George Andrews Wrote:
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> Several problems are readily apparent here :
> 1) The NTSB report states that "...both
> locomotives were equipped with dynamic brakes, but
> they were inoperable...", yet the crash photo
> clearly shows the rear unit ( F - 40 ) has no
> dynamic brake fan or vents on the carbody.

Good questions.

The dynamic braking feature was removed when rebuilt for Harsco service.

> 2) The report also states that "... the engineer
> and conductor - pilot had never traveled the
> territory before ..." . Why would Ewe - Pee assign
> an unqualified conductor to ANY such pilot service
> ???

The Harsco supervisor had specifically requested an engineer as a pilot, which in theory would've been the first-out Mountain Pool engineer. However, UP supplied a trainman off the Extra Board, citing no Pool engineers being available at the calling time. The trainman was a Sparks man, relatively young in seniority, and being a Sparks man had never worked between Sparks and Roseville before. He brought this fact to the attention of the local management, but was instructed to go anyway.

> 3) Why wasn't this equipment subject to FRA
> regulations & inspections before ???

It's pretty well discussed in the report, but the short answer is that the entire outfit is considered a "machine" and not a locomotive or cars. Additionally, the Harsco employee were not subject to federal regulation because Harsco is a contractor.

Prior to this deadhead move, the grinder has been working out in the Nevada desert. At least one other pilot had noticed that the Harsco operator had trouble stopping the outfit, but since the NTSB didn't hold hearings or accept public comment, it's not part of the record. Same reason the back story about the pilot isn't there.

As an aside, the testing of the surviving equipment that the NTSB refers to in the report was done in the City Yard at Roseville, after it had been brought down off the mountain.

And just for clarification, the photo in the report shows the outfit from the rear forward.