Railroad Adds Backup Engineer After Crash
by tbowen September 30, 2008
Metrolink will add a second engineer to some of its commuter trains in an effort to increase safety following a collision with a freight train that killed 25 people and injured 135 others, according to published reports. The change comes just weeks after the September 12 collision in Chatsworth in which an engineer failed to stop at a signal and collided head-on with a freight train, officials said. The measure is temporary, and Metrolink officials are working toward permanent safety improvements, the railroad said. Metrolink has been under pressure since the collision to improve its safety measures. Its board voted unanimously to appoint …. »
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Investigation into Train Crash Near Los Angeles Could Take One Year
by tbowen September 23, 2008
The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the September 12 train crash near Los Angeles could take a year to complete, officials said. Twenty-five people were killed and 135 others injured when a Metrolink passenger train collided with a freight train near Chatsworth, Calif. The NTSB’s final report will identify the likely cause of the crash and give recommendations that address other contributing factors. The agency says that, historically, 84% of its recommendations have been adopted by the railroad industry. Investigators will determine how each victim died and will also examine whether the crashworthiness of the passenger cars played a role in the deaths …. »
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Unemployment Rate Continues to Rise
by vruggles
We all hear about the struggling economy, the collapsing banks, and the potential government bailout of financial institutions. To many people, these topics, while important, are abstract and distant. However, one economic indicator hits much closer to home: unemployment. The Department of Labor reports that the unemployment rate rose from 5.7 to 6.1 percent in August, with the number of unemployed persons rising by 592,000 to 9.4 million. Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 2.2 million with most of the increase occurring between May and August. If you have lost your job and feel you have been …. »
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Wireless Device Use Banned for Train Engineers
by tbowen September 19, 2008
The California Public Utilities Commission has bypassed normal procedures and imposed an immediate ban on the use of all wireless devices by certain train employees. The vote came nearly one week after 25 people were killed and at least 130 others injured when a Metrolink passenger train collided with a freight train near Los Angeles. Rail crew members including engineers, conductors and brakemen would be prohibited from using wireless devices while on duty. There is an exception for emergencies, but the train must be stopped, and the rail crew member must receive permission from superiors. The state Public Utilities Commission …. »
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Train Engineer Text Messaging
by tbowen September 18, 2008
The engineer of a Metrolink train that collided with a freight train last Friday near Los Angeles was sending text messages while he was working, according to federal investigators. Twenty-five people were killed and at least 130 others were injured in the collision. Authorities have said the engineer, Robert Sanchez, failed to stop at a red signal. The investigation into the crash is ongoing. The California Public Utilities Commission was scheduled to vote Thursday on an emergency order that would ban the use of cell phones while operating trains. Metrolink already has a policy prohibiting employees from using cell phones while working. If …. »
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Los Angeles Train Crash Engineer Never Hit Brakes
by tbowen September 17, 2008
The engineer of a Metolink passenger train that collided with a freight train last Friday near Los Angeles never applied the train’s brakes before the impact, according to authorities. Tests conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the passenger train and the freight train were in each other’s view for four to five seconds before the crash. The passenger train’s engineer, Robert Sanchez, was working a 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. split shift. Sanchez slept during a 3 1/2 hour break and started working again at 2 p.m., officials said. The crash occurred a few hours later, killing …. »
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Los Angeles Train Crash Legislation
by tbowen September 16, 2008
U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein and California Sen. Barbara Boxer hope to push new legislation through Congress that would prevent crashes between freight trains and passenger trains. Congress recesses at the end of next week. The legislation comes on the heels of the Sept. 12 collision between a communter train and a freight train near Los Angeles. Twenty-five people were killed in what is being called the most deadly train crash in modern California history. The legislation would require railroad companies to install technology that would automatically apply a train’s brakes if the operator fails to stop at a signal or goes …. »
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Los Angeles Train Derailment Investigation
by tbowen September 15, 2008
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in investigating the cause of the Sept. 12, 2008 train derailment near Los Angeles. Nine federal rail safety experts will travel to the scene. They will be accompanied by the FRA’s second-ranking official, Deputy Administrator Cliff Eby, who will oversee the FRA’s operations. At least 135 people were injured when a Ventura County Line passenger train collided head-on with a freight train. Officials for the passenger train had said that the collision was caused by the engineer’s error. However, the NTSB has characterized those statements as premature. If you or someone you …. »
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