Major Derailment in LA

[Gage O'Dell]

There was a major derailment along Los Angeles lines where a Metrolink and a Union Pacific Freight train collided south of the Station at Southern California It happened around 4:30pm yesterday 135 people injured 85 in serious and in critical condition. the metrolink train started at Union Station and then the Collision happened at Chatsworth,California.  There where 222 people in the metrolink passenger train and 4 people on the Union Pacific Freight train.  The full story is at Yahoo.com    One of the UP engines where as I can tell form the Video is 8465 or 6564 not sure but probably 8465. Both trains where on the same track but going opposite ways. One LA officer has died in the collision she was off duty at the time. now there are about 20 dead

[Michael Knight]

This was an horrible head-on collision. Here is a link with photos and more information.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-traincrash13-2008sep13,0,2874450.story

[jcmark4501]

Metrolink authorities are now saying the engineer failed to stop at a signal. The lead engine had a camera so, they were able to visually verify what signals the UP train had. They probably used a playback of the dispatcher's screen to check what signals the Metrolink train had. Metrolink, like most commuter agencies, run with only an engineer in the cab.

There was a published rumor the engineer may have been texting railfans while running the train.

[Michael Knight]

The engineer of the Metrolink train was employed by a second-party contractor.

This is a real tragedy! My thoughts and prayers go out to the injured and mourning.

[Michael Knight]

The conductor of the UP train was reportedly killed in the collision.


http://www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cfm?ArticleID=43713

[GAandFLA-RR]

Now they're saying there's a possibility the engineer was sending text messages on his cell phone prior to the crash.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26718585