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MarkD wrote:Pardon me while I throw the bullshit flag.
A nj public sector union members involved in a Disaster? I'm surprised he even admitted to being there.
Well, yeah, who could've predicted that.
They said the train crew tested negative for alcohol/drugs, which just means to me that the union got the designated pissers and bleeders there in time.
I've been on trains where I KNOW the conductor was drunk or stoned. I've had conductors slurring their speech so badly you could hardly understand them (and I have considerable experience around drunks). I've walked past the rear vestibule of the train (where the rear brakeman hangs out) and smelt pot.
There's a reason I usually ride in the rear car, and don't usually stand up until the train is stopped or nearly so.
Just an update: The NTSB released the information found on the data recorder from the crashed train. 38 seconds before impact, the train was travelling 8 mph and the engine was at idle (the limit is 10 mph). At that point the throttle was advanced to 4, and the train sped up. One second before impact the engineer hit the emergency brake, and the train was travelling 21 mph when it hit.
Inquiring minds want to know why and how the throttle was pushed from idle to speed setting 4. The engineer says he doesn't recall anything.
Oh, NJ Transit responded by reducing the speed in the terminal yard to 5 mph for safety, because a train that would accelerate to 21 mph in a 10 mph zone wouldn't POSSIBLY exceed a 5 mph limit. The practical result is I miss my usual Path train because we arrive at the station later, and I have to take the next train.
On another note, last night's commute home was an epic clusterfuck. I got a text alert that the train before mine had broken down, and the train crew sayd that we were going to couple up to it and push it. When we arrive they announce that they got the train running, so we'll be following them. When we get to the stop before mine, they announce that the train died again, that they were putting it in the siding, and that all passengers from the disabled train would be getting on our train. At this point we're a half hour late. So we arrive at my station, and two trains worth of people get off, parking lot chaos ensues. But wait, there's more! While I'm trying to negotiate the asshole who just CAN'T park in a spot while waiting to pick someone up, but MUST block the exit, the NEXT train arrives, disgorges more people, who are now also trying to get to their cars, rides, etc.
Only a government agency can screw up something that works as well as a railroad.
