General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSo that Amtrak was going over 100mph in a 50mph zone.
That's what a Boston station is reporting. NTSB is supposed to have a press conference @ 5:15pm EDT
This is very ugly indeed.
How's that one man it the cab thing working out?
In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)upaloopa
(11,417 posts)Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)TheCowsCameHome
(40,163 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)...you'd sort of think self-driving trains would be the easy problem.
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)not so easy without those things.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)And either texting or alcohol was involved?
I can't remember, but it was a no-brainer in both that the engineer was speeding.
enlightenment
(8,830 posts)The driver was known for bragging about how fast he could go - he was also on the phone asking about the route or something, right before the train derailed. Killed 80 people.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)For some reason, I thought there was another near NYC in the recent past.
enlightenment
(8,830 posts)one I recall.
Why we do not improve our infrastructure is beyond my ken.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)And they need two people in control.
justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)At first they tried blaming the conductor. Said she was texting and not paying attention. Come to find out she had actually pushed the emergency mushroom brake. The brakes had failed.
Not only did she die trying to save her passengers, she had to suffer being smeared when she couldn't defend herself.
Vinca
(50,172 posts)Apparently Amtrak requested $2 billion in funding because that's what they need for maintenance of the equipment. The GOP squashed that today, so maybe that means a few more braking systems won't be checked.
Warpy
(110,913 posts)and Republicans are trying to cut Amtrak funding again this year.
They think only poor folks ride trains. Or their Lear jet riding masters think that.
Bottom line is that they just don't give a damn, not about us and not about this country.
B Calm
(28,762 posts)But of course the default apparently is to blame the driver. I will wait for the facts.
gopiscrap
(23,674 posts)if he lives they will charge him with manslaughter. One of the reasons I can imagine that this train was speeding is that there are a lot of high profile folks who take this run. I can just imagine them bitching and giving Amtrak a hard time when the train is late.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,163 posts)The days of trains speeding in wholesale amounts to make up time are long gone.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)and refusing to talk to investigators.
world wide wally
(21,719 posts)Anything to do with politics by any chance?
krawhitham
(4,634 posts)world wide wally
(21,719 posts)doc03
(35,151 posts)record on a train at around 370 MPH. We can't go over 50MPH!