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Engineer of runaway train “devastated,” lawyer says
In the Burlington Northern Air Brake, Mechanical andTrain Handling rules book, 1987, rule 470 states how many hand brakes to apply on a parked train, by grade and number of empties and loads.
For loads, at 1.2% grade it should be 35% of the cars (units counted as loaded cars) and for empties, 18%.
By that rule, 22 cars and the five units should have had hand brakes set.
Rule 471 Unattended Train states “The automatic air brake must not be depended on to hold unattended trains, whether locomotive is attached or detached from train. A sufficient number of hand brakes must be applied as indicated in Rule 470 to hold the train.”…
I wonder what MM&A’s rule book says.
I don’t know how things work in Canada, but in this country, contrary to popular opinion, you are innocent until proven guilty. In the mean time, is anybody checking the usual suspects, which would be the militant environmentalists on the left? They have skin in this game, as they are looking for any excuse to shut down oil drilling. If you can’t go after the driller, go after the transporter. It is very difficult to take out a pipeline. But an unattended train filled with crude oil which is known to stop in the same location on a regular basis would make for an excellent target. Especially with one man crews and no security.
I further read that as a person who regularly spent the night at the town (2-3 nights per week), he is good friends with many of the people in town and well liked there. He is bilingual (English first, French second), and the people there have described him as a very fun, friendly, likeable guy and responsible. It also sounds like the whole town is backing him up in the aftermath of the derailment and hating Ed Burkhardt (who has been unfair to this man) rather than the engineer (Tom Harding). Mr. Harding ran out of the hotel room and uncoupled the underailed cars (which means he went close to the explosions & fires, risking his life) to disconnect them and rolled them away with the locomotive to help prevent further explosions. He is regarded as a hero in this town. It’s unfortunate what Mr. Burkhardt is doing to him. He did what he could to prevent more explosions and he’s being made out to be the bad guy. Mr. Burkhardt threw him under the bus (or train) without having facts. I blame Mr. Burkhardt more than Mr. Harding as it sounds like many of the railroad’s operating procedures adopted under Burkhardt’s leadership contributed to this accident.
Just a really bad situation all together.
Why are Spring Park Brakes not mandatory.
Why are Spring Park Brakes not mandatory.
Lets wait until all the facts are in, but please no more one man crews!
Thank you for the insight Mr Clark.
We can fix blame later. Right now, we need to pray for the Engineer, and for the families of the victims in that little town.
The investigators definitely should look at sabotage or terror as a possible explanation. We have had eco-terror here in the west, involving arson that razed fancy homes and ski resorts, and we’ve seen tree spiking that is supposed to discourage logging. Usually those who suffer are innocents who are just working stiffs.
Having said all that, anytime a train is parked, should it not have derails placed too?
I’m frustrated 'cause what I want to say about Guse’s tirade is qualification for deletion, so…
Am I wrong that so far the reporting that the train was stopped at Nante at 11 o’clock and the engineer secured the train, then was transported to his “rest” by taxi at 11:25 PM is correct.
If correct, only with level ground under the whole train would there be surety of immobillity if the engines independent leaked off…they would if engines weren’t powering air pumps…if the firefighters didn’t shut 'em down—“emergency fuel cut-off.”
Reasonable doubt can be developed hypothetically—ask me? I can develop But…I can develop hypotheticals’til the cows go out after they came home.
I think crews did what was done for a while, and it sufficed.
Lac-Megantic, …weeping, crying, wailing, screaming, ordering, demanding the safer place to live with the MM&A and the other suppliers of what’s needed.
A deficiency of requirements for unattended train securement or an unenforced compliance of the requirements…or a mistaken rule requirement for securement (the entire train… handbrakes, automatic brakes, engine independent brake,) lock the cab windows and doors, check or remember the fuel supply for the engine you’re leaving running to pump air to maintain thr independet br. cyl. pressure which may have been what was being depended upon to hold the train…?
Southern Pacific engine and train crews, I’m so proud to be included among the alumni;; from which I learned then after more research , I taught at the Engine Service Training Center.
To Lawrie Boyle. With regard to spring brakes that trucks use. When shunting or switching cars you have to release the brakes to move the car. The best example of this is at a hump yard. Where trains are assembled and sorted.
Ian Narita, here in australia we dont hump shunt or shunt without air anymore so spring park brakes wouldnt be an issue
One man or two dosent matter, two people can make an error just as easily, at the end of the day mr harding was in charge of the train and the proper stabling of it at this location, not mr burkhardt, not anyone else, being in charge of such large equipment is a big responsibility, seriously, if the train was stabled without handbrakes as suggested, what the hell was he thinking?
@Guse - Trying to invent bizarre conspiracy theories in order to blame a horrific disaster on your political opponents is generally considered extremely poor taste, and FWIW I’m unaware of any environmentalist terrorism outside of movies, certainly not during my lifetime anyway.
This looks like a real wake-up call to the rail industry. I hope it won’t impact the good railfan as much as September 11 did.
Apparently Mr. Burkhardt is a very stubborn man since he stiull defends the one man crew policy. This S.O.B. needs to rot in jail.
NO more one man crews ,every week I read or see down under
another train wreck ,
Victims:
Charity Search Engine - isearchigive.com - Canadians can use
Charity Search Engine - goodsearch.com - Americans can use
Charity Search Engine - everyclick.com - UK can use