According to previous F.R.A. reports, False clears usually happen at a rate of about 7 incidents in 5 years. Most did not result in accidents - though they certainly could have. Also, in the five year period I last studied, every single false clear incident was the result of human interference with the controls. Human interference is usually made necessary by certain track maintenance activities or by system certification testing, neither of which had been going on in the area for some time. Moreover, if either had been going on, there would have been a work area set up requiring all trains to get clearance from a flagman before entering the work area. That too was not the case here.

The main reason that the possibility of a false clear is now being discounted, is that it has already been PROVEN NOT SO, by the proverbial black box method. Yes, the positions of every CP signal and controlling relays are continuously and directly recorded, often by more than one recording device in more than one location.

A more frequent problem than false clears, is the "phantom aspect" caused by reflections on colored lenses, usually by sunlight. These almost always appear as an imperfectly displayed signal, thus requiring a stop anyway. This was the beauty of the single lens "searchlight" signal - there were no color lenses that sunlight could reach to be reflected. But due to various reflection killing methods built into color light signals, it is still highly unlikely; though a mis-aimed or dim signal head is more prone. Signal aiming and bulb brightness are therefore among the first things the NTSB looks for. This too has already been shown to be very unlikely in this case. Phantom aspects could not be reproduced here at all, as they usually can be if it happens at all at a given site.

We are stuck with the fact that this particular engineer, either negligently or deliberately, ran the red after a station stop, after passing a solid yellow, after passing a flashing yellow. And all this occurred in a routine every day operating situation where he usually had a meet with the the same opposing train that he eventually hit at Chatsworth siding or nearby. He should therefore have been expecting an opposing train anyway. THERE IS NO DAMN EXCUSE !

What bothers me the most about this report on the NTSB hearing is that only one train control supplier has been invited to testify - and that particular vendor has already given our Senators "not exactly the whole truth". And that no other suppliers (there are several) are invited to testify; not even the supplier of the signal system at Chatsworth; nor the suppliers of Metro-Links proposed ATC upgrades. Maybe Metro-Link will bring that out themselves, instead. I wish them luck - they seem to be going against an entrenched lobby.

It does sound like a certain railroad supplier (with an actually inferior product) is trying to use the power of government to "railroad" itself into an exclusive an forced contract with the whole industry. I guess the new regime promised change. And we are going to get change - whether we want it or not - even if it means going backwards towards less safety.

All in the name of more safety.

Politicians! -- don't ya just love 'em!

OPB