Train Engineer Sent Text Message Seconds Before Crash
by tbowen October 1, 2008
The engineer of a commuter train that collided with a freight train near Los Angeles last month sent a text message 22 seconds before the crash, according to federal investigators. Twenty-five people were killed and 135 others were injured in the September 12 crash in Chatsworth. Metrolink engineer Robert Sanchez sent the message after receiving a message one minute and 20 seconds before the crash, according to federal investigators who reviewed his cell phone records. Those records showed that Sanchez sent 24 messages and received 21 messages over a two-hour period during his morning shift. He sent five messages and received seven messages during his …. »
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Best Child Booster Seats
by tbowen
More than a dozen car booster seats may not do a good enough job protecting children in crashes, according to one safety organization. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety identified 13 booster seats Wednesday that do not position children well enough to fit into adult seat belts. The booster seats receiving low marks from the Institute are: the Compass B505, Compass B510, Cosco/Dorel Traveler, Evenflo Big Kid Confidence, Safety Angel Ride Ryte, Cosco/Dorel Alpha Omega, Cosco/Dorel (Eddie Bauer) Summit, Cosco Highback Booster, Dorel/Safety 1st (Eddie Bauer) Prospect, Evenflo Chase Comfort Touch, Evenflo Generations, Graco CarGo Zephyr and Safety 1st/Dorel Intera. At least two of …. »
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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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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 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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Train Crash Technology
by tbowen
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been trying since 1990 to persuade the Federal Railroad Administration to implement technology that compensates for the human errors that cause train collisions and derailments. Over the past 30 years, the NTSB has investigated numerous train accidents involving crewmembers who were distracted, tired, on medication or otherwise unable to properly operate the locomotives. The Positive Train Control System (PTC) would compensate for these human errors and help avoid train collisions like the one that happened Sept. 12, 2008 near Los Angeles, Ca. The NTSB redoubled its efforts to have the PTC system implemented …. »
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