Comments on: Light Rail Derailment Blamed on Operator Error

By: John Niles

John Niles — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:39:46 +0000

Frank has a good point that is not clear from the accident report.

Was the blamed train operator on the correct track path to SODO IF the switches had been set correctly?

The apparent path she was on when the derailment occurred requires going north on the southbound track a short distance before getting to the criss-cross switch that would have moved her train over to the north bound track to SODO, her trains reported first destination.

Is this path through two mainline switches how trains routinely enter rush hour service from the yard at 3 pm on a weekday?

So why not use that other track noted by Frank that directly merges into the northbound track? See the overhead shot in Google maps.

By: Mike Skehan

Mike Skehan — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:47:36 +0000

Good candidate for High Speed Rail.

Bloggers and Posters. It’s been a fun year.
Happy Holidays to everyone, and be safe.
Mike

By: phil

phil — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:32:53 +0000

Or this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSqNx7vJLDE

By: barman

barman — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:23:19 +0000

I can’t even imagine the bell ringing that Link operators would do in a situation like that. They’d probably curl into a ball with their hand mashed on the horn.

By: Lloyd

Lloyd — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:33:03 +0000

Tim F: Would you have those two Delta pilots who overflew MSP by about 200km re-instated because they weren’t perfect pilots? C’mon! Step back from your union’s predisposition always to blame management for just a moment. Think about passenger safety first and foremost, and then think about what this operator’s actions tell the owners of ST (you and me) about her/his suitability to be an operator.

By: Mike Skehan

Mike Skehan — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:44:06 +0000

Holy Krap! I’m exhausted just watching it.

By: anonymouse

anonymouse — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:06:12 +0000

“you have to take into account that these guys and girls are used to working buses and light rail is a whole new ballgame to all of the operators.”

And that’s the thing here. Rail is a whole different kind of operation from buses, one where following the rules and procedures is absolutely vital. Vital in the sense that if you don’t do it, there’s a significant chance that people will die. This requires a very different mentality from that of the bus driver, and if the train operator can’t follow the rules, then they should not be driving trains. The SPAD was an accident, and merits at least a stern talking-to, but not checking the switch was a much bigger mistake. It might show a need for some minor changes to dispatcher procedures, and the only technical measure that I think might be worthwhile is a derail or similar on the entrance to mainline track.

By: Anandakos

Anandakos — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:03:50 +0000

Oran,

Well, sure it would. If the loop is not intact a train exiting to the north can’t get to the flying junction. So the DS is not at fault; she or he had no choice but to order the opposing move.

Thanks for the info.

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:34:07 +0000

On the MLK portion, the signal will flash for 6 seconds before changing to a different aspect. The operator then can begin to accelerate or brake in anticipation.

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:25:33 +0000

There seems to be changes to the other access track due to the yard expansion work going on. The loop track was severed. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it.

By: Anandakos

Anandakos — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:06:56 +0000

Mike, you’re a Pennsy man, I see. Or maybe N&W (which was an all-but-subsidiary of the Pennsylvania).

By: Anandakos

Anandakos — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:56:36 +0000

I’m curious why the train would be entering service through the leaving service track. There is a grade separated underpass to the northbound track for entering trains from the other side of the maintenance facility, and a loop track all around it.

The DS has to be considered at least partially at fault for sending the car on this backward routing.

By: Zed

Zed — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:13:03 +0000

The report said that trains are in street-running mode when leaving the yard and that the way the system is configured now ATP won’t stop the train when it violates the signal that controls entry onto the mainline from the yard.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:08:55 +0000

Or on a new Ballard-Downtown-West Seattle line: Ballard Avenue!

By: Mike B

Mike B — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:58:22 +0000

But when a preliminary report concludes gross negligence on behalf of the operator, it’s pretty damning. It’s hard to argue around the fact that operator did not check a switch when required to do so by the dispatcher. That is a huge safety violation considering the dispatching center was showing an improperly lined switch. That is taking-out-back-and-beating sort of material.

By: Mike B

Mike B — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:54:03 +0000

That is all covered in Sound Transit’s operations manual. There is no need for a stop sign as there is already a signal. It seems a little over-the-top to call in for a proceed signal. That should ALWAYS be working. If it’s not, then the system is not safe for passengers to be riding on.

Though, it’s a good question why the ATP didn’t provide a penalty brake application when the the train passed a stop indication. Perhaps it did not warrant a penalty application though the way ST’s ATP is written (train within yard limits or below speed X).

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:39:33 +0000

In the article it says that the driver was 6 minutes behind schedule. Does anyone know why?

By: Sherwin Lee

Sherwin Lee — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:39:12 +0000

I meant the PDF file I just attached to the top of the post.

By: Zed

Zed — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:28:28 +0000

As far as I can tell there are no signals. It looks like they just wait for the gauntlet track to be clear before proceeding. I’ll check it out next time I’m over there. I know a lot of the streetcar systems in Europe only use signals at the more complex intersections and use visual running rules elsewhere.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:23:33 +0000

There probably is in cab signaling.

Pine would probably be a better street to make pedestrian/transit road as you would be exit from Wast Lake Station onto Pine. Also at a bare minimum they could make Pine from Pike place market to 5th/6th ave a Pedestrian/transit only road relatively easily (as some of those streets are pretty much over run be Pedestrians.) I think east of 5th/6th it would take some heavy politically will power.