[DManA]

I’m amazed that there is no automatic fail safe mechanism to stop the train of the engineer fatally screws up.

[balch3]

Muslim convert?

[happinesswithoutpeace]

Actual article headline: “The Investigation: Texting Might Not Be the Cause.”

[Admin Moderator]

In order to avoid unneccesary duplication, please do not alter article headlines.

[RogerWilko]

If text-messaging doesn't turn out to be the cause of the crash, there's going to be a LOT of disappointed CA legislative DUmmies that will be upset!

It'll make it harder for them to pass a stricter law on cell phone use in vehicles.

MORONS!

[Tennessee Nana]

That truck driver in FL who hit the school bus was on his cell phone...

Big penalties should be given to drivers who talk and crash

Prison for injuries and/or death etc...

I’ve been in too many near misses myself...

I dont dare toot at them ...

What if they are startled and theres an accident anyway ???

I’d rather have 6 drunks around me than one Grandma with a lethal weapon cell phone in her hand...

No drunk has ever hit me.....

[Interesting Times]

This situation, with the train having three solid warnings, plus the matter of the switch, meant there was something bad going on: either the engineer became disabled or he let the accident happen on purpose.

Furthermore, he said the conductor on the train — a guy who would know every inch, every bump, every switch, every light — had a responsibility he didn’t handle.

Foul play or suicide pact?

[Travis McGee]

Sanchez’ last boyfriend recently hanged himself in Sanchez’ apartment, or so I’ve read. A very, very unstable homosexual, IMHO. He might have just gotten a “bugger off” text from his young boy pal, and he decided to end it all. Just a guess.

[Parley Baer]

I now think it was suicide. The freight train he ran into was a regularly scheduled freight train so he new it would be in the area. He had to have crossed its path on many occasions. The freight train had a camera on board so that will prove interesting.

[Stoat]

As we learned from 1974's The Taking of Pelham 123 (being remade with John Travolta for a 2009 release) NYC subway trains have a "dead man switch" that requires the motorman to stand on a particular spot for the train to be able to be driven.  I wonder why other trains (apparently) don't have a similar feature? 

[BunnySlippers]

What about the diabetic condition? Can you go into diabetic shock and become disabled physically or mentally?

He was afraid of being fired for having diabetes.

[metmom]

Interesting comments following the article at the link. Someone there even suggested terrorism.

I wonder what the text messages were?

I don’t know how they could make things much safer. It sounds like they’ve got stuff in place already.

[ZGuy]

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.