Amtrak train derails killing 6 people; our aging infrastructure keeps killing Americans.

[OneFinger]

In the USA, passenger airplanes can't fly without 2 people in the cockpit (pilot and co-pilot). Why should trains be any different? Until Positive Train Control is fully implemented, I think passenger trains should be required to have 2 people at the helm at all times.

[rvwnsd]

In the USA, passenger airplanes can't fly without 2 people in the cockpit (pilot and co-pilot). Why should trains be any different? Until Positive Train Control is fully implemented, I think passenger trains should be required to have 2 people at the helm at all times.

 

I would argue that two people should be in the engine at all times whether or not PTC is implemented.

 

On a related note, the New York Times is reporting that NTSB investigators have found evidence that a large object hit the train prior to the derailment. A junior conductor heard the engineer's conversation with a SEPTA engineer regarding an object hitting the SEPTA train as well as the Amtrak train.

 

BTW: To all the infrastructure naysayers: Positive train control is part of the railroad infrastructure just as navigation and autopilot are part of aviation infrastructure.

[+ stevenkesslar]

Brilliant, SK.

 

Thanks, Mr. Clarke.

 

Just so it's clear, that whole thing was parody. I've been a preachy boy lately, and it was fun to let the evil bitch in me out. I got a private message from somebody asking why I think bigvalboy is an idiot. I don't. I think the consultant from Fox News who thinks being gay might cause train derailment is an idiot, and I agree with bigvalboy that it is entertaining, not to mention creative, seeing as how I thought we'd already exhausted the list of all the bad things that homosexuality could lead to.

 

Hugs to bigvalboy, and kudos to the South Park guys for being wicked funny, and Glenn Beck for being wicked stupid .... he is the comic gift that just keeps giving. If you haven't seen that whole South Park episode, Dances With Smurfs, it is just hilarious.

[bigvalboy]

Thanks, Mr. Clarke.

 

Just so it's clear, that whole thing was parody. I've been a preachy boy lately, and it was fun to let the evil bitch in me out. I got a private message from somebody asking why I think bigvalboy is an idiot. I don't. I think the consultant from Fox News who thinks being gay might cause train derailment is an idiot, and I agree with bigvalboy that it is entertaining, not to mention creative, seeing as how I thought we'd already exhausted the list of all the bad things that homosexuality could lead to.

 

Hugs to bigvalboy, and kudos to the South Park guys for being wicked funny, and Glenn Beck for being wicked stupid .... he is the comic gift that just keeps giving. If you haven't seen that whole South Park episode, Dances With Smurfs, it is just hilarious.

 

God bless you Mr. Kessler...I'll drink to that. Sweet dreams...

[Guest]

That the train engineer does not recall the events should not be surprising to anyone. You have just been in a train that flipped over and your memory is impaired. Rather than assuming cover-up, how about head trauma.

 

Someone's been watching too many movies. The engineer's story is not believable because, after being at the helm when disaster struck, he refused to talk for two days, then, only after talking with only his lawyer, did the story of "I can't remember anything" come up. If it were true that he suffered amnesia, he would have said so from the get-go. Selective amnesia after being in an accident happens most often in Hollywood flicks.

[+ WmClarke]

Thanks, Mr. Clarke.

 

After 'falling for it' when reading the first few sentences, when I finished reading the entire post all I could think was, "Mr. Swift has nothing on Mr. Kessler."