LA Train Wreck May Have been Avoidable
According to an LA Times article, experts say that last week’s Metrolink train wreck in L.A could have been prevented, had collision-avoidance devices been in use — a technology that the National Safety Transportation Board has been calling for in the U.S. for the past three decades.
“I’m not surprised that once again there has been a terrible, preventable train collision,” said Barry M. Sweedler, a former senior director of the NTSB, who retired after 31 years. “It’s extremely frustrating. They know what to do to solve these things.”
In a deeper analysis, Design News discusses on one of many major sticking points: The estimated $2B to install the technology on 100,000 miles of train track in the U.S.
2 Comments
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September 22, 2008
The problem is that like many political measures, the proponents push for a “100% total-coverage, all-or-nothing solution.” Why not install the technology on the tracks where the most shared usage occurs? Where there are curves that obstruct vision (like there were here – most of the track mileage out there is straight). Priorities, people!
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September 24, 2008
Initial reports are that the driver of one train may have passed a red signal and proceeded onto the single line track.
That sort of error was allowed for in olden days by the use of tokens for single track operation, no token then no entry to the single line section.
And to cater for driver error detailers or points ( USA switches ) to divert the rogue train into a sand drag or other place where the single train “accident” would be “safer” than a main line accident where a collision could be involved.
the old
