locomotive event recorders

>>>, the trucking industry has successfully fought off any legislation to equip tractor trailer trucks from the requirement of event recorders.<<< [quoted from the lead article]

While I can't say as to over the road trucks, in a conversation about a year ago with a police investigator certified in car accident analysis, he mentioned to me that for the past few years, the car computer (the device that controls the engine, emissions, etc.) is also an event recorder. In the investigation of an accident with a fatality or serious injury, the police are able to download the last several several seconds (or minute??) of data such as brake applied or off, engine rpm, ABS operating, speed (including rate of change), throttle (gas pedal) position, etc. Interesting comparison to the RR article.

Most locomotives have event recorders. They can tell when the bell and horn were on, speed, power and brake use, etc.

Not too take this off topic too much but there is only a limited amount of information that the manufacutures will provide to police from the computer. The software supplies by the manufacture will only download a few things. GM, Ford etc can get all the info, but they will not provide the software. The media made a big deal about it a couple of years ago, but the police really aren't getting much other than if the seat belt was engaged, approx speed with airbag and a couple of minor things.

Or maybe some police departments have independently acquired the software to get full access. I've spoken with detectives from the NJ State Police High Technology Unit on other matters and they have extesive capabilities with respect to computer data retrieval, much of it driven by identity theft and child pornography investigations. Besides, in a criminal investigation, say for manslaughter, a manufacturer could be subpoenaed to produce evidence which arguably would include full access to the data.