Engineer: Cell phones not a factor in ore train crash
February 21, 2013 at 7:45 am in Lake County News-Chronicle
The engineer of one of two ore trains that crashed head-on just outside of Two Harbors in 2010 is taking issue with the National Transportation Safety Board report on the accident, disputing that cell phone use by the train crews was a relevant factor. Continue Reading
This is a very good article and kudos to Mr. Murphy for speaking out, but a couple of things might be more clear for the non-railroader:
Tracks are occupied by trains and other crews by means of a track warrant — a document or communication between the dispatcher and the train crew or other occupying crew. The warrant describes the stretch of track to be occupied, who is doing the occupying, and under what conditions and limitations. When there is another train on the track, one of the last conditions of the warrant is this phrase: “…not valid until after the arrival of ______.” This is the “after-arrival track authorities” referred to in this article.
In the matter of the short cell phone call mentioned in this article, the call was made some 30-odd minutes before the crash. The crash location is about 13 miles from Two Harbors, and factoring in the speed of the train coming from Two Harbors and the fact that there is no reliable cell service in the crash area, the call was made in or very close to Two Harbors, a considerable distance from the crash. The engineer applied full emergency braking as soon as he saw the oncoming locomotive, which means as soon as he came around a curve and onto straight track. It can take a train a very long time to come to a full stop, often a mile or more. (This in itself should be a good lesson for anyone approaching a crossing and thinking they will “beat” an oncoming train. The train will go through that crossing whether your car is in the way or not, and you will always lose.)
tom koehler
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