Update on the Metrolink Crash

Keeping people off the platform to prevent cab rides is the height of absurdity. What we have here is one individual with incredibly poor judgment and a total lack of common sense. The results of his actions were tragic but the knee-jerk reaction to create more convoluted rules is not the answer.

It's a shame there's no programs through Metrolink, UP or BNSF for these young rail fans to become involved in. The railroads could sponsor trips to learn about operations, promote civic involvement, and generally give these people outlets to rail fan safely without. I agree that banning everyone is a knee jerk reaction, but with the sue them all mentality of American law, it's unlikely any of these groups would be interested in what could be a positive program, which is sad.

Erie-Lackawanna wrote:Out goes the baby with the bath water.

What you are advocating is like banning the use of cell phones because people can't drive and use their phone at the same time.

Not at all. Many transit systems already place signs on their platforms informing loiterers that if they don't have a ticket or are not in the process of purchasing one, they will be subject to a citation. These train stations places of business and not giant model train sets.

Spokker,

I don't think that because of two foolish people the rest of us should be punished, people have been hanging around train stations for years taking photos, even on AMT where such a rule is enforced, they are very lax in enforcing it, also by your logic loved ones waiting for their loved ones on the train could not wait on the platform as well. So I don't think such a rule is needed.

Spokker wrote:

Erie-Lackawanna wrote:Out goes the baby with the bath water.

What you are advocating is like banning the use of cell phones because people can't drive and use their phone at the same time.

Not at all.

But it is. And I wouldn't be a bit surprised that if you were at the wheel of a vehicle that was struck by an inattentive cell-phone-using driver, you'd be agitating for the complete end of cell phone service. You'd be laughed out of your legislators' offices, as you should be.

Just because making an entire class of behavior illegal, 99.99% of it ethical and not of danger to anyone, would solve the instant problem, doesn't mean that it's the right thing to do.

You chose not to address the meat of my response, which is that there are already rules and laws on the books to deal with the behavior that caused this crash. The inability of the engineer's employer to adequately enforce those rules is the problem that needs fixing. By your choosing not to address that, leads us to believe that you don't have an adequate response to it. And that's understandable, because your position is indefensible. Imagine, if Metrolink can't enforce existing rules and laws on a few dozen locomotive engineers, how the hell are they going to enforce your ridiculous overreaching rule on potentially thousands of rail fans, business associates, and family members who might be waiting on a platform for an arriving train??? Even if they wanted to, would you be willing to bear the cost of that enforcement in your train ticket? I think not.

And by the way, I don't argue with you because I think your idea has a snowball's chance in Hell of going anywhere, because it doesn't. I just can't believe you don't see that heaving a sledgehammer at a picture hook isn't the right way to hang a picture.

Jim

Spokker wrote:I've sent Metrolink a comment asking them to require that all persons waiting on platforms have a ticket in an effort to curtail the efforts of juvenile railfans, and actually enforce this. There are a lot of great railfans out there who have the utmost respect for the railroad, but I'm a commuter first and a train enthusiast second. My loyalty lies with all the people who wake up every morning to board those Metrolink trains and I'm sick and tired of this railfan nonsense. It's a business, not a toy train set.

I agree with you to a point. Railroads are dangerous but I have not seen one railfan that got in the way of a railroad employee doing their job. The only way to fix the problem is through education not slapping a bunch of new rules into affect and banning anybody from even looking at a train. Use and enforce the rules you already have. Just like the supervisors that got fired they got fired because they were not doing their job of enforcing the rules that were already at hand.
Putting in new rules does absolutely nothing. They are just more rules that simply follow what the other rules that already were/are in existence just with different lettering.
The true technique to make a rule or law successful is through enforcement. That means somebody doing their job. Its done with Cops, EMT's and Firemen. Can be done with railroad workers. Its just a matter of the people with the job title of supervisor to do surprise visits, investigations and to make sure the rules of work are being followed. With the youngsters, I truly havnt seen ANY sign of life when it comes to Operation Life Saver in this area.
We also have to remember that the youth don't always know right from wrong and it is up to us to educate them and to teach them right from wrong. The engineer made a mistake by going against the rules. The kids were allowed the open gate to explore the train and to communicate by the engineer. What he should of done is came at it diffrently. Work is work and when you dont have peoples hands in your lives talk trains. After all, if you shy away the youth of a career in the railroad industry who the hells going to want to do it?. Now for the engineer he made the mistake by making ties with the civilians. He lost his common sense.
Now the job of the supervisors when TOLD by the conductor of previous acts which took place prior and leading to this should of gotten out of their chairs and ran an investigation.
When they saw something or heard something prior to this, thats when you give a verbal or written warning, continue to investigate and if it continues, you terminate. Simple as that!

so has there been any new information released about the crash yet other than the text messaging?

Spokker wrote:I've sent Metrolink a comment asking them to require that all persons waiting on platforms have a ticket in an effort to curtail the efforts of juvenile railfans, and actually enforce this.

This is idiotic. It's not like a juvenile railfan can't afford a TICKET. It's a cheap hobby. You can't require people to *use* their ticket, so all you have to do is buy the cheapest ticket and show up several hours early.

How is that a bad thing? At least they'll be paying for the privilege of watching these stupid trains. These operators need all the help they can get.

If you don't pay attention to what you are doing, you will "Pay" in some other way for your lack of attention.
Also, one day I was driving in the correct direction on a one-way street and almost had a head-on collision with someone who was driving in the wrong direction on this one-way street because they were talking away a-mile-a-minute on their cell phone while they were driving.

have the transcripts of the text messaging been released yet?

Months ago, during NTSB hearings.