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Amtrak Accident - Non-Working Crossing Signals

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 <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> I understand that fail-safe is only a term of art for control devices, but nothing is truly guaranteed not to fail.  The issue with this crash is that the signal workers used the Amtrak train as the final test to see if the signals worked or not.   <o:p></o:p> However, this was not a proper test because if it happened to show that the signals were not working, the test itself would pose the very real-world hazard that the signals were intended to prevent.  I cannot imagine the thought process in the minds of the individual(s) who decided to test the signals with an actual train running at top speed. <o:p></o:p> The use of the term, “fail-safe” in the discussion of this crash refers to the need for a “fail-safe” backup in case the final test proved that the signals failed to activate.  Perhaps it is not the best use of the term, “fail-safe.”   <o:p></o:p> Here is a quote from the article:   <o:p></o:p> "Where was the fail-safe to prevent this tragedy? That's where the problem lies," an investigator said. "(CN) didn't do it right. There is speculation as to why they did what they did, but an accurate picture will emerge at the end of our investigation.''
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