BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

'Engineer in Crash Planned to Put Rail Buff at Controls'


By JENNIFER STEINHAUER
Published: March 3, 2009 New York Times

LOS ANGELES — The engineer involved in one of the nation’s deadliest commuter train wrecks had allowed rail buffs to operate his train on past runs, and was planning a similar encounter for later in the day last September when his train crashed, killing 25 people and injuring 135, according to documents presented Tuesday at a hearing in Washington.

The engineer, Robert Sanchez, who was among those killed, did not have unauthorized passengers in his cab at the time of the crash, said witnesses and officials who testified before the National Transportation Safety Board.

But text message records indicated that he “had previously allowed unauthorized persons into the locomotive cab, and one person sat at the controls while the train was operating,” according to a presentation by the board at the beginning of the two-day hearing.

The board found that Mr. Sanchez, who sent or received 43 text messages on the day of the crash, including one 22 seconds before the crash, had written at least one that “indicated an offer for another unauthorized person to ride in the cab and operate the train the day of accident.”

No complaints had ever been filed against Mr. Sanchez for having unauthorized passengers in his cab — a serious safety violation — according to testimony from railroad officials.

One text sent by the engineer to a person not named in the report read, “I’m gonna do all the radio talkin’ ... ur gonna run the locomotive & I’m gonna tell u how to do it.”

According to the agency’s presentation, Mr. Sanchez had been warned twice not to use his cellphone while on duty. Investigators also found that the conductor of the train, who survived the crash, tested positive for marijuana use on the day of the crash.

An initial investigation of the head-on crash showed that Mr. Sanchez ran through a red signal light before ramming into a Union Pacific freight train in the Chatsworth section of Los Angeles.

The board’s findings presented Tuesday concluded that “extensive testing and examination of all recorded data show track and signal systems functioning properly,” and that “a significant issue in this accident is cellphone usage by train crews.”

In questioning officials from Connex Railroad — the contractor that provides engineers to Metrolink, the commuter rail line involved in the crash — Kathryn O’Leary Higgins, chairman of the inquiry board, seemed at times both baffled by and frustrated with answers to her questions about training and enforcement efforts concerning cellphone use by train operators.

“I just don’t ever want to be in a position again where 25 people have to die before we solve this problem,” Ms. Higgins said, “it’s just unacceptable.”

She added, “I’m underwhelmed by the system that is currently in place” to enforce codes.

Asked by Ms. Higgins how to ensure compliance by engineers without supervisors riding with them, Tom McDonald, a Connex official, conceded, “I don’t know.”

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY


Photo by Dan Steinberg/Associated Press