Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Engineer Apparently Sent Text Message Before Crash
cbs2.com Exclusive ^ | Sep 13, 2008 6:18 pm US/Pacific

Posted on 09/13/2008 6:49:23 PM PDT by BenLurkin

CHATSWORTH, Calif. (CBS) ― Metrolink officials Saturday put the blame squarely on the engineer of the train for the deadly crash that has claimed at least 25 lives. They say he ran a red light.

But a group of local teens, train enthusiasts, who know the engineer well doubt that he was to blame.

They called their friend professional and caring and said he helped them learn about trains and being an engineer. To a man, they said he would "never" have been reckless or unprofessional or run a red light.

But one minute before the deadliest crash in Metrolink history, one teen -- Nick Williams -- said he received a text message on his cell phone from the engineer, whom the teens identified as Robert Sanchez.

Williams' received text was brief, "Just two lines", reported KCAL 9 and CBS 2 reporter Kristine Lazar, exclusively.

The text apparently told Williams and his friends where Sanchez would be meeting another passenger train.

The teens posted a tribute to their friend on YouTube.

A Metrolink spokeswoman earlier stated that the train's engineer, who has not officially been named, ran a red signal.

Another one of the teens, Evan Morrison, told Lazar that Sanchez " was not the kind of guy who would run a red light."

None of them believe he was at fault.

Saturday, Sanchez's teen friends all went to the crash site. Mark Speer, choking back tears said, "this is absolutely devastating."

Denise Tyrell, a spokesperson for Metrolink commented on the report that Sanchez might have been texting immediately before the crash.

She said, "I can't believe someone could be texting while driving a train."


TOPICS: US: California
KEYWORDS: apparentlysent; beforecrash; chatsworth; engineer; metrolink; rail; texting; textmessage; traincrash; transportation
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-133 next last

1 posted on 09/13/2008 6:49:24 PM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
"The text message sent by the engineer to Nick Williams, one of a group of teen train enthusiasts." CBS
2 posted on 09/13/2008 6:50:14 PM PDT by BenLurkin (What did Obama's Koran instructors teach him about women?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

if true,

that’d be funny,

but it’s tragic

not funny.


3 posted on 09/13/2008 6:51:07 PM PDT by ken21 (people die and you never hear from them again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Does anyone know the exact time of collision?


4 posted on 09/13/2008 6:51:34 PM PDT by GOP Poet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Just how old was Sanchez?


5 posted on 09/13/2008 6:55:13 PM PDT by peggybac (Tolerance is the virtue of believing in nothing)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin; neverdem

true.

He (the engineer) only SENT a short two line text message.

BUT that message was a reply to some message previously: They were having an extended conversation. THESE MESSAGES (both inbound, read, and outbound were what was distracting the engineer as he approached the other train.


6 posted on 09/13/2008 6:55:46 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but Hillary's ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Texting while driving?

Did he miss seeing the signal because he was texting?


7 posted on 09/13/2008 6:56:08 PM PDT by null and void (When you bang your forehead on the ground five times a day, you get brain damage.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOP Poet; 21twelve; Big Giant Head; Mad_Tom_Rackham; Ladycalif; Yaelle; OCC; ...

Reportedly 4:23 pm.


8 posted on 09/13/2008 6:56:12 PM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Tragedy aside and it’s cause..... it seems that the dead-man switch would be backed by audible alarms for passing a red light would alert controllers, other trains and the engineer with his head up his butt for what ever reason.

Technology is there I am told..... I would hope !


9 posted on 09/13/2008 6:59:48 PM PDT by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
This is so familiar to any one who walks and uses pedestrian crosswalks.

And I bet the engineer, like all those cell phone junkies (some of them here), liked to say say "I know what I'm doing!" Famous last words.

10 posted on 09/13/2008 6:59:59 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Are you ready to pray for Teddy?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOP Poet
..anyone know the exact time of collision?
...Sept. 12 4:22.25?....
don't American train(s) also have "Black Box" Data recorders.
11 posted on 09/13/2008 7:00:00 PM PDT by skinkinthegrass (If you aren't "advancing" your arguments,your losing "the battle of Ideas"...libs,hates the facts 8^)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

“Trouble ahead....the Lady in Red.....”


12 posted on 09/13/2008 7:00:26 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo (Fight Crime. Shoot Back.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: peggybac; Ladycalif

Picture of him here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IZz0FkaiGg&feature=related

Credit LadyCalif for locating this link


13 posted on 09/13/2008 7:00:35 PM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

I didn’t know a train COULD pass a red without the brakes coming on.


14 posted on 09/13/2008 7:03:28 PM PDT by TalBlack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Nobody I know is “the type of person who would run a red light”.

And yet probably everyone I know has done so at one time or another, or more.


15 posted on 09/13/2008 7:04:51 PM PDT by Attention Surplus Disorder (Congrasites = Congressional parasites.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ButThreeLeftsDo

That’s what I thought when I read “two lines” Glad I read further.


16 posted on 09/13/2008 7:06:19 PM PDT by refermech
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Just imagine if while texting he missed seeing the red light.

Texting or talking on the phone while driving or operating a train is highly irresponsible.

Numerous studies have shown that talking on a cell phone while driving is incredibly dangerous.

The main reason why is that your brain is trying to form a visual picture of the person you are talking to at the time which distracts it from the task at hand.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/28/why-you-ll-crash-your-car-if-you-talk-on-your-cell-phone.aspx

How many times have you been driving while talking on the phone and arrived at your destination and could not recall how you got there.

If you don’t die in a crash, then, the brain cancer probably will kill you, it will just take a little longer:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/04/20/cell-phone-users-240-percent-more-prone-to-brain-tumors.aspx


17 posted on 09/13/2008 7:10:04 PM PDT by waus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin; lainie

Identified Fatalities (8)

» Alan Buckley, 59, Simi Valley, Fleet Mechanic City of Burbank

» Spree Desha, 35, Simi Valley, LAPD Officer

» Walt Fuller, 54, Simi Valley, Tower Manager/Air Traffic Controller , Burbank Airport

» Ernest Kish, 47, Thousand Oaks

» Paul Long, 54, Moorpark, English Teacher, Oaks Christian School

» Manuel Macias, Jr., 31, Santa Paula, Yoga Instructor

» Donna Remata, 49, Simi Valley, Los Angeles MTA employee

» Maria Villalobos, 18, None

Records last updated Sept. 13, 2008 at 6:50 p.m.


18 posted on 09/13/2008 7:12:02 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

People text message while driving automobiles, which amazes me. I guess up in an engine passengers can not see you, so you think you can get away with more. I wonder what else goes on in the engineer’s seat which noone knows about.


19 posted on 09/13/2008 7:13:03 PM PDT by KittyKares (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TalBlack

I’m calling BS on the concept that he ‘missed’ a red light while text messaging.

First off, it’s not like the red lights at your everyday intersection.

It’s a series of red lights alongside the track.

SECOND, and most important, it’s not like the engineer turns the steering wheel to go off on a siding, while waiting for the other car to pass.

There are ‘switches’ in the tracks that reroute the train onto the siding. The only way you can get back on the main track is that the switches on that end change. This usually only happens after the other train passes, elsewise it would come head on at your on the siding.

Someone had to monkey with the lights and track switches for this to happen.


20 posted on 09/13/2008 7:13:53 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (The Last Boy Scout)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-133 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson