whats with the 3rd recent train derailment
- Thread starter big apple
- Start date
You're still taking a much bigger risk every time you climb into your car. How many times do you think about that truly dangerous choice?
As Christopher Robin told Pooh, "You're more brave* than you know". The alternative is to be a big apple of very little brain, and that goes for us all, until we learn to think beyond driving our own cars for everything.
*for some idiotic reason TERB censors the comparative degree of 'brave', writing b********** instead; I didn't type those asterisks. The superlative, 'bravest', is OK. So is fuck.
As Christopher Robin told Pooh, "You're more brave* than you know". The alternative is to be a big apple of very little brain, and that goes for us all, until we learn to think beyond driving our own cars for everything.
*for some idiotic reason TERB censors the comparative degree of 'brave', writing b********** instead; I didn't type those asterisks. The superlative, 'bravest', is OK. So is fuck.
yes, i just read this from a reuters report
"It has subsequently been ruled that the train was traveling at twice the speed limit. Alvia trains can reach a speed of 250 kilometers per hour while traveling on high speed rails, though they typically travel at 220 kilometers per hour over normal lines.
British article so Driver rather than Engineer.
"One of the drivers was trapped in his cabin and told the railway station by radio that the train entered the bend at 190 kilometres per hour (120 mph), reported newspaper El Pais.
The speed limit on that section of track is 80km/h (50mph).
'We're only human! We're only human!' he told the station, the newspaper said, citing sources close to the investigation. 'I hope there are no dead, because this will fall on my conscience.'"
"One of the drivers was trapped in his cabin and told the railway station by radio that the train entered the bend at 190 kilometres per hour (120 mph), reported newspaper El Pais.
The speed limit on that section of track is 80km/h (50mph).
'We're only human! We're only human!' he told the station, the newspaper said, citing sources close to the investigation. 'I hope there are no dead, because this will fall on my conscience.'"
Robots maybe
Also looks like all that fancy "signalling" equipment didn't do shit either.
Time to put the blame were it belongs.
But more fun to blame ones unfavoured government.
FAST
Looks like there has to be a lot more than the 2 crew on that train to avoid these screw ups,...the one in Toronto had 3,...still not enough ???
Also looks like all that fancy "signalling" equipment didn't do shit either.
Time to put the blame were it belongs.
But more fun to blame ones unfavoured government.
FAST
There have been reports - I have not yet seen formal confirmation - that the driver posted a picture on facebook of the train's speedometer showing a speed more than twice the speed limit shortly before the derailment. [Edit: newer reports indicate that the facebook post dated from some months prior.]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/26/spanish-train-crash-driver-facebook
Also reported is that while the "high speed" trains had automatic systems to reduce speed where required, this was not such a train, and systems would only have alerted the driver(s) of the fact that they were speeding.
If these reports prove true, it would suggest likely criminal behaviour on the part of the driver.
I had a friend on that train who had just texted me:
"So here I am in spain on the fastest train youve ever seen and we're about to hit a cur "
Damn straight George!
No goddamn progress since the steam engine! Nevermind the fact that rail travel is THE safest mode of mass transit this day.
But carry on ya old curmudgeon!
I thought airliners also claim to be the safest mode of travel? So who is lying?
I'm willing to bet that years from now when the final report on this disaster comes out, a recommendation to prevent disasters like this would be about using simple technology like stationary painted signs, even digital ones. Signage have proven, as we, as motor vehicle drivers, know, can be effective. For example, you may have experienced in some areas in the GTA where a digital sign telling you in an area where a max. 40 km speed is required, "Your speed is 55 km" or whatever.
In the case of these high-speed trains in Spain, Japan and elsewhere (and soon Toronto's going to have the Union Pearson Express with its high-speed railing system), a number of huge signs--kilometers apart-- to remind train operators of upcoming potential dangers could be useful as supplementary manual tools as checks on a largely highly technological transportation system! Sounds simple, right? The KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle could well teach them (and us) something here.
In the case of these high-speed trains in Spain, Japan and elsewhere (and soon Toronto's going to have the Union Pearson Express with its high-speed railing system), a number of huge signs--kilometers apart-- to remind train operators of upcoming potential dangers could be useful as supplementary manual tools as checks on a largely highly technological transportation system! Sounds simple, right? The KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle could well teach them (and us) something here.
Why can't you gave trains automatically decelerate when needed? they can land an airplane with computer. I'm sure same can be done with trains. Only rely on human conductors as backup to override the system when he sees fit.
what happens if there is an obstacle on track or something happens on board? I still think having a conductor as backup is safer.
If there is an automated system to slow the train down, it could have been disabled and the train being controlled manually. Same situation as that plane crash in San Francisco: automated landing system was turned off. This is the unfortunate thing about relying on automation; when pilots / engineers have to operate the vehicle on manual controls, they don't know how to respond properly.
In this case, fail-safe system should be very easy to implement. Just set speed limit as train approaches the bent part of track, as any higher speed will certainly lead to derailment, no human overwrite should be allowed to increase speed as train is cornering. It can be done with sensors located near tracks or GPS location.
It would only be fail safe if it cannot be disabled or ignored by the human operator. The system would also have to be mechanical instead of electronic because there's always software bugs and relies on power to operate. I'm not sure how a mechanical system would work if the train is travelling so fast.
