The [LA Metrolink] Investigation: Texting Might Not Be the Cause.

How his diabetes could affect his performance depends on a couple of things. Was he an adult-onset diabetic who controls his blood sugar with diet and exercise, and possible an oral medication, or did he have the type that requires periodic injections of medication?

Those who take their meds by mouth are nowhere nearly as likely to have a sudden onset event as those inject the meds. For an insulin-dependent diabetic the onset of problems from not getting the medication is relatively slow. OTOH, too much medication is much more dramatic and can lead to problems, up to and including loss of consciousness and death.

With insufficient medication the person's blood sugar rises relatively slowly and the onset of symptoms is also slower. Too much medication causes patient's blood sugar to drop, possibly very quickly and the problem is one of low blood sugar, hypoglycemia.

FYI, generally speaking the first aid for either high or low blood sugar is the same and that is to give the patient sugar. If they have high blood sugar, hyperglycemia, the additional sugar won't amount to much since their sugar is already sky high. OTHO, if they have dangerously low blood sugar the treatment could save their life.

There are of course exceptions to every rule and diabetes is a very complicated condition, but this is the basic info.

"The freight train had a camera on board"

Is this commonly the case these days (BNSF)?

I've found that having video from a camera looking out the car windshield quite capable of recording infractions to allow improved safety. A video system should be easily able to see another oncoming train (except around the curve in question) and be able to apply the brakes, but given the low braking decelerations of trains, it wouldn't help much. Some type of encripted broadcast of front and rear of train GPS location at a fairly high data rate would better allow trains to watch out for each other.

Engineer Robert Sanchez called back to the conductor that the first signal was flashing yellow … and then no other communications. The train would then run two more lights, a solid yellow and a red signal … never did the train slow and never did the engineer or the conductor pull the emergency brake.

The railroad investigators are blown away that, 1.) the engineer blew thru all the signals and the switch (I am told you’d either have to do it on purpose or be disabled); and, 2.) that the conductor didn’t pull the emergency brake, which I am told is not only an immediately “fire-able” offense, but just about criminally negligent.

The solid yellow is about 100 yards in front of the Chatsworth station which he stopped at to take on passengers. The red signal is at the very begining of the curve. I just got off that train 30 minutes ago. I ride it every day. From the time the engine passed the red signal to the time the trains collided would have been about 4 seconds. I timed it. The emergency brake is not within 4 seconds of where the conductor was standing.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.