Major Train Derailment Metro Link In California

Fox/AP

[My Favorite Headache]

Metro Link train in flames...dozens of ambulances en-route to the scene...

[CindyDawg]

Awhile back my mom and I took a train from LA to SD after getting off Amtrak.. There was only two seats available and we had to ride backwards. It was weird at first but passengers told us we were in the safest seats. I was thinking hmmm...if it’s so safe why aren’t they sitting here:’).

[Hi Heels]

We just found out our neighbor was on the train, and didn’t make it. She leaves a husband, a son, and a daughter in her teens.

[wita]

Even full belts with across-the-shoulder/torso?

Full belts, no, but you will notice, even on aircraft they are lap belts only except for the crew, and of all means of transportation, belts on aircraft are probably only needed to keep passengers in their seats during turbulence, and unusual attitudes during flight. A belt isn’t going to help much during an actual crash, and I suspect some may have lost their lives trying to extricate themselves from a belt after surviving a crash.

[BurbankKarl]

On the left is the Metrolink locomotive on its side....the "nose" of the F59 is completely collapsed. The spray paint on the cab indicated fatality. I believe that is Engineer Rob under the sheet....as it is right next to the right side window, where the engineer sits.

The other locomotive is the Union Pacific one, and much newer as the freight railroads had to meet more stringent smog rules starting July 1. You can see the nose is intact.

Again, further out from the same area.....you can see how the Metrolink locomotive was pushed back into the 1st Metrolink car.

Here today, they have pulled apart the wreckage....LA Times publishing a wide shot...but you can see rescuers have placed up tarps to where more victims probably are....

[Churchillspirit]

Checked out some local blood drives - I believe they now have enough for this emergency, but need to replenish the supply.

Several drives were for "platelets only". Any medico in here explain that please? Is there a different procedure for donating?

[DoughtyOne]

Last night they had folks on complaining about the speeds of the trains. Evidently they go around 70 mph in that stretch, which flabbergasted me. There’s a 90 degree bend right there.

[DoughtyOne]

You may be right. The Metrolink individual they were interviewing stated that it’s last stop was Moorepark. I may have misunderstood her or she may have misstated it’s route.

I agree with your comments about that being quite a haul, and hope folks do donate blood.

Take care.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, I think I’d adopt your plan if I were in the same situation.

What surprises me most is that some computer preventative measures haven’t been implemented so that trains would electronically be stopped, when on the same track headed toward each other.

It would seem it wouldn’t be all that hard to prevent this sort of thing in this day and age.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the information Karl. I had heard about the strawberries, but not the rest of it. Thanks.

[DoughtyOne]

Burbank Karl was able to confirm that this was my friend.

I’ll have to contact him.

He was always a huge fan of trains. I met him when he was a pharmacy intern at Glendale Adventist some twenty-five years ago.

At one point Bob changed his mind and decided to work for the railroad rather than continue in pharmacy. He’s been happy as a lark ever since.

D1

[DoughtyOne]

Thank Yaelle, for the nice response. I appreciate it.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, that’s him. BurbankKarl came up with his last name.

Thank you.

D1

[DoughtyOne]

That’s right. I will say that the Metrolink track does come in from the East up until a short distance before the wreck, where it turns North. The dual track as near as I can tell is shortly after that turn to the north. So I guess it is possible they could be headed West where the warning light might have been.

The accident took place at 4:30 p.m. At that time, the sun wouldn’t have been a major factor IMO. Sunset is around 7:00 to 7:15 these days, I think.

[DoughtyOne]

Well they are the safest seats, but accidents happen so seldom that the view is the focus I suppose.

Hope you folks had a good time. I’ve traveled that route on occasion. We did it as a group of Freepers at one point.

[BurbankKarl]

Metrolink has just admitted guilt in the accident, blaming the “contract employee” engineer for running a red signal.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g-xsvlkTx_cLm6dJHngndxwYFgNAD9360SPG0

[mylife]

18 dead? or are they still counting?

[DoughtyOne]

I know it sounds like we wouldn’t do that, but something takes your attention away for a few moments and you miss the signal. Human error, it’s the one thing that’s very hard to filter out.

What a shame.

I appreciate the update.

[lainie]

Wow. just wow.

[BurbankKarl]

There are still people missing I think...there were 4 people on the Union Pacific freight train, 1 a student employee.

[MayflowerMadam]

Z-Guy - BTW, Good news: Our neighbor is fine. For some reason, he decided to drive to work yesterday.