Trains.com

Derailing Train by Dumping Air at Grade Crossings

7645 views
133 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Southeast Michigan
  • 2,983 posts
Posted by Norm48327 on Sunday, November 6, 2016 10:28 AM

Electroliner 1935
Euclid, I think you are trying to say that the engineer faced with hitting an occupied vehicle will apply an emergency brake application every time (BLACK) and not consider the effect it might have on the train he is operating. But I think you are agreeing that there are circumstances (unoccupied, ???) where an engineer might make an exception. If so, do we have to keep what seems to be unnecessary hair splitting that goes back and forth. I think this has been beaten to death.

As schlimm said, it's what hes does [best]. If your were reading the forum when the Lac Megantic wreck occured you are famaliar with his infamous "yes, but". Twists and turns to get people to agree with him were far too common. He attempts to rationaize his answers with more "yes, but" that only alienates other posters.

His horse died a horrible death several years ago but he's still beating it. The carcass is beginning to stink.

Norm


  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 8,221 posts
Posted by Euclid on Sunday, November 6, 2016 10:40 AM

Coffee Pizza Cake

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 8,221 posts
Posted by Euclid on Sunday, November 6, 2016 10:43 AM

zugmann

As an engineer, there may come a time where you have to explain your actions to:

  1. The FRA
  2. A state PUC or other regulators
  3. management
  4. a lawyer or judge (god forbid)
  5. maybe even a congressional committee?

 

But an anonymous poster on a generic train site is NOT on that list. And I would caution others, as motives from the OP are not clear.  It seems to go beyond simple curiosity.  Fair warning - do with it as you wish.

The question here is whether it is proper to withhold an emergency application for a likely grade crossing collision because the application might derail the train and cause a larger catastrophe.

I think the idea is a bogus proposition and never actually carried out. I also think it is absurd to presume that such a complex decision could be made with any certainty.  If the collision did kill or injure someone on the crossing, there will be no convincing explanation for withholding the brake application. Any engineer would know that. 

But of course, everybody else here insists that I am dead wrong.  They all agree that this practice is acceptable, legitimate, proper, and normal—just part of an engineer’s job. 

Well if it is a legitimate part of the engineer’s job, why worry about admitting it on the forum?   Why act like it’s something to hide? 

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, November 6, 2016 10:49 AM

Bogus is the critical word in this entire thread.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Sunday, November 6, 2016 11:01 AM

Euclid

 

The question here is whether it is proper to withhold an emergency application for a likely grade crossing collision because the application might derail the train and cause a larger catastrophe.

 

Very well.  There's your question in black and white.  What's your answer? Yes or no?

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 8,221 posts
Posted by Euclid on Sunday, November 6, 2016 11:19 AM

My answer is no.

  • Member since
    April 2001
  • From: Roanoke, VA
  • 2,019 posts
Posted by BigJim on Sunday, November 6, 2016 11:52 AM

Euclid
I think the idea is a bogus proposition and never actually carried out. I also think it is absurd to presume that such a complex decision could be made with any certainty.  If the collision did kill or injure someone on the crossing, there will be no convincing explanation for withholding the brake application. Any engineer would know that. 


As a former locomotive engineer, I sir take exception to your idiotic statement and take offense that you think that the human brain cannot make such a decision quicker than the blink of an eye! I've been there and done that! So, just shut the heck up!!!

.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 9,610 posts
Posted by schlimm on Sunday, November 6, 2016 12:10 PM

+2!!

 

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 8,221 posts
Posted by Euclid on Sunday, November 6, 2016 12:13 PM

BigJim
Euclid
I think the idea is a bogus proposition and never actually carried out. I also think it is absurd to presume that such a complex decision could be made with any certainty.  If the collision did kill or injure someone on the crossing, there will be no convincing explanation for withholding the brake application. Any engineer would know that. 

What I said has nothing to do with how quickly the decision is made. I said make the decision "with any certainty," referring to the certainty of the results of either dumping the air or not.     

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Southeast Michigan
  • 2,983 posts
Posted by Norm48327 on Sunday, November 6, 2016 12:22 PM

Euclid
BigJim
 
Euclid


As a former locomotive engineer, I sir take exception to your idiotic statement and take offense that you think that the human brain cannot make such a decision quicker than the blink of an eye! I've been there and done that! So, just shut the heck up!!!

 

What I said has nothing to do with how quickly the decision is made. I said make the decision "with any certainty," referring to the certainty of the results of either dumping the air or not.     

 

For crying out loud Ron, GIVE IT UP! Stop acting like a ten year old who will not take no for an answer. You've been told the realities by those who actually run the trains and you continue to challenge them with inane nonsense.

When you were posting as Bucyrus you went running to one of the moderators to have posts that disagreed with you deleted. I have that information from two former volunteer moderators. You can't deny facts but you are persistent in attempting to do so. It make people question your mental state. Get off the computer for a day or two and go outside and check out the real world. You're living in your own fantasyland.

Norm


  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Sunday, November 6, 2016 2:00 PM

My solution: that everyone else stop posting on this thread, and let Euclid/Bucyrus/Bucky/etc. answer his own posts.

Johnny

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • 9,265 posts
Posted by edblysard on Sunday, November 6, 2016 4:29 PM

Deggesty

My solution: that everyone else stop posting on this thread, and let Euclid/Bucyrus/Bucky/etc. answer his own posts.

 

Ta-Da!

23 17 46 11

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, November 6, 2016 8:44 PM

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 8,221 posts
Posted by Euclid on Monday, November 7, 2016 11:26 AM

Norm48327
When you were posting as Bucyrus you went running to one of the moderators to have posts that disagreed with you deleted. I have that information from two former volunteer moderators.

Norm,

Since you brought this up here, I must respond to set the record straight.  You say that, in that earlier thread, I had the moderators remove all the posts that disagreed with me.

What moderator is going to agree to remove posts that disagree with one person in a thread just because that person wants them removed?  That claim has no credibility to anyone with common sense.   

Whoever told you that is either misinformed or lying.  Just on the face of it, the lack of credibility should be obvious.  Besides that, I don’t want posts that disagree with me to be removed.  I believe in the substance of the debate, and I want it to stand as complete documentation.  If you remove half of it, the other half makes no sense. 

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy