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NTSB finds open switch at site of fatal New Mexico collision
Apparently, someone left that switch open. One must return the switch to the normal position on a main track.
The correct term is “reversed”. Switches are not left “open” or “shut”. And this is a common cause of accidents. Unfortunately, they will find that a previous switch crew left the switch reversed and didn’t report that to the dispatcher. After clearing a switch in dark territory one reports that “all switches used have been returned to the normal position”.
My prayers will be with those involved.
I wonder if the engineer and conductor would have been better off if they had stayed in the cab?
With today’s solar powered units, it would not be expensive to have a large bright LED signal 15 feet above the switch stand of ever main line turnout as a directly attached switch target. The track speed could be designed to assure a stopping distance in case the signal was stop or could not be seen. Timetable instructions would require trains to be prepared to stop at any facing point switch until the switch target signal was observed to be clear.