Does anyone know what happended to Rickey Gates of Conrailwho caused the big Wreck in Chase, Marylan

[Anonymous]

By chance does anyone know what happended to Rickey Gates the Enginer who caused Amtrak Colonial to Derail at Chase, Maryland and kill 13 people also did he go to the Jail

[Anonymous]

Gates served time at the Big House. After his release, I understand he works as a counselor. Gates changed railroading, but if he had refused the weed, someone else would have changed railroading. In other words, those who rule us are of a mind-set to use any "event" as an excuse to create more strings to control us. Things such as Gates did have been going on ever since the country began, but the results of what he did were IMPOSSIBLE a century ago.

[Anonymous]

If Gates refused the weed prorably BURLINGTON NORTHERN would of changed modern Railroad in the way of all the wrecks they had in the early 90's

[UPTRAIN]

Was he the one who ran the CR diesels into the Amtrak's path?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Was he the one who ran the CR diesels into the Amtrak's path?

Yes, he was.

LC

[Rick Gates]

I'm alive and well. TY...I think. Excuse me for being a bit leary of this subject or opinions of it. I screwed up big time. There is enough blame to go around though and drugs/drinking will be a problem in any industry. I faced a total of 100 years in prison with the state of MD and Feds. I wound up doing a little over 4 years in total. I worked as a drug/alcoholism counselor for about 5 years after my release. I presently work as an Operating Engineer running heavy equipment. I miss RR and still love trains.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Rick Gates

I'm alive and well. TY...I think. Excuse me for being a bit leary of this subject or opinions of it. I screwed up big time. There is enough blame to go around though and drugs/drinking will be a problem in any industry. I faced a total of 100 years in prison with the state of MD and Feds. I wound up doing a little over 4 years in total. I worked as a drug/alcoholism counselor for about 5 years after my release. I presently work as an Operating Engineer running heavy equipment. I miss RR and still love trains.

Are you kidding????

[Rick Gates]

Not kidding Mark! My Former Emp. # (carried over from Penn Central) was 088473. Since you appear to have intimate knowledge of Conrail this is more proof. It was a life changing experience in the lives of many, including myself. I would not be so morbid as to kid about this subject.

[Anonymous]

If you're for real, as dougal says, you're a real man for stepping forward like this. I still remember that day as if it were yesterday -- not as if I'm the only one who does.

Paul Schmidt

[csxengineer98]

Billy...
that good that you cleaned up your act..but why the hell did you have to rate out your fellow brothers to save your ***!!!!!
csxengineer

[Rick Gates]

If I was a "Rat," having been in prison for so long, it is doubtful I would have survived. Here I am. You are misinformed by rumor. I did give very general anecdotes of the nature of the drug/alcohol problem only from my own personal experiences, when I testified in front of a congressional committee however; I gave no names or traceable references to inividuals. The goal was to promote safety thereby, preventing further events or accidents as my own. Please learn from my mistake. I can't blame anyone for their anger and I accept responsibilty for my part. I will not however; spread any blame and "Rat" on anyone. I had the support of the UTU through the whole event.

[Anonymous]

Rick

It takes a real man to admit he was wrong. I applaude you for coming forward. I am sorry for the harm done that fateful day. If what you did will help others NOT TO FOLLOW in your footsteps that is good. We cannot change the past, but we can alter the future by doing what is right and not making the same errors over again.

Everyone one of us has probally screwed up in the past at one time or another. Our actions may or may not have affected other people. So we can hide what we messed up. Your actions made the national news, kinda hard to hide that.

We cannot change the past. WE must keep from repeating the past when it adversely affects other people. It would have been much better NOT to have had an accident, that cannot be changed. So now we must try to stop other accidents from happening. Hopefully the knowledge gained from your accident will stop others from happening. Hopefully people have changed and your "ex" problem won't be a problem in another accident. Let's all hope and pray this is true.

Welcome to the forums. [:)]

Glad to have you. [;)]

[eolafan]

If you are the real Rick Gates, if I were you I would not correspond openly to the general public like this...you never know who might be "listening" in and what you might slip and say. Be careful fella

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Rick Gates

I'm alive and well. TY...I think. Excuse me for being a bit leary of this subject or opinions of it. I screwed up big time. There is enough blame to go around though and drugs/drinking will be a problem in any industry. I faced a total of 100 years in prison with the state of MD and Feds. I wound up doing a little over 4 years in total. I worked as a drug/alcoholism counselor for about 5 years after my release. I presently work as an Operating Engineer running heavy equipment. I miss RR and still love trains.

Rick,
I'm happy to see that you are alochal free.and I'm Very sorry if I made you fell bad and I didn't know you saw this
DOGGY[B)][B)][B)][B)][B)][B)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Rick Gates

If I was a "Rat," having been in prison for so long, it is doubtful I would have survived. Here I am. You are misinformed by rumor. I did give very general anecdotes of the nature of the drug/alcohol problem only from my own personal experiences, when I testified in front of a congressional committee however; I gave no names or traceable references to inividuals. The goal was to promote safety thereby, preventing further events or accidents as my own. Please learn from my mistake. I can't blame anyone for their anger and I accept responsibilty for my part. I will not however; spread any blame and "Rat" on anyone. I had the support of the UTU through the whole event.

I'm glad to see your sober

[bnsfkline]

This is the question to this so called Rick Gates......What was the number of the locomotive you destroyed?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bnsfkline

This is the question to this so called Rick Gates......What was the number of the locomotive you destroyed?

I WAS NOT BORN YET. I WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE

[csxengineer98]

Rick
you said so yourself you where looking at over 100 years in jail for you screwup.... but you only did 5...sounds like to me you droped the dime on your fellow brothers...aka RAT..... i remember your "congrestional hearing" testimony.... it was in a nutshell.... "all rail roaders are drunk or on drugs".... and as for the UTU beging behind you..figers...they sold out the flagmen, brakeman,fireman all for a few bucks for a conductor..and now they are trying to sell out the engineer for a RC box..... just think..if you would have done this about a year ago..you could be sharing a cell with your UTU buddy Boyd and his clownes....and all of you could have had lots of time to talk about how you all can screw the BLE and your fellow rail road borthers while your on activeity hour.....
in my book...you are and always will be a RAT.... i know i am going to take alot of flack from people on here for my statement..but i dont care... i have just as much right to my comments as the rest of you...
csxengineer

[Anonymous]

Whether this guy is the real RG is possibly moot for it points up something. First that bringing the topic up by anyone reminds that there is good in everything and that in this case it is that we railroaders woke up and smelled our coffee. Where things might have been different 20 years ago; neither myself nor anyone I work with would even think of working in less than perfectly sober condition. And also that if he is the real RG, he is penitent and that means everything. We mourn the losses but celebrate the lesson and must never fail to do so.

[kenneo]

Is this the real Ricky Gates, Conrail engine driver?

Yes, folks, it is.

Rick, there are some that will say that you should have served the full 100. I can't say just what good that would have done, but you know full well the reactions people have when things as terrible as that accident do happen.

Would your having served all that time resulted in the necessary changes to the industry? I doubt it. Your testimony helped even though some are really upset about that.

I'm glad you're "rehabed". Greetings and Welcome.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

Rick
you said so yourself you where looking at over 100 years in jail for you screwup.... but you only did 5...sounds like to me you droped the dime on your fellow brothers...aka RAT..... i remember your "congrestional hearing" testimony.... it was in a nutshell.... "all rail roaders are drunk or on drugs".... and as for the UTU beging behind you..figers...they sold out the flagmen, brakeman,fireman all for a few bucks for a conductor..and now they are trying to sell out the engineer for a RC box..... just think..if you would have done this about a year ago..you could be sharing a cell with your UTU buddy Boyd and his clownes....and all of you could have had lots of time to talk about how you all can screw the BLE and your fellow rail road borthers while your on activeity hour.....
in my book...you are and always will be a RAT.... i know i am going to take alot of flack from people on here for my statement..but i dont care... i have just as much right to my comments as the rest of you...
csxengineer

csxengineer98
I am annoyed about your tra***alk and please stop saying rude things about this poor guy. Mr. Gates had the guts to write up and I'm sure your making him look back at unwated memories
Doggy

[edblysard]

CSX,
The guy fessed up, was sentenced, did his time, was most likley released under strict supervision, did that too.
Did the "crime", then did the time.
If his testimony bugs you, name exactly who he ratted out.
And if they were working stoned, then he did you, me and just about every railroader out there a favor.
Things changed, rule G showed up.
Leave off on it, why dont you?
Ed

[Rick Gates]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys. My feeling is we must not forget the past lest we repeat it. As for proving who I am...I know. Engines #'s are public record. Everyone is entitled to believe what suits them. I am glad that CSX is so impassioned. Makes for a great Railroader! As for me, I'm glad I didn't have to serve all that time. And as for coming forward, as I said I love railroading and like to keep up with some news of it. Keeping my mistakes forefront may give thought to keeping it safe out there. And thanks Doggy. A split second changes everything.

[Anonymous]

Hey all,

I've been doing a lot of reading and listening as a conductor "cub" and I must say that if it didn't happen to Mr. Gates, it would have happened to someone else. The railroad was a big party and drugs and drinking were a common thing. Every instructor in my school and even on company property have told me that the railroad has changed big time, but they lived during the time when the use of drugs and alcohol was commonplace and even expected in some places. If you refused to join the crew in their taking in of drugs you would be black balled by the other guys. Drugs was a part of the railroad lifestyle and I had one instructor put it like this: we basically had a designated driver on our crew while everyone else got high.

[Overmod]

At the risk of bringing up unpleasant memories, a few questions about Gunpow:

1. Was there, in fact, a portable TV on board, turned up loud to hear the playoff game?

2. Was the tape on the train-control air whistle, which made it 'quieter', responsible for someone's not hearing the audible alert while not watching outside... with (1) going on to distract both the ears and the eyes for just a critical moment

3. I think I have some 'standing' in this matter, having been riding in the second car of the Amtrak train (talking, in fact, to a young Princeton girl I think was Celia Horn) and having gone back to the cafe for a Coke. And, I might add, cursing a bit because the cafe in the front was closed...

To be honest, I don't 'blame' you more than, say, the people who thought they'd save some bucks by taking a 3-track high-speed main down to two tracks, or removing the positive-stop features from automatic train control on 65mph locomotives in a 135mph corridor. We were going "much too fast" for a consist with Heritage cars -- do we blame our engineer for that?

And it wasn't like you, or someone else in that cab, didn't try to get the train stopped by calling on the radio.

I suppose I'll always wonder a bit whether opening the throttle and splitting the switch might have worked out better than jamming the main with locked brakes. Guess it just wasn't God's will. At any rate, you seem to have come out OK, and I wish you well.

[Rick Gates]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Overmod

At the risk of bringing up unpleasant memories, a few questions about Gunpow:

1. Was there, in fact, a portable TV on board, turned up loud to hear the playoff game?

2. Was the tape on the train-control air whistle, which made it 'quieter', responsible for someone's not hearing the audible alert while not watching outside... with (1) going on to distract both the ears and the eyes for just a critical moment

3. I think I have some 'standing' in this matter, having been riding in the second car of the Amtrak train (talking, in fact, to a young Princeton girl I think was Celia Horn) and having gone back to the cafe for a Coke. And, I might add, cursing a bit because the cafe in the front was closed...

To be honest, I don't 'blame' you more than, say, the people who thought they'd save some bucks by taking a 3-track high-speed main down to two tracks, or removing the positive-stop features from automatic train control on 65mph locomotives in a 135mph corridor. We were going "much too fast" for a consist with Heritage cars -- do we blame our engineer for that?

And it wasn't like you, or someone else in that cab, didn't try to get the train stopped by calling on the radio.

I suppose I'll always wonder a bit whether opening the throttle and splitting the switch might have worked out better than jamming the main with locked brakes. Guess it just wasn't God's will. At any rate, you seem to have come out OK, and I wish you well.

[Rick Gates]

No...was not watching TV. Yes alerter whistle was taped. I did not do it. The lead eng. 5044 had been the rear of the consist when it arrived at Bayview yard that am. It was most likely taped by whomever was riding it on that trip as not to be disturbed by it. I am responsible for not taking off the tape that may have alerted me almost a mile in advance that I had a Stop signal instead of the expected Limited clear signal. The Girl's name was Ceres Horn. She was 16 years old and returning to Princeton U with the dream of becoming an astronaut. Many factors can be taken in hindsight however; I would not put any blame on my friend Jerry for his actions on the Colonial. The anchor of all responsibility is mine. Hindsight is 20/20 but by running the switch and keeping on moving the accident would have probably occurred on the Gunpowder River bridge....Lesser of 2 eveils I suppose.

[Anonymous]

I never really follow the news, so I don't know the details, but this guy came out and said he did wrong, was sorry, had served his time, and was out there doing something with his life. I think we should be giving him a standing ovation andwelcoming him to the forum as an experianced formr rail employee, and a current railfan.

Welcome to the forums Rick.

[csxengineer98]

doggy,
you can be annoyed all you like, i also have the right to speek how i feel about issues here, as for bringing up bad memories.... you dont think that all eveyone that is playing 20 questions with bill isnt bringing up some of them.... ill be up frount with eveyone here....i use smoke weed.... and i loved it.... had to give it up becouse of RULE G...
and to the person that made the comment wanting me to show how he "rated out" his fellow brothers.... your right..he didnt give "names" ..but when he did his testimony in the government hearings that followed..... he rated out eveyone by like i said befor....if you cared to read my posting in its fullness.....when his testimony in a nutshell....said "all railroaders are drunk or on drugs" ....
its funny that people want to make an issue over the drugs...when we brothers have died and are still dieing becouse of crew fateage....crews being forced to work with little or no sleep..... look at now many of my fellow brothers have lost thier lives becouse of head ons due to one of the crews falling asleep becouse the rail roads wouldnt let them mark off becouse they where overworked.....you dont see any any goverment hearings on this....you dont see any major media reports on this.... i think its funny that people just want to pick up 1 issue and run with it.... when thier are so many others out their....
its funny that for a100 years of railroading befor billy .....issues have happend... and eveone took care of one another.... now bill runs a red blook..and wrecks... and rats out eveyone.....he chaned the rail road alright...not for the better.....he detroyed the feeling of brotherhood... the job was fun.... people couldnt waite to go to work..now 20 years later... the rail road as an industry....SUCKS....its a job....no more fun....
csxengineer

[csxengineer98]

oh yea..another thought....
its funny how Rule G came about while RR was in the white house... he stared the loseing war on drugs...and destroyed the power of the unions...all in 8 years of office...
thanks republicans