"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."

That's an interesting question, but you've already hit on one critical factor in avoiding accidents - steering. Railroad engineers don't have this factor available to them. Another critical factor is the ability to stop. Engineers don't have this factor available to them nearly as much as bus and truck drivers. It's certainly reasonable to conclude that one or both of these factors could have prevented this accident if available.

And then there's the matter of feasibility and cost-effectiveness of safety measures. A single human life is infinitely precious, of course. But unfortunately, implementation of safety measures tends to depend on how many human lives might be involved. As demonstrated in this tragic collision, a passenger train involves far more human lives than a truck or bus.

Just some thoughts.