by STrRedWolf
BR&P wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 11:08 am 5. The "Gothamist" report quoted (which is what I'm basing my discussion on) states the train passed 3 signals designed to stop trains when they didn't have clearance. I presume this means the automatic trips - but do each of those have a visual aspect as well - a red light for example? How far apart are they? From that article, it suggests the supervisor just kept shoving blindly despite having no communication from the op, for a considerable distance. If that is the case, there's your cause.If they went with "stop that northbound traffic to let the disabled train get out of the way", the train (on 4 track) would of had a clear move all the up past that track switch they derailed on and be switched to track "M" at 103rd street (a spare track between 1 and 4). There, any stop signal would of been picked up on the shoving 5 car section in a stretch where the disabled 5 car section wouldn't fowl any switch.
Any trip-arms would of thrown on track M instead of track 4 while the disabled section of the train was in the interlock.You'll have to translate that for this above-ground guy. I've been to NYC a few times, have ridden the subway as a passenger but really am not familiar with how the systems work.
As for shutting down traffic - hey, no doubt that would have avoided the incident. When you are in your car, do you stop at each green light, in case somebody runs through the red? Obviously your car doesn't have 200 people on board but at what point do you rely on people to do their job right? At what point do you say "What if...." and shut down additional operations? How rare is a disabled train? My guess is it happens frequently. Do they shut everything down every time?To be clear, I'm not saying "shut down the entire 1/2/3 line" but "shut down the relevant tracks that would interfere with a disabled train move". Southbound 1/2/3 trains would still be running. Something must of really went sideways if we were at "section the line off" or "shut it all down!" levels.
Like I said it's a different type of action and totally foreign to me. I'm willing to let others decide what degree of redundant precaution should be taken. But it seems - again basing my opinion on what we read - there was some terribly sloppy "railroading" in the operation of the disabled train which caused the collision.