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Related: About this forumPic Of The Moment: Republicans Think Roads And Railways Are Too Safe, Pledge To Fix That Problem
Repugs working on bill to roll back auto and rail safety regulations
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CaliforniaPeggy
(149,751 posts)SoapBox
(18,791 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)niyad
(113,700 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)wordpix
(18,652 posts)completely hungover with bloodshot eyes and halting speech. He has a very unhealthy appearance. I guess the booze and cigarettes have finally done a number on him.
geretogo
(1,281 posts)ladjf
(17,320 posts)Initech
(100,117 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)when republicans indicated that they would get a transportation bill through. I hope no one thought they were actually going to do the right thing.
Not Sure
(735 posts)the provision to delay or remove the requirement for ECP brakes on oil and ethanol trains is the correct position, in my opinion. Not one case where either oil or ethanol trains have experienced a catastrophic derailment would ECP brakes have made any material difference in the outcome.
ECP brakes represent yet another layer of safety equipment that must be maintained and is subject to failure. The causes of the derailments so far have been rooted in either failure to identify defects or a lack of maintenance, either of the physical plant (the rails, roadbed, drainage structures, etc.) or components of the cars and engines themselves.
The Lac Megantic derailment was the result of several things going wrong and contributing to the disaster, from the insufficient number of handbrakes used to the handbrakes that didn't work (due to lack of maintenance) to the engine failure and subsequent fire (also due to lack of maintenance). ECP brakes would have had zero impact on this derailment.
The derailment in North Dakota outside Fargo was the result of a broken wheel on a train on an adjacent track. Nothing wrong with the oil train until the other train collided with it. The train went into emergency braking almost immediately. ECP brakes could not have applied the brakes faster than two seconds sooner, which would have had no positive effect.
If I remember correctly, the recent derailment in Illinois was the result of a track defect. When the train derailed, the emergency brake was automatically applied. I fail to see how ECP brakes applying in emergency as a reaction to the derailment would have any effect.
I don't particularly care for operating these trains, especially in my area where we recently had so much rain that portions of the track were washed out without warning. But changing the braking system won't do any good. Mandating a hi-rail vehicle immediately precede all of these trains is a good start. Limiting speed to 35 or 40 is also a good idea. Making these trains get extended haul air tests and inspections by qualified personnel at mechanical facilities (in other words, not relying on the contractor at the oil loading facility to perform the inspection and air test on a train they have a vested financial interest in being 100% perfect every time) would also be a great start. Setting a maximum speed these trains can pass another train on adjacent track might also be something to look into. Like in the North Dakota derailment, the problem isn't always with the oil train. A shifted load on a train on the next track could spell doom.
The Republicans fuck up everything they touch. They are so reliable in this regard that it's easy to say, "if they're for it, I'm against it!" But in this one case on this one bill, they got it right.
polynomial
(750 posts)The stopped clock metaphor is a false positive in reasoning, but accurate when it relates to the railroad.
There are many happenings in the railroad especially by my personal experience with the Union Pacific railroad where the time line is convoluted corrupted, lied about, in concert specifically with the Safety Management Team in the Chicago Service Unit.
Currently, my understanding an OSHA complaint is forwarded to the Labor Department and likely scales in through upper management, and, or to Omaha.
Specifically a Union Pacific Safety Management Director is challenged with using the basic Safety Briefing and an Internal Company Investigation as a tool in retribution to cover up an injury.
The Internal Company Investigation was a very fabricated lie. Lies like this using the Safety Briefing which is a requirement before a job duty must never ever be used as tool to lie.
This begs the question about not only the Union Pacific Railroad but the whole system including the United Healthcare Company related to the injury. Most importantly we are talking about a Congress to legislate for a very important industry the Transportation Industry as a source of influence on Human Development.
Bill USA
(6,436 posts)Johonny
(20,927 posts)Need a missile strike against your neighbor just click your Uber app and find a willing partner. The new Jeb! America.
Fritz Walter
(4,292 posts)Who needs Russia?
Who needs Mexican "rapists" or other criminals?
The traitorous bastards on Capitol Hill are destroying the country from the inside.
Those named above can just sit back and patiently watch, chortling in glee at our own folly.
Wake. Up.
We need Bernie NOW!
geretogo
(1,281 posts)IHateTheGOP
(1,059 posts)AllyCat
(16,248 posts)With our family. Stupid Republicans. They really do hate Americans.
ChisolmTrailDem
(9,463 posts)deafskeptic
(463 posts)rladdi
(581 posts)the states they control. They all have bankrupt the state budgets too
wordpix
(18,652 posts)Just use several photos from different kinds of accidents that could have been prevented with better safety infrastructure and rules, and get the voting records of the repukes who want even less safety with this bill. Expose them for the corporate lapdogs they are.
LeftOfWest
(482 posts)are you that earlg????