BNSF lines Vancouver, BC - Seattle - Vancouver, Wa - Somewhere close to Spokane had about a 6 hr ? dispatch failure. Stampede route unknown. Sound transit had to cancel many morning trips due to restricted speed running. Amtrak trains as well. #27 & #28 are showing very slow progress as well.
Interesting. For an outage this big I would assume a software or satellite communications glitch? On a Cascades trip about 6 months ago the signal system went dark, and we were required to proceed at 25 MPH for about two miles. I can't imagine that on a scale this big!
Whenever any pre-existing job function gets computerized and the computerized functions become the accepted norm - there is no going back to the former 'manual procedures' to keep the operation moving. The personnel generally have no knowledge of what those prior manual procedures were nor do they have the knowledge to implement them 'on the fly' and still maintain a required level of safety.
In today's world -when computers fail - things stop until the computer is operational again.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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