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.
I don’t think he would have texted to that kid that he was meeting the next train in Camarillo if he was planning on dying in minutes.
What about diabetic shock?
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.