The more we learn about Amtrak derailment the stranger it gets

The Hill ^ | 31 December 2017 | Russell G. Quimby

[oh8eleven]

The National Transportation Safety Board investigating the accident, which killed three people and injured more than 50 others, is still trying to determine the probable cause and prevent such accidents in the future.

It appears that there were two people in the lead locomotive control cab of the train who were both injured and hospitalized: an instructor engineer, and another engineer who was learning the territory and qualifying to operate the train along the route.

[oh8eleven]

Two engineers and they still couldn't get it safely around the curve. FAIL.
Amtrak, like NASA and so many other gubmint boondoggles, should be abolished.

[proust]

Speed kills. How is this strange?

[ClearCase_guy]

an instructor engineer, and another engineer who was learning the territory and qualifying to operate the train along the route.

Trainee: "So, this is a 30 mph zone?"
Instructor: "That's right."
Trainee: "Would it be alright if I opened up to, like, 80 mph?"
Instructor: "I don't see why not. Go for it, dude!"

[Jonty30]

Check their cell phones.

[BigEdLB]

Involuntary manslaughter foor all involved

[Brilliant]

They don’t even use GPS? They are insane.

[headstamp 2]

We’ll know as much about this as the Las Vegas shooting.

[rktman]

Auto systems apparently weren’t yet activated. NOT good.

[ThunderSleeps]

The fact that they were conducting training on the inaugural run is suspect. Maybe you want to do the first run with the A team at the controls?

Also, previous training runs had been conducted at night - first run in the daytime is with passengers?

Finally, previous training had been done with 6 or more trainees in the cab. You know they weren't all paying attention to the job at hand so they probably got limited value from those training runs.

Cut corners and people die.

[Vinnie]

Brand new route. First run on the route.
They didn’t know the speed zone there.
Betcha

[Brilliant]

You would think an iPhone map app would be enough. The article
states that the engineers were confused about where they were because the route looked different during the day than it does at night when they had their training.

[UCANSEE2]

“It appears that there were two people in the lead locomotive control cab of the train who were both injured and hospitalized”

So... that means they are still alive and have been interviewed. The only reason that the info has not gone public is that it is BAD for Amtrak.

[UCANSEE2]

Auto systems apparently weren’t yet activated.

Isn't that why they have 'engineers' in the cab ?

[BobL]

“Check their cell phones.”

ABSOLUTELY...it’s pretty much a given that they were texting at the time.

It blows my mind that they even allow these clowns to carry cell phones in these types of jobs where you can kill people by not paying attention for more than 5 seconds.

[vette6387]

“They don’t even use GPS? They are insane.”

Given what happened, I’d settle for little round trackside signs with posted speeds! Unlike cars, trains “don’t drift corners very well at all!” And I’ve never seen a train “spin out!”

[UCANSEE2]

First run on the route. They didn’t know the speed zone there. Betcha

You would lose. See the post just above yours.

[11x62]

My GPS beeps when I get near a school zone.

[UCANSEE2]

The article states that the engineers were confused about where they were because the route looked different during the day than it does at night when they had their training.

OK, but wouldn't the 30 MPH SPEED LIMIT SIGNS be easier to see during the day ?

[UCANSEE2]

Given what happened, I’d settle for little round trackside signs with posted speeds!

BUT... there were little round trackside signs with a posted speed limit of 30MPH.

I can't believe you didn't already know this.

[UCANSEE2]

it’s pretty much a given that they were texting at the time.

That has already been checked, and they were not using their cellphones at the time.