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based on the pictures and my experience with the station it would seem the train would have had to had significant momentum to break through. Isnt there a barrier at the end
tragic none the less
From all accounts, it was going too fast, not slowing as a train would when it's chugging into the terminal.
I can verify only this much: Hoboken is what is known as a "stub" station -- only one line in or out. The trains stop at the end of the track, load and unload, and reverse for another trip -- or go to the "coach yard" until the evening rush hour.
Apparently, the train failed to stop and plowed into the bumping post at the end of the track. These are usually very substantial; hence the first car was likely ripped open and the injuries very serious. There was a very similar accident in Washington's Union Station back in 1953, but in that case, the train went through a wall into a vacant room, the floor of which then collapsed (happily, no one died in that wreck).
So at this point, the big question is why the incoming train didn't (or maybe couldn't) stop.
The Washington accident, BTW, was eventually attributed to an air brake failure, and the engineer completely exonerated. No guarantee that that's what happened here, but let's not rush to judgement.
Last edited by 2nd trick op; 09-29-2016 at 10:11 AM..
I just heard someone sayon TV that car services are charging up to $80 for trips to Manhattan because of all the commuters stranded with PATH and NJT shut down.
What dickwads people are.
The AG will go after them for price gouging, don't worry.
The title of this thread is sensationalist. The terminal did not collapse. It was struck and damaged. Neither did the trainshed collapse. It too was damaged.
I'm not there, but I've yet to hear that anything has collapsed.
The title of this thread is sensationalist. The terminal did not collapse. It was struck and damaged. Neither did the trainshed collapse. It too was damaged.
I'm not there, but I've yet to hear that anything has collapsed.
Locomotives have a throttle; not a wheel, to paraphrase Mr. Dylan, don't criticize what you won't take some time to learn about.
I meant falling asleep at the wheel quite literally as a commonly used phrase. Besides what difference does it make, people are dead and you are only concerned about linguistic accuracy.
The title of this thread is sensationalist. The terminal did not collapse. It was struck and damaged. Neither did the trainshed collapse. It too was damaged.
I'm not there, but I've yet to hear that anything has collapsed.
The terminal has sustained heavy damage. Part of the roof did collapse (it's in pictures) and from what I understand the train went at least partially through the building. Apparently they are dealing with people who were crushed by falling debris.
my question is do they even have a automatic safety system to stop the train at the hoboken station deadend ramp.
Not that I know of. However they do have an system that will stop the train if the engineer is not holding the throttle. So, if he/she has a heart attack or something, the train will slow and stop automatically.
The problem is, it takes 60 seconds to activate. Besides going too fast approaching the station (that's what I heard anyway), if the engineer had a health problem 50 seconds before entering the station, the safety would not engage in time.
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