Union member goes on high speed spree kills people at work

[Arbitr8]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in...eadly-wreck-was-going-over-100-mph/ar-BBjHvLi

The engineer at the controls applied the emergency brakes moments before the deadly crash but managed to slow the train to only 102 mph when the locomotive's black box stopped recording data, said Robert Sumwalt of the National Transportation Safety Board. The speed limit just ahead of the bend is 80 mph, he said.

The engineer, who name was not released, refused to give a statement to law enforcement Wednesday and left a police precinct with a lawyer. Sumwalt said federal accident investigators hope to interview him but will give him a day or two to recover from the "traumatic event."

Let's see the Brotherhood of Railway Engineers spins this.

My guess is either reefer or a cell phone is part of the cause once this is investigation is over.

 

[HallofFame]

Ban all bends they kill people.

 

[MitchL]

What the hell was the guy that likely was 2nd in control doing at the time? This lead engineer is a special kind of stupid.

 

[Lone Clone]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in...eadly-wreck-was-going-over-100-mph/ar-BBjHvLi

The engineer at the controls applied the emergency brakes moments before the deadly crash but managed to slow the train to only 102 mph when the locomotive's black box stopped recording data, said Robert Sumwalt of the National Transportation Safety Board. The speed limit just ahead of the bend is 80 mph, he said.

The engineer, who name was not released, refused to give a statement to law enforcement Wednesday and left a police precinct with a lawyer. Sumwalt said federal accident investigators hope to interview him but will give him a day or two to recover from the "traumatic event."

Let's see the Brotherhood of Railway Engineers spins this.

My guess is either reefer or a cell phone is part of the cause once this is investigation is over.

I'm pretty sure I heard the NTSB guy say the speed on the curve is limited to 50 mph. The engineer hit the brakes full emergency when it was going 106, three seconds before it derailed.

It's going to be really interesting to see what happened. How the hell did the trail get from stopped in a station to 106 mph in 11 minutes?

 

[BubsFinn]

His union will likely prevent him from being fired, even while he serves his prison sentence.

 

[TunzaHawk]

I am pretty certain their was a mandatory drug test following the wreck. I have represented many engineers and conductors over the years and they have mentioned the drug testing following any accident. Including the idiots that park their car on the tracks to off themselves.

 

[Arbitr8]

His union will likely prevent him from being fired, even while he serves his prison sentence.

Many contracts prohibit an employer from terminating an employee for incarceration.

 

[Lone Clone]

His union will likely prevent him from being fired, even while he serves his prison sentence.

I don't think so. I had an experience a few years ago when an Amtrak train failed to observe a speed directive in a specific area south of Chicago. As soon as the computers at headquarters sensed the violation, a "stop immediately" order went to the train, and it sat there for several ours in the middle of Illinois waiting for a new crew to replace the guys who screwed up. No official announcement was made about the reason for the delay and the staff -- porters, food service people, etc. -- wouldn't talk about it. I finally got the word from the barman, and when he told me what had happened, I asked what the result would be. He said the conductor absolutely would lose his job and the engineer might, depending upon what his service record looked like, but would definitely be suspended. And this was an incident where nobody was hurt and no damage was done.

 

[Arbitr8]

I don't think so. I had an experience a few years ago when an Amtrak train failed to observe a speed directive in a specific area south of Chicago. As soon as the computers at headquarters sensed the violation, a "stop immediately" order went to the train, and it sat there for several ours in the middle of Illinois waiting for a new crew to replace the guys who screwed up. No official announcement was made about the reason for the delay and the staff -- porters, food service people, etc. -- wouldn't talk about it. I finally got the word from the barman, and when he told me what had happened, I asked what the result would be. He said the conductor absolutely would lose his job and the engineer might, depending upon what his service record looked like, but would definitely be suspended. And this was an incident where nobody was hurt and no damage was done.

If the barman told you that well it must be 1000% accurate.

 

[Lone Clone]

If the barman told you that well it must be 1000% accurate.

Yeah, I think it probably was.

 

[lucas80]

Amtrak has a fine safety record.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Is this subject line supposed to be one of them Wheel of Fortune Before and After puzzles?

 

[BioHawk]

I'm betting he was drunk or texting. He obviously did something wrong though since he probably has been told by his lawyer to not say anything.

 

[BioHawk]

If the barman told you that well it must be 1000% accurate.

I actually saw something about this on the news. However, the train that crashed didn't have that system installed on it. Something about not enough money to equip all the trains.

 

[mstp1992]

I actually saw something about this on the news. However, the train that crashed didn't have that system installed on it. Something about not enough money to equip all the trains.

That section didn't have the brake system in place like other rail lines.

 

[mstp1992]

I'm betting he was drunk or texting. He obviously did something wrong though since he probably has been told by his lawyer to not say anything.

He may indeed have been in the wrong and the cause of the accident, but he already submitted to drug and alcohol testing, and surrendered his cell phone. Any good attorney is going to tell a client in such a case to not say anything. Additionally, he suffered some injuries as well including a blow to the head, so it's possible a statement right now from him may be of questionable validity anyway (he claims he remembers nothing leading up to the crash). Let the investigation go forward and see what happens.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/deadly-train-wreck-in-philadelphia-leaves-disastrous-mess-1431499608

 

[Lone Clone]

I actually saw something about this on the news. However, the train that crashed didn't have that system installed on it. Something about not enough money to equip all the trains.

I absolutely guarantee you that:
(1) Somebody simply decided to spend the money on something else;
(2) That "somebody" will claim there wasn't enough money to do it.

 

[theiacowtipper]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in...eadly-wreck-was-going-over-100-mph/ar-BBjHvLi

The engineer at the controls applied the emergency brakes moments before the deadly crash but managed to slow the train to only 102 mph when the locomotive's black box stopped recording data, said Robert Sumwalt of the National Transportation Safety Board. The speed limit just ahead of the bend is 80 mph, he said.

The engineer, who name was not released, refused to give a statement to law enforcement Wednesday and left a police precinct with a lawyer. Sumwalt said federal accident investigators hope to interview him but will give him a day or two to recover from the "traumatic event."

Let's see the Brotherhood of Railway Engineers spins this.

My guess is either reefer or a cell phone is part of the cause once this is investigation is over.

Probably six months ago my friend's dad went through a slow order on a set of tracks. I believe it was 60 in a 35. No injures but he lost his job after a 30 day suspension. The union didn't fight the termination.

 

[BioHawk]

I absolutely guarantee you that:
(1) Somebody simply decided to spend the money on something else;
(2) That "somebody" will claim there wasn't enough money to do it.

I won't disagree with you on this.

 

[coffhawk]

The fundamental problem: The government should not be funding Amtak in the first place. Those NE corridor routes are heavily used, and could be operated by private companies. The problem is that there is not enough traffic in other areas to support the service. So, the fares from the NE get diverted to subsidize the money losing portions of the system, taking money that could be used to improve service and safety in the NE.

 

[Lone Clone]

Probably six months ago my friend's dad went through a slow order on a set of tracks. I believe it was 60 in a 35. No injures but he lost his job after a 30 day suspension. The union didn't fight the termination.

Was he the conductor or the engineer?

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

His union will likely prevent him from being fired, even while he serves his prison sentence.

If this is the case, then management who agreed to the union contract should be fired.

 

[IMCC965]

He can't remember ANYTHING. That's what a good union employee says.

 

[mstp1992]

He can't remember ANYTHING. That's what a good union employee says.

And, just to play Devil's advocate, it's not inconsistent with mild retrograde amnesia secondary to a head injury.
Note, I'm not making any judgment one way or another.

 

[coffhawk]

And, just to play Devil's advocate, it's not inconsistent with mild retrograde amnesia secondary to a head injury, and secondary to possible criminal and civil liability.
Note, I'm not making any judgment one way or another.

There, fixed it for you.