What I still don't get is -

If we can rely on professional bus drivers and truck drivers to not only steer their vehicles, but while doing so, not run into anything or run any reds (not to mention pilots and air traffic controllers); why the hell can't we just rely on a locomotive engineer to do the same. Aren't they all human beings, with the same fallibility. Why should we need any of this high-falutin' stuff only for railroads - just to make it so engineers do not need to be vigilant against mistakes - everyone else has to be.

On another note, doesn't this story about "teenage railfans" texting a locomotive engineer about their hobby interest seem kind of far fetched. I can easily believe a teenager quizing an engineer while face to face at trackside. And I can believe an engineer being kind enough to answer all the inane questions. But at other times when they are not face to face? That seems to make reason stare! For instance, how did they know his cell number? Were they groupies of some sort. Wow - a working class engineer has groupies - with personal access to him yet?! Does anyone out there know of other similar situations - I sure don't.

Then again, it may not make sense because the media failed to get all the facts, or they just got it all wrong as usual. Or they didn't report it all - it not being PC to do so; as they are notorious for that kind of nonsense in California. Who knows, but it smells to high heaven, as does the notion of firing the messenger, or her resigning under fire - or whatever. Obviously, something big has not as yet been aired out, and is beginning to stink to high heaven.


As attempted cover-up of something is obvious here; the NTSB is hopefully tough enough and independent enough to get the real facts - I for one, intend to order a copy of their report when it finally comes out.