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In CTC (centralized traffic control) as a rule the dispatcher controls the switches. In this case the position of the siding switch had nothing to do with the accident. The UP Local was lined for the siding, the commuter train, instead of stopping at the signal protecting that switch went by it and ran into the UP train. From what I have seen it looks like the commuter may have hit the side of the UP train as it was entering the siding. For the commuter this would have been what is known as a "trailing point movement" in that it there is no way it could have been lined for the the commute. A "facing point movement" is the one that determines the route of the train.

Hope this helps. I know it can get confusing and hard to explain but switch tampering would have had no effect in this accident.

“Hope this helps.”

Of course it helps. Thank you for contributing further details and experienced knowledge to the discussion.

It is why I find F.R. so great. No matter what the subject, at least one poster, if not many, has the actual experience and knowledge.

“In this case the position of the siding switch had nothing to do with the accident. “

It seems from post 90 that they might.

“The UP Local was lined for the siding, the commuter train, instead of stopping at the signal protecting that switch went by it and ran into the UP train.”

Finally someone gives a description of the overall layout that one can make sense of. Thanks again.

“From what I have seen it looks like the commuter may have hit the side of the UP train as it was entering the siding. “

All media descriptions said the trains hit ‘head on’.

So, true, or did they just jump the gun, and misinform the public (as usual)?

TPM and FPM, I get.

But, is there just one red light for the Commuter Train Engineer to see, or is there a long line of lights?

If they were GREEN, is that the engineer’s fault?

Could they have been green, due to equipment malfunction?

How long a time does it take the UP Local to clear the caboose onto the siding?