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[quote user="BaltACD"] [quote user="Bucyrus"]   I cannot see how this fact of 100% loss of forward visibility can be deemed irrelevant to safe operation, even if cab signals are clear. [/quote]The operating terrain of railroads....in PERFECT weather with 100% maximum visibility has countless locations where sight distance is far, far less than stopping distance of the train.  As I have previously noted....Trains do not operate on sight, their stopping distances at normal track speeds are far longer than sight distances in almost all circumstances. The act of placing the train braking system in emergency when a significant obstruction is observed is done with little real expectations that the train will be stopped before striking the obstruction if the train is move at track speed in areas where normal speeds are 40 MPH and higher. There are countless road crossings, bridges and other locations of potential obstruction, where the sight lines to those locations are 1/4 mile and less....with emergency braking distances being 1 mile and more...what real effect does putting the train in emergency have in avoiding the obstruction...NONE.  The obstruction will be hit.  If speeds are to be limited to sight distances to obstructions....track speed will become 20 MPH and less for the entirety of the rail system....Great for truckers, not great for railroads or their customers. [/quote] But there are 100,000 possible visible hazards where their sight distance is more that than the stopping distance of trains.  Even Wabash says that he speeds up if he sees a trestle on fire.  There are many hazard too close to stop in time, but if you hit them, the slower the better.
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