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Title: Pictured: 'Reckless' Amtrak engineer, 32, who was driving train at 106mph in a 50mph zone before slamming on the brakes in derailment that killed at least seven passengers
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URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art ... rs-statement-deadly-crash.html
Published: May 13, 2015
Author: By WILLS ROBINSON
Post Date: 2015-05-13 22:18:56 by out damned spot
Keywords: Amtrac, engineer
Views: 3875
Comments: 13
*Brandon Bostian, 32, was driving train when it came off of the tracks *Memphis, Tennessee native has been an Amtrak engineer since 2009 *Has emerged he refused to give an interview to investigators about crash *Friends are supporting him on Facebook, with one saying: 'It could have been any one of us' *The NTSB has confirmed the train was speeding before it came off tracks *Philadelphia Mayor Michael Mutter says the driving was 'reckless' *Amtrak have suspended their customer experience surveys in the aftermath The engineer in control of the Amtrak train that derailed on Tuesday night has been pictured for the first time. Brandon Bostian was driving the commuter service when it came off the tracks near Philadelphia, killing at least seven people and injuring 200. It has emerged the 32-year-old, who has been an engineer with Amtrak since 2009, declined to give investigators an interview in the aftermath of the crash. Some of the Queens, New York, resident's friends and colleagues have been supporting him on Facebook, with one saying: 'It could have been any one of us.' Past: Bostian (pictured left while working as a cashier for Target) used to live in Memphis, and graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006 with a degree in business management and administration. He now lives in New York Deadly crash: The derailed train can be seen on the tracks in Philadelphia on Wednesday morning following the Tuesday evening crash 'Just moments before the derailment, the train was placed into engineer-induced braking, and this means that the engineer applied full emergency brake applications,' National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt told a news conference in Philadelphia, seen here Devastating: Teams can be seen working at the scene of the crash as they try to determine what happened Another wrote on his page: 'You're in my thoughts and prayers as well Brandon. Sorry to hear what you just went through. Kevin Plunkett, who is wearing an Amtrak uniform in his profile picture, added: 'Just wanted to say that we are all thinking about you, and you have our full support. 'Every day, you will get stronger and stronger. And just remember that your Amtrak family is here for you Brother.' Bostian took a lawyer with him as he met with investigators on Wednesday but refused to give a statement, Philadelphia police officials said. He reportedly gave some initial statements to police but when detectives wanted to interview him Wednesday he then got the lawyer and refused to talk. The Tennessee native used to live in Memphis, and graduated from University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006 with a degree in business management and administration. He also worked as a cashier at Target between 2005 and 2006. Bostian is a gay-rights activist who previously lived in San Francisco before moving to New York. In 2012, he was interviewed by the Midtown Gazette, which covers parts of Manhattan, during the campaign for marriage equality. He said: 'It’s kind of insulting to have to beg people for my right to marry. I feel like we shouldn’t even have to have this fight.' WHAT IS POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL? The commuter rail route where an Amtrak train left the track on Tuesday was not using a potentially life-saving braking technology. <9> Known as positive train control (PTC), the technology automatically slows or even halts trains that are moving too fast or heading into a danger zone. It can override a train conductor who is exceeding speed, and under current law, the rail industry must adopt the technology by year end. PTC works by using a global positioning satellite to pinpoint trains. The idea is that it can do this with enough accuracy to allow them to run closer together. It sends real-time visual and audible information to train crew members about locations where the train needs to be slowed or stopped. Among other things, it takes into account approaching signals, speed limits, curves in the track, construction work and the position of approaching switches. PTC then communicates with the train’s onboard computer to audibly warn conductors if they are approaching danger. A display shows the train’s safe braking distance based on its speed, length, width, weight, and curvature of the track. If a response is not provided by the train engineers in ample time, the computer remotely activates the brakes and stops the train. While this automatic braking system has been available since 1990, the technology remains widely unused. Positive train control was one 10 items on the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) Most Wanted List last year. Positive Train Control Investigators are trying to determine why the train slipped off the tracks while rounding a sharp curve Tuesday night northeast of Philadelphia's city center. On Wednesday afternoon, Robert Sumwalt of the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that the train was speeding before it came off the tracks shortly before 9.30pm. 'NTSB confirms preliminary data shows #Amtrak train speed exceeded 100 mph prior to derailment,' it wrote on Twitter. 'Further calibrations are being conducted.' They later confirmed Wednesday it was travelling 106pmh just before it crashed. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Mutter responded to the National Transportation Safety Board briefing on Wednesday evening by saying that it proved 'reckless driving by the engineer' in an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN. He went on to say there was no excuse for the train to be going this speed unless the engineer had a 'heart attack.' Sumwalt responded by calling these comments 'inflammatory' and 'unnecessary.' The engineer applied emergency brakes just moments before the fatal accident, a U.S. transportation safety investigator said on Wednesday, so it had been going even faster.. The train did not have an advanced braking system known as positive train control. 'Just moments before the derailment, the train was placed into engineer-induced braking, and this means that the engineer applied full emergency brake applications,' National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt told a news conference in Philadelphia. The speed limit just before the curve is 70 mph and on the curve it is 50 mph. The driver suffered injuries in the crash, Mayor Nutter said earlier on Wednesday. It has also emerged that the rail route was not governed by an advanced safety technology meant to prevent high-speed derailments. Officials familiar with the investigation told Reuters that it had not yet been fitted with positive train control (PTC), which automatically slows or even halts trains that are moving too fast or heading into a danger zone. Under current law, the rail industry must adopt the technology by the end of the year. Amtrak has begun installing components of a PTC system but the network is not yet functioning, federal officials said. Mayor Mutter would not comment on the lack of a PTC system, saying that was a discussion for another time and now people should be mourning the victims rather than discussing policy. The absence of the PTC system was one of the stated causes of a fatal Metro- North crash in the Bronx, New York, in 2013. As a result of the crash, Amtrak have also suspended customer experience surveys. The company sent out an email which read: 'We recently asked you to participate in a survey on Amtrak. In light of a Northeast Regional accident which occurred near Philadelphia on Tuesday night, we no longer ask that you participate in the survey.' Among those killed was 20-year-old Justin Zemser, a Naval Academy student in Annapolis, Maryland who was on leave and was returning home to Rockaway Beach. Another victims is Jim Gaines, 48, a married father of two and a video software architect for the Associated Press, who was heading back home to New Jersey after meetings in Washington. Also named was Wells Fargo banker Abid Gilani, a 55-year-old based in New York City. Rescue workers are sifting through the twisted metal and other debris. One of the seven derailed cars landed upside down while three were tossed on their sides, sending passengers flying. Authorities say Train 188's data recorder, or 'black box', has been recovered and that it should yield critical information, including the speed of the train. A former head of railroad accident investigations at the National Transportation Safety Board, Bob Chipkevich, told the Associated Press that it'll be able to tell them train speed, throttle position, whether the brakes were applied, what degree of pressure was used, and if the horn was sounded. If the train had a forward-facing video camera on the exterior of the cab, which many trains do, that may also yield key evidence such as whether anything was on the tracks before the derailment or whether there were kinks in the track caused by excessive heat. Teams have retrieved the train's black box which will be able to tell the train's speed. The train was not fitted with an advanced braking system. The video cameras often record sound as well. The sound a train's wheels make can help reveal broken track. The condition of the rails and rail ties will be examined along with the inspection history of the track. The mechanical condition of the cars will be examined, including the wheels and the axles. Investigators will also look at how well - or how poorly - the cars withstood the crash. And they'll also look at how passengers were injured and whether there are any design components of the cars or lack of safety features that contributed to those injuries. A train is controlled by an engineer; by contrast, a train's conductor manages tickets and passengers so will not be central to the investigation. The mayor apologized on Wednesday for confusing to two. THE CREW MEMBERS' RESPONSIBILITIES, ACCORDING TO AMTRAK The conductor and the engineer are responsible for the safety and protection of their train and observance of the rules. They must ensure that their subordinates are familiar with their duties, determine the extent of their experience and knowledge of the rules. They must instruct them, when necessary, how to perform their work properly and safely. Conductor Responsibilities 1. The conductor supervises the operation and administration of the train (if trains are combined with more than one conductor on board, the conductor with the most seniority takes charge). All persons employed on the train must obey the conductor’s instructions, unless the instructions endanger the train’s safety or violate the rules. If any doubts arise concerning the authority for proceeding or safety, the conductor must consult with the engineer who will be equally responsible for the safety and proper handling of the train. 2. The conductor must advise the engineer and train dispatcher of any restriction placed on equipment being handled.3. The conductor must remind the engineer that the train is approaching an area restricted by: • Limits of authority. • Track warrant. • Track bulletin. or • Radio speed restriction. The conductor must inform the engineer after the train passes the last station, but at least 2 miles from the restriction. 4. When the conductor is not present, other crew members must obey the instructions of the engineer concerning rules, safety, and protection of the train. 5. Freight conductors are responsible for the freight carried by their train. They are also responsible for ensuring that the freight is delivered with any accompanying documents to its destination or terminals. Freight conductors must maintain any required records. Engineer Responsibilities 1. The engineer is responsible for safely and efficiently operating the engine. Crew membersmust obey the engineer’s instructions that concern operating the engine. A student engineer or other qualified employee may operate the engine under close supervision of the engineer. Any that operates an engine must have a current certificate in their possession. 2. The engineer must check with the conductor to determine if any cars or units in the train require special handling.
Poster Comment: I omitted some pics and videos. Hit the url to see more.
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#1. To: out damned spot, A K A Stone (#0)
He said: 'It’s kind of insulting to have to beg people for my right to marry. I feel like we shouldn’t even have to have this fight.' Sounds like sodomy affirmative action hire. It would be surprising for a person of such limited background to get one of these highly-paid jobs otherwise. Kevin Plunkett, who is wearing an Amtrak uniform in his profile picture, added: 'Just wanted to say that we are all thinking about you, and you have our full support. Every day, you will get stronger and stronger. And just remember that your Amtrak family is here for you Brother.' These idiots make me sick. He just killed a number of his passengers through sheer neglect. Probably texting to his boyfriend or something. Gee, ya think? Twitter was really ripping them a new one over this.
Maybe one of his ex lovers was on the train and he saw this as a way of getting revenge?? Or maybe he took ISIS up on their offer of big money for being a home grown terrorist?? Or maybe he's just a dumbass?? :)
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Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Bostian is a gay-rights activist who previously lived in San Francisco before moving to New York. In 2012, he was interviewed by the Midtown Gazette, which covers parts of Manhattan, during the campaign for marriage equality.
Another wrote on his page: 'You're in my thoughts and prayers as well Brandon. Sorry to hear what you just went through.
*Amtrak have suspended their customer experience surveys in the aftermath
#5. To: TooConservative (#1)
(Edited)
Sounds like sodomy affirmative action hire.
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