CTA: Video shows no one at controls of train before collision

[brooklynite]

Source: Chicago Tribune

Video shows no one at the controls of an out-of-service train as it barreled head-on into a Blue Line train stopped at a station in Forest Park this morning, injuring dozens of people, CTA officials said.

The agency said it was still waiting to review other video along the line and at the Forest Park train yard, where two of the four cars had been awaiting repairs. But it was at a loss to explain how the train rolled out of the station and down the line to the Harlem Avenue stop, where it collided with a train headed toward the station shortly before 8 a.m.

The train passed at least two switches that should have stopped it and was going about 20 mph when it hit the other train, crumpling the fronts of both and jolting passengers to the floor. The CTA said 33 people were taken to nine hospitals but there were no serious injuries.

"We do have fail-safes in place, however they didn't function the way that they should have in this particular case," said CTA spokesman Brian Steele.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-two-cta-trains-crash-on-blue-line-in-forest-park-20130930,0,1375440.story

[PoliticAverse]

1. fail-safe-fail. n/t

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. No one seen at the controls and yet probably 3 ghost payrollers had it on their time cards...

[Heather MC]

3. I bet it was racoons, they love driving metro trains

[tularetom]

4. A metaphor for the republican party?

No one is at the controls there either and they sure as hell are headed for a collision.

[Blue_Tires]

5. This has to be intentional or sabotage or something...

"Accidents" don't happen through this many layers of redundant fail-safes, assuming they were operating normally...

[freshwest]

12. The sabotage is likely from defunding over the years. Human error happens, but not here.

Real time redundancy needs staff on hand to communicate and send warnings. Bridges going out, and other infrastructure both physical and social, not being funded and maintained is designed to create enough failure to increase those profit by privatization. And when that is done, literally, the freedom of movement within and a nation and social cohesion fail. That's why these things happen, it's intentional. But it's not random sabotage, instead it's systematic.

JMHO.

[Sunlei]

6. where did all the train workers go? oh that's right they cut the workers to increase profits.

[elehhhhna]

7. just liek lac megantic (sp?) canada

only one guy on the job - manual brakes - rolling steel buzillion ton train...what could possibly go wrong. At least this one wasn't a bomb like the Canadian tragedy.

[Sunlei]

8. yes that Canada train that exploded. With one man!! and he was speeding way over the limit.

Not even enough workers for a person to say, "Hey that train is rolling away!"

Such a major, major,security risk too. Billions of dollars in Federal & State money to catch some poor Mexicans desert-walking or border fence jumping.

Trains are unattended!!

[daleo]

11. Actually, he wasn't even there

The parked train slipped its brakes and rolled down grade with not a soul on board.

[brooklynite]

9. UNREC

Would it surprise you to know that CTA loses money like every transit system? And do you know for a fact that personnel have been let go? Or am I getting in the way of your precious stereotype?

[Sunlei]

10. well they must have let go of the human who would notice an unattended train rolling off yard!

And the person watching/checking the track switches. And apparently the person supposed to be driving the train.



Very lucky the public transit train was standing still and passengers had time to warn others.