Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF collision near Omaha

Hi, I do not know if it was published in TO before. I am wondering if these trains have Alstom or Wabtech systems like trip optimizer that could prevent collisions like this.
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/bnsf-trains-collide-near-omaha/
 

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,

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https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5374042

How are those mid train DPU's working out for you (BNSF)

There is NO current technology to prevent rear enders.  PTC is not capable and Trip Optimizer is a fuel saving system.  This type of accident is the blind spot of all the technology.  I'm glad no one was killed.

Eng.Shadetree

shadetree Wrote:
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> There is NO current technology to prevent rear
> enders. 

...other than a professional locomotive engineer controlling the train.

TAW

is this the napier sub and if so is it dark twc?

66

Dark TWC. And they want to go to one man crews.
JB

WJEX Wrote:
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> How are those mid train DPU's working out for you
> (BNSF)

What mid train DPs? This was two separate trains

Posted from iPhone

PTC very capable of preventing rear end collisions, just not in dark territory where there is no PTC.

Autonomous trains will eliminate this. They'll be here sooner than most folks think.

   IMHO-Ross Rowland 

What about the End of a Train Devices?

Zephyr Wrote:
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> PTC very capable of preventing rear end
> collisions, just not in dark territory where there
> is no PTC.

Posted from Android

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

Zephyr Wrote:
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> PTC very capable of preventing rear end
> collisions, just not in dark territory where there
> is no PTC.
Hmm, I was under the impression that PTC would cover all railroad territory as long as PTC transmiters were installed along the right of way.
Around here they are installed near signals as ours are 2 miles apart and that was what the PTC was supposed to protect.
So did they not install transmitters in Dark Territory?

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Milw_E70 Wrote:
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> WJEX Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How are those mid train DPU's working out for
> you
> > (BNSF)
>
> What mid train DPs? This was two separate trains
>
> Posted from iPhone

That tried to become one train..... might wanna back off on the coupling speed!

pedrop Wrote:
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> What about the End of a Train Devices?
>
> Zephyr Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > PTC very capable of preventing rear end
> > collisions, just not in dark territory where
> there
> > is no PTC.
>
> Posted from Android

My understanding is the EOT device does three, basic things:

1.  Gives the engineer a remote reading of brake pressure at the end of the train
2.  Allows the engineer to dump the air for emergency application, from that location.
3.  Flashes a red light for night time visibility.

Unless the following train is going slow enough to stop within the sight distance, none of those things will prevent a rear ender.

radar Wrote:
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> ...
> Unless the following train is going slow enough to
> stop within the sight distance, none of those
> things will prevent a rear ender.


Sight distance is only effective if one's eyes are open.

Mr. MRL ~ oops, did I say that aloud???

I’m not knocking the non rail members of this board. But there are some major misconceptions about PTC being presented here quite regularly. From the requirements of its implementation to how it actually operates in the field. The technology and the railroads requirements of its use, still has a way to go.

Posted from iPhone

Zephyr Wrote:
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> PTC very capable of preventing rear end
> collisions, just not in dark territory where there
> is no PTC.

PTC will not prevent a rear-ender under Restricted Speed operation, either.

Well stated TAW.

Sam

Zephyr Wrote:
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> PTC very capable of preventing rear end
> collisions, just not in dark territory where there
> is no PTC.

...or on a Restricting or Stop and Proceed where there is PTC.

TAW

co614 Wrote:
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> Autonomous trains will eliminate this. They'll be
> here sooner than most folks think.
>

...and the railroad industry will lose even more of the capacity that they waste.

TAW