Eastern Railroad Discussion > The Runaway

Well right now I know about as much as the rest of you, But I
have a couple questions.

1. If the engineer did have a heart attack as previously reported, where was the conductor to put the train into emergency?

2. Was this locomotive equipped with an alertor or deadman's pedal?

3. Possibly the train was waiting to re-crewed and no crew members were on board, if this is the case, was the train properly tied down?

4. Random act of sabotage?

I guess we will find out more as time goes on.

Saw it SB on I-75 just north of Cygnet. MOW was working at Galatea on the Chicago Line. Never seen so many cops running code 3 on I-75, SR-25 and side roads.

DRF

CSX_Hoghead wrote:
> 1. If the engineer did have a heart attack as previously
> reported, where was the conductor to put the train into
> emergency?

No one was in the cab. Engineer got down to tend a switch and the train got away from him.

>
> 2. Was this locomotive equipped with an alertor or deadman's
> pedal?

Yes, but if the train was in idle and free rolling, it would not have made a difference. Correct?


>
> 3. Possibly the train was waiting to re-crewed and no crew
> members were on board, if this is the case, was the train
> properly tied down?

The train was leaving either Walbridge or Stanley yards, not sure which. See above.



>
> 4. Random act of sabotage?

Always possible, but doubtful.


>
> I guess we will find out more as time goes on.

CSX has already issued press releases and actually is being praised in this area for informing everyone along the route what was happening. This route contains Bowling Green (home of BGSU, 15,000 students, the City of Findlay, Arlington, Dunkirk and Kenton (where the train was finally stopped by a cool handed CSX Trainmaster).

It could have been much worse.

Eric

the conductor was probably at the rear giving a brake test or hanging the eot. the engineer should have at least had the engine brakes applied, if indeed he was off throwing a switch. a day's pay i might add, that always gets declinced. if he only had one engine he might not have had the train brakes applied to "save" his air. One engine and 46 cars, if he was getting ready to go down this grade that got the train going so fast i am sure he was trying to save his air. lord knows the dynamic on one sd40-2 sucks, much less one of those old conrail units. the conductor could have been getting a ride back around to the head end.
it could have been an engineer that just marked up and had to learn close to one thousand miles of track. cubbed the job a couple of times a few months ago and never worked it again until he was called of the extraboard, then boom, he was it. they are making these new railroaders learn too much too fast. there are not 5 guys on a crew like back in the 60's and 70's. you would be suprised how many trains are being moved with a conductor and engineer that have less than a years seniority combined. they(railroads) are making thier own bed, now they are having to sleep in it.
at any rate i hope everyone is okay amist the heart attack rumors. also just because the engineer in the cab looks as if he has been around forever that is not always true. some of the new guys out there are just as old as some of the old heads in birh years. also don't be to quick to judge that baby face kid behind the throttle either. i am 27 and i have been running for almost 6 years now.

not all engines have alerters or dead man pedals. you just block them down or answer the alerter at night just as natural as you do yawn. they really don't work. this will never be resolved until every person that works for the railroad in transportation is qualified to do both jobs, engineer and conductor, and under one union flag. i have worked trips with cut back engineers and you don't know how nice it is to let him/her run in the middle of the night while you catch a 30 minute nap. it makes the rails a safer place for us and the general public.

WBNS TV which showed this live today interviewed a witness that said all air lines were disconnected when the train stopped. They also showed what appeared to back that up??????

Dave