The Low-Tech Times

Text Messaging

OCRegister.com reports that the engineer of a Los Angeles commuter train may have been text messaging in the moments leading up to a head-on collision with a Union Pacific freight train that killed at least 25 people:

Nick Williams, who lives near the crash site, said he exchanged three text messages with the engineer Friday afternoon, the last one at 4:22 p.m., about a minute before the trains collided.

While the investigation is still ongoing, The Low-Tech Times urges people not to send text messages when operating vehicles (trains, trucks, cars, aircraft, etc.).  It simply is not a safe behavior.

See also:  Banning Texting and Driving

Missed Signals and Safety Factors

Since heavy freight trains can require more than a mile to stop, railroads provide Approach signals to give advance warning for trains to stop at the next signal.  In the case of the LA Commuter train, the engineer should have encountered an Approach signal prior to the station stop at the Chatsworth Metrolink Station.  It is possible that during the course of making the station stop, the engineer may have forgotten the previously encountered Approach signal and the need to stop at the next signal.  Even so, since commuter trains are typically lighter and shorter than freight trains, the engineer might have been able to stop in time if he had spotted the Stop signal at the beginning of the single track section where the accident occurred.  A text messaging conversation might have been a distraction that prevented that action from being taken.

On freight trains, there are typically at least two people (the conductor and the engineer) in the locomotive cab. Provided they are not distracting each other, having two pairs of eyes looking ahead reduces the likelihood of missed signals.  However, on passenger trains the conductor is normally assisting passengers back in the train leaving only the engineer to spot trackside signals.

Ongoing Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board has not yet completed their research and analysis of the accident.  Readers should wait for their assessment before drawing final conclusions.

Here is an article with great clip capturing the audio of UP 844 preparing to leave Denver.

See also:
Steaming to the Democratic National Convention

Here in the eastern United States, I was very disappointed when Norfolk Southern discontinued their steam operations program in 1994. Fortunately, mainline steam fans in the West still have something to be grateful for. Union Pacific Railroad continues to own and operate two steam locomotives, U.P. 4-8-4 844 and U.P. Challenger 3985.

Number 844 recently led a 34 car passenger train to the Democratic National Convention. The train will be on display at the event. Talanalea posted a Youtube video of the train near Cheyenne, WY on its way to Denver.

See Also:Obama Continues the Tradition of Utilizing Trains In Presidential Politics