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VIA Rail sues Ottawa following 2013 bus-train collision
Let me get this straight. This accident happened almost 2 years ago and the train crew has been unable to return to work? Even if they are still having nightmares from hitting the bus, there must be some light duty that they can do. The bus driver was obviously at fault and they should not feel any blame for the accident. What gives?
Have you ever killed someone? Even if by accident,it stays with you for a long time. Still light or limited duty isn’t out of the question…
It’s not mentioned but did the train crew suffer any physical injuries that are keeping them from work?
The article say “five passengers died”. It doesn’t say if they were train passengers or bus passengers.
All of the deaths and physical injuries were on the bus. The bus was traveling on a Bus Transitway.
The safety board report.
http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/enquetes-investigations/rail/2013/r13t0192/r13t0192.asp
The judge will throw the third party claim for the crew out. The crew is covered by workman’s compensation and as such the costs to VIA (federal employer liability under WCB is 100%) cannot be recovered by third party suit. PTSD is tough to prove before the WCB. The chances of VIA winning compensation for the rolling stock damage caused by the impact and the derailment are pretty slim IMHO given the issues raised in the TSB report (which cannot be used in court).
Mr. Philips, locomotive engineers are not machines, they are people. It is devastating to know you killed someone (or five as in this case) even if it wasn’t your fault. Physical injuries to train crews heal, but by far the most damaging injury is to their mental health. Mr. Malycky understands. I am a locomotive engineer and you simply do not understand the helplessness of experiencing an impending collision even knowing there is nothing you can do, the train is already in emergency and it’s route is fixed by the rails. Many engineers are unable to return after a fatal collision. Some that do are not able to keep working. Every crossing becomes a harrowing experience, your hand is on the train brake handle ready to throw it into emergency - is he going to stop?? Is someone going to die?? They quit, the stress is too much. As far as light duties go, in todays railroad culture and contracting out, most of those opportunities no longer exist.
I meant to say “Many engineers are unable to return after a fatal collision, the feelings of guilt and the stress of it happening again are overwhelming”.
That railroad crossing and the other crossing on the other thoroughfare road (Fallowfield Rd). are the most dangerous urban railroad crossings in combined both Canada and United States. All three levels of governments committed that they cannot afford to build grade separations. When you look into grade separations were built in recent past separating so many tracks are now abandoned and are used for ATV and snowmobile routes instead. These two dangerous urban railroad crossings have poor angle visions are on the only passenger train route linking Canada`s capital and largest city. No excuse to deny to build grade separations at those hazardous angle locations.
Andrew, I would assume there are signals there. Or am I wrong?
Donald, Yes there are signals and well marked. But since I been there several times those tracks are at a 45 degree angle limiting vision. Those two roads easily have a average traffic capacity of over 50,000 vehicles per day including that bus only route. Tailgating traffic is common due to high volume making sudden stops at that crossing hazardous. Overpasses are necessary for that extreme high daily traffic volume. In Canada the crossbuck crossing signs were changed to international wordless signs thirty years ago for easier nighttime vision with florescent reflecting sign cover. I hope the U.S. will also have these new improved vision wordless signs for safer nighttime vision possibly saving lives as well.