Hoghead 1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OPRRMS Wrote:
> >
> > As stated in the NTSB's report, at the time it
> was
> > permitted by SCRRA (Metrolink), and was changed
> > following this collision. Not saying that I
> think
> > it was a good idea, but this was the only
> incident
> > to happen in all the years that it was in
> effect.
>
> Not disagreeing at all with what the rules were at
> the time, nor how they are or were interpreted by
> different engineers or managers. As an engineer
> of many years having run both short, fast
> passenger trains and long, heavy freight trains,
> what troubles me is that he did not apply the
> brakes until he was less than 2,600 feet from a
> red signal. He could see a train ahead still
> clearing, and yet was doing 76 MPH before he made
> his first set to try and get stopped. Exactly
> what was he trying to prove here? He acknowledged
> being on a yellow, which required a reduction in
> speed to 40 after passing the yellow. He was
> 7,000 feet past the yellow before he made any set
> at all. Any of us who have run short passenger
> trains have undoubtedly come in to many a station
> stop hotter than hot, trying to keep schedule or
> make up for delays caused by slow orders or
> whatever. This situation did not warrant that at
> all, and that is what troubles me. The fact that
> two qualified engineers in the cab let this
> situation get out of control is also rather
> discomforting. We all make mistakes out there, no
> doubt, but what these guys were thinking is beyond
> me.

Many of the decisions that people make leave me stumped. This is one of them.