Chicago Metra engineer speaks to the media

[Chris30]

Wayne Lumpkins, the metra engineer involved in the large accident last month in Elmwood Park, IL, was involved in another incident Monday night. Metra has cleared the engineer of any wrongdoing. Mr. Lumpkins provided an interview to the Chicago Tribune that reveals a frustrated Metra enginner pleading with the public for increased awareness at railroad crossings.

News article from the Chicago Tribune/WGN news:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0512210217dec21,1,3891613.story?coll=chi-news-hed

CC

[techguy57]

I was very glad that he decided to go to the media to make his point and to plea for motorists to be more attentive.

I hope for his sake that the media coverage doesn't backfire. I'm sure that when people learn that he was operating both of the trains involved in these accidents somone will scream bloody murder about it regardless of whether or not he's been cleared. I have to admit that I'm impressed he was even back working already. That first accident would've really shaken me up. The poor guy has had 2 of his 4 accidents on record in the last month too!

Mike

[CShaveRR]

I saw him on Channel 5 last night. It was a good session, and I think that Channel 5 did a fine job of stressing that he was cleared of any responsibility. Considering how upset I was with their coverage of the Elmwood Park incident (this was the guy it looked like they were trying to nail!), I'm glad to be able to make a statement like that.

If you go back to our thread about the Elmwood Park incident, read the comments from Zardoz about how an engineer feels when he sees something like this coming up. And compare them to what this guy says. I wi***hat message could be gotten out to everyone!

[vsmith]

While tragic, this behavior of the drivers doesnt surprise me AT ALL[V]

See it everyday at almost every traffic signal where ever I am, some knucklebrain is always trying to beat the light, on the recently completed Orange Line here, a sort of hybrid using an articulated bus on a dedicated ROW with computer controlled traffic signals that change to give the bus right of way, there has been almost 1 accident for everyweek of service, and evey accident has been due to an idiot running the light or stopping in the intersection, this despite the fact that the MTA lowered the speed limit for the busses thru the crosings to 15mph. There are no driving rules anymore cause no one obeys them [V]

[eolafan]

Good for him....it's about time somebody practiced "plain speaking" about such incidents.

[Jack_S]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

While tragic, this behavior of the drivers doesnt surprise me AT ALL[V]

on the recently completed Orange Line here, a sort of hybrid using an articulated bus on a dedicated ROW with computer controlled traffic signals that change to give the bus right of way, [V]

The articles I have read said that the system does NOT automatically change the light to give the bus precedence. If I am correct on this, it's sure a stupid way to run a transit system.

[paulstecyna21]

you are right because if you take a look at septa here in philadelphia there are no accidents with the engineers that work here.
Metra does not train their engineers really well

[chad thomas]

From Altamont Press:


Engineer tells of crashes

The engineer of a Metra train that struck a pickup truck in Elgin, Illinois on Monday, killing its 74-year-old driver, also operated the train that plowed into vehicles that were backed up on the tracks in Elmwood Park last month, Metra officials said Tuesday.

A day after the Elgin accident that killed Yorkville resident Vernon Smith and less than a month after the Elmwood Park crash, the 56-year-old engineer called on motorists to pay more attention to their surroundings and obey traffic signals and rules.

"There's no reason for this. There's no reason at all," said Schaumburg resident Wayne Lumpkins, who has been an engineer for 30 years, including nearly nine years at Metra.

"They need to obey the rules and slow down," he added. "It's simple. Stop, look and listen."

About four years ago, a train he was operating struck a car that drove around lowered gates in Bensenville, Lumpkins said, but the driver was not killed. A decade ago, a woman committed suicide by jumping in front of a freight train he was operating.

Sitting in an office at Metra headquarters in Chicago, Lumpkins spoke publicly for the first time since the Nov23 Elmwood Park accident. That afternoon, his train struck five cars on the tracks and they rammed into 11 other vehicles, injuring at least 13 people. Federal investigators have said the accident likely was caused by motorists who ignored warning signs and stopped on the tracks.

"Everyone who was involved in that, they should get down on their knees and thank God because that could have been worse," said Lumpkins, who received counseling and returned to work a week later. "I know I did."

Lumpkins has not been accused of wrongdoing in either incident and has a clean record at Metra, agency spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said.

Lumpkins, who is seeking counseling after Monday night's incident, said he wanted to speak publicly to raise awareness about the need to take precautions around trains and at rail crossings.

Because Metra faces lawsuits from the Elmwood Park crash, Lumpkins could not say what he thinks should be done at that crossing, where the train speed limit has been reduced to 30 m.p.h. from 70 m.p.h. at the Illinois Commerce Commission's recommendation. Metra has been meeting with state and federal officials to discuss if additional safety measures should be taken at the crossing.

In general, Lumpkins said he believes motorists who violate traffic rules should be ticketed, and the legal system should ensure violators pay hefty fines.

He also said it wasn't the first time he has seen cars try to beat the train at that Elmwood Park crossing.

"This happens all the time," he said.

But he had never seen as many vehicles backed up on the tracks as he did on Nov23, a phenomenon he attributed to people trying to rush home for the holiday. He said he spotted the cars when he was about 200 feet from the crossing and immediately pulled the emergency brake to slow the train, which was traveling at 70 m.p.h. with its horn blaring.

"As soon as I saw it, I thought, `Oh my God. This is going to be bad.' "

"You can't imagine what you feel like when you see cars start flying in front of you," Lumpkins said. "... You start thinking real quick, `I hope nobody dies.' "

Such accidents take a toll on engineers, their families, Metra staff and rescue crews--something he doesn't think motorists consider when they try to beat a train, he said.

Lumpkins, a father of three and grandfather of two, said after the accidents that he coped by spending time alone or with his grandchildren. But he forced himself to put the incidents out of his mind so he could return to work.

While there are more gates at crossings than there were when he first became an engineer, Lumpkins said there seem to be more people today trying to cross in front of trains, whether they're motorists, children on bicycles or pedestrians.

Lumpkins said there's not much an engineer can do to stop a train when a car darts in front of it. The weight of trains makes it impossible for them to stop quickly, he said.

That was the problem Monday night when Lumpkins spotted Smith's Chevrolet pickup just a few yards ahead of him on the tracks. He said he applied the emergency brake but knew it was too late.

Elgin police continue to investigate the crash. The Elgin Avenue crossing had a stop sign and railroad crossing signs but no warning lights or gates, police said.

"It's a tragedy, and we may never know what was on [Smith's] mind," Elgin Police Sgt. Tom Olson said. - Virginia Groark, The Chicago Tribune, courtesy Larry W. Grant