Train into platform ORD AP

[Hvr]

An eight-car Chicago commuter train plowed across a platform and scaled an escalator at an underground station at one of the nation's busiest airports early Monday, injuring 32 people on board, officials said.



No one suffered life-threatening injuries in the Blue Line derailment at O'Hare International Airport, Chicago Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago said during a morning briefing.

...


"The train actually climbed over the last stop, jumped up on the sidewalk and then went up the stairs and escalator," Santiago said.

I've actually travelled on this train. Must've been scarey and hopefully the injured people recover fully and the cause is determined and remedied.

 

[erkpod]

I caught a train to/from ORD when I was in Chicago recently. A lot of force would have been required to leave the rails, mount the platform & climb up the escalators/stairs.

Lucky it was in the early hours in the morning Chicago time & not rush hour, for instance.

 

[TomVexille]

For my couple hundred trips to and from ORD, I've never taken the train. Thankfully the airport is pretty quiet around 2:50am so there weren't many people around.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Wow, i have done the trip to ORD on the Blue line multiple times. Scary stuff.

 

[erkpod]

CCTV footage - a couple of lucky people!

http://us995.cbslocal.com/2014/03/26/watch-two-guys-almost-get-nailed-by-the-blue-line-train/

 

[marki]

CCTV footage - a couple of lucky people!

http://us995.cbslocal.com/2014/03/26/watch-two-guys-almost-get-nailed-by-the-blue-line-train/

I was there in that exact place 1 month ago

 

[samh004]

CCTV footage - a couple of lucky people!

Watch: Two Guys Almost Get Nailed By The Blue Line Train! « Country Music News, Artists, Interviews – US99.5

I think I've seen that movie before...

 

[JohnM]

I was there in that exact place 1 month ago

Me too, last October. It's quite a big flight of stairs for a train to 'climb'. It must have been flying into the station.

 

[docjames]

News ticker in hotel lift (!) says driver admits "nodding off".

 

[Hvr]

News ticker in hotel lift (!) says driver admits "nodding off".

If this is correct methinks she'll soon be an ex-train driver. I am surprised there isn't some manual or electronic means of restricting the speed upon entering the station.

I'll be there in June so I'll be able to see if it has been repaired.

 

[docjames]

Ticker also reported as a she not a he (fwiw).

There may be a medical reason she fell asleep of course - sleep apnoea probably being the most common (also thinking in LOTFAP context).

Agree - I thought trains had a "dead man" but I guess depending on speed leadimg in and if she was only "half asleep" she may have maintained appropriate pressure on the "dead man switch".

 

[erkpod]

QF WP posted this story elsewhere here so I thought I'd re-post it.

Train operator asleep before Chicago crash - Yahoo!7

As the story mentions & others have mentioned above, it looks as though the driver fell asleep. I mentioned earlier that I don't know the Chicago system & the systems onboard the train.


However based on my experience in the industry locally, falling asleep probably would not have the same result here. Apart from the deadman handle mentioned above, my trains also have what is called a vigilance control system. This system monitors for driver activity & if there is none in a pre-determined period of time, there are various prompts to make sure the driver is still with us. If there's no response after a pre-determined time, the train stops due to the brakes being applied. In addition, there's devices in the signalling system that can be installed on the approach to a dead end such as this to make sure the train does not approach at high speed.

According to the news report I'm quoting, the operator was a newish driver (2 months) and was working odd hours (no surprise to anyone in the industry). It also says that she had been filling in for other employees which in my experience is common when a driver first starts. Odd hours & inexperience - I can understand how that is a shock to anyone's system & how the person probably would not be in any sort of routine.

 

[TomVexille]

QF WP posted this story elsewhere here so I thought I'd re-post it.

Train operator asleep before Chicago crash - Yahoo!7

As the story mentions & others have mentioned above, it looks as though the driver fell asleep. I mentioned earlier that I don't know the Chicago system & the systems onboard the train.


However based on my experience in the industry locally, falling asleep probably would not have the same result here. Apart from the deadman handle mentioned above, my trains also have what is called a vigilance control system. This system monitors for driver activity & if there is none in a pre-determined period of time, there are various prompts to make sure the driver is still with us. If there's no response after a pre-determined time, the train stops due to the brakes being applied. In addition, there's devices in the signalling system that can be installed on the approach to a dead end such as this to make sure the train does not approach at high speed.

According to the news report I'm quoting, the operator was a newish driver (2 months) and was working odd hours (no surprise to anyone in the industry). It also says that she had been filling in for other employees which in my experience is common when a driver first starts. Odd hours & inexperience - I can understand how that is a shock to anyone's system & how the person probably would not be in any sort of routine.

I also read somewhere that she had previously been reprimanded for falling asleep an missing a station.

 

[mannej]

I also read somewhere that she had previously been reprimanded for falling asleep an missing a station.

That's a great safety culture - blame the person not the system.

 

[TomVexille]

That's a great safety culture - blame the person not the system.

Absolutely

 

[mannej]

Absolutely

Fatigue is a well known issue in shift work, there should be enough red flags instead of just saying don't do it again

 

[TomVexille]

Fatigue is a well known issue in shift work, there should be enough red flags instead of just saying don't do it again

Totally agree. However I suspect HR people and many managers have never worked late/night shifts and have no idea about the reality of it.

 

[erkpod]

totally agree. However i suspect hr people and many managers have never worked late/night shifts and have no idea about the reality of it.

Testify!!!!