First, today's LA times (via my local paper) reports that the Conductor saw that the signal was GREEN just before he closed the doors. Again, I point out 'Observe and Call Signals' that didn't ever happen because there apparently was no need to do so and the total lack of caution expressed by the crew indicates to me that NOTHING gave cause for concern. Clear block, here we ago A-HEAD, over! No one ever saw it coming until it was too late. A mighty good possibility of a false clear.

What bothers me more than the signal indication was Sanchez's apparent oversight of the mis-lined switch. Over the years, we develop a lot of job-saving habits. One of which is to NEVER trust the switch indicator (light, flag or what have you) and ALWAYS look at the points. practicing that has saved my butt lots of times. You're NEVER 'All lined up!' Until you can see the switch points, assume you're not lined up. Second, from personal experience, Sanchez should have been aware that he just ran through the switch. As you travel a territory daily, you develop a feel for all the little bumps and sways. I've never run through a main line switch, only a few yard switches. And you'll know it when you do. I would think that running through a main line switch won't give a large bang or shudder, but he should have felt it nonetheless.

In support of OPPRMS, he NEVER said he kept going, just that he saw two aspects, which means under GCOR that that signal is improperly displayed and will be regarded as a stop indication. Call dispatcher to report. And it is quite frequent to have a signal line up go from clear to flashing yellow to yellow then to clear as the DS lines you up.

Aldus Huxley's Brave New World might suit people like John Bruce, but I'm not interested in having some Thought Nazi scan my brain wavelengths every five minutes of my life. It is IMPOSSIBLE to screen out every little problem with your entire labor force. Hell, if you actually were able to do that...you wouldn't have ANYONE working at all! They'd all have to be fired, because we're all human with our little problems and thoughts.

I didn't know Sanchez so I'm not going to stick up for him or put him down. What does cause me grave concern is people like John Bruce and others who openly criticize other people they don't even know in a published, public forum based on some media report regarding their personal lives. How about it John and company? Are you the Ones to Judge? Do you think everything the LA Times reports is TRUE? You seem to know an awful lot about this industry, so let me ask you this: How many times have you opened the newspaper to read a story about something you're infinitely familiar with, only to find it wrought with numerous factual errors? Just about every time I hear or read about some story the media has about my job, it's usually riddled with half-assed research and stop-gapped with poorly hidden suppositions.