort of stuff happened. Derailment in Philadelphia coupe of years ago due to the same problem as the Cascade train, people died. USS Fitzgerald hit by a plodding containership at night because of the OOD’s inattention or inaction, people died. USS McCain hit by a plodding tanker due to bridge watch personnel not knowing their jobs, and inattention, people died. Common thread, people regardless of the technology available, make mistakes. These mistakes more often than not, cost peoples lives. As far as how we drive cars, look at the number of people killed on our highways every year, how many deaths due to in attention or distraction. If there is a way that a human operator can screw up a system, they probably will.