 |
Re: Alertors, trivia, reality.
Author: THAT guy
Date: 05-04-2011 - 22:52
Some of you here have posted very surgical, scientific explanations about alertor requirements/paramaters, and that's fine but I felt compelled to add a small slice of my experience after Dr. Zarkoff wrote:
"An alertor would have prevented the head-end sideswipe of June, 2006, at the east end of Kismet (BNSF Valley Sub)."
I disagree, but only because I am quite familiar with that incident. The engineer of the train who slid through the OS was previously restricted to the yard at Richmond on account of several previous mishaps, one of which was running into the roadswitcher at North Bay, but also Main Track authority violations. The carrier later saw fit to place him back into all classes of service as they were short handed. Few people ever liked being his conductor or brakey for fear of being dragged down into some pile of @#$%& by his making. The carrier wouldn't fire him for some unkown race-related reason.
His claim that the block was clear then dropped remains unsubstantiated, and why the conductor did not act to stop the train in advance of a mishap is unkown, but the Fresno C&E on the westbound cement train remain unable to return to work due to their specific permanent disablities.
Some lessons I'VE learned:
1) Alertors are usless when incompetetance or negligence is in play.
2) The carriers will ALWAYS keep the wheels rolling; regardless of bloodshed or crumpled steel at the hands of incompetence.
3) Dispatchers should make a concerted effort to advise crews about meets or other pending moves. It keeps everyone on the same page. The constant crap of "Signal indication!" when people ask about what the plan is helps creat indifference and poor focus out in the field. Had the Stockton Sub DS told the east man they'd 'Hold the main for one west at Kismet', that little communication MIGHT have spurred just enough attention for the crew to make sure they stopped behind the signal.
"An alertor would have prevented the head-end sideswipe of June, 2006, at the east end of Kismet (BNSF Valley Sub)."
I disagree, but only because I am quite familiar with that incident. The engineer of the train who slid through the OS was previously restricted to the yard at Richmond on account of several previous mishaps, one of which was running into the roadswitcher at North Bay, but also Main Track authority violations. The carrier later saw fit to place him back into all classes of service as they were short handed. Few people ever liked being his conductor or brakey for fear of being dragged down into some pile of @#$%& by his making. The carrier wouldn't fire him for some unkown race-related reason.
His claim that the block was clear then dropped remains unsubstantiated, and why the conductor did not act to stop the train in advance of a mishap is unkown, but the Fresno C&E on the westbound cement train remain unable to return to work due to their specific permanent disablities.
Some lessons I'VE learned:
1) Alertors are usless when incompetetance or negligence is in play.
2) The carriers will ALWAYS keep the wheels rolling; regardless of bloodshed or crumpled steel at the hands of incompetence.
3) Dispatchers should make a concerted effort to advise crews about meets or other pending moves. It keeps everyone on the same page. The constant crap of "Signal indication!" when people ask about what the plan is helps creat indifference and poor focus out in the field. Had the Stockton Sub DS told the east man they'd 'Hold the main for one west at Kismet', that little communication MIGHT have spurred just enough attention for the crew to make sure they stopped behind the signal.
