[Esppe Pete]

condolencenes to all Involved in this trajady. Especially for the 4 crew members of the UP in the Evolution headed freight train.

If you know the topography in this are all rail fans knew it was the Metrolink engineer who blew it and paid with his and his passengers lives.

The UP Mixed Frieght was heading Southbound traveling DOWNHILL from the Summit. We all know that you don't stop a frieght train comming downhill. I belive The metrolink was in the hole and came out against a red signal.

The speeds involved were not that high but the Kinetic energy behind the mass of the UP frieght coming downhill is what drove the Metrolink engine into her first passanger car and where most of the fatalities occured. The impact point was probably 100+ feet uphill from where they came to rest. With the mass of the Frieght plowing downhill into the Metrolink.

Ridership was at an all time high in So Cal due to fuel prices which are some of the Highest in the nation.
We desperately need double track from Santa Barbara to San Diego to prevent these accidents and handle frieght traffic.

Pete

 

[Esppe Pete]

Saturday 7:15pm Coast Starlight Just went through Ventura. Line is Open.

Pete

 

[Esppe Pete]

The more you here about this accident the more I think the Metrolink Engineer was dead at the controls or he committed suicide. THis could have been an even worse if the trains colloied inside the tunnel which was only a few hundered yards to the north. All of that frieght train mass plowing into passanger cars with latteral energy release, Fire, no light, smoke, no escape!

Like 9/11 and the World trade center which was populated by 60,000+ workers and the subsequent mortality rate, we can be thankful for some mercy.