CZ Nevada crash NTSB report is out

[blue streak 1]

animation

http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2012/miriam_nv/animation.html

summary report

 http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2012/miriam_nv/Abstract_Miriam_NV.pdf

well it is all about bad brakes + appears anti-skid system disabled

[Muralist0221]

Given this report, wonder how the lawsuit by the trucking company against Amtrak and Union Pacific will go?

[erikem]

I'd wonder if there will be enough assets and insurance coverage left for ATK and UP to recover the attorney's fees that they would rightfully want.

[narig01]

Bad brakes?  The report makes it very clear that the tow company backed off the brakes to tow the truck/trailers out. 

          Without that measurement you can not say bad brakes.  If the shoes were worn I think the board would have said something(the board commented on the drums not the shoes).  Also a non working ABS(Anti-lock Brake System) will not cause a brake to fail. It will make it more likely to skid.(ie the brakes will lock up when you apply the brakes)

        Also the board was very specific in the criticism of the on scene investigation in not being able to measure the stroke of the brakes. This is how much the brake cylinders push in brake operation. Without being able to measure the stroke on the brakes it is impossible to accurately determine if the brakes were in adjustment or not.

      If the brake is completely out of adjustment the brake will not engage. And you will not get a skid mark from the affected wheel.  The lack of a skid mark for the affected wheel is something that can be seen. Personally my experience (the 2 times I've found bad slack adjusters) is that when an automatic slack adjuster fails the only way that find the slack adjuster is bad is by making the adjustment manually.

Rgds IGN