NJ Transit Train Crash - Yeah, I used to take those trains!
 

If you're looking at the reports of the train crash in NJ at the Hoboken train Station, I am totally familiar with that as I commuted on those trains daily for 12 years.

A couple of thoughts... First, the MSM (as usual) got it wrong at first (although they may have corrected the report since then). These trains are "push pull" trains with one engine (usually) at the front of the train. They ususally "push" on their way into the Hoboken terminal (unless it's a snowy day and they need the engine in front). But the engineer is *not* in the engine when it is pushing (as reported by the MSM). The last car on the train is called a "cab car" and contains a compartment with all the needed controls for the engineer (similar to a motorman on a Subway). That's where I'm sure this engineer was.

As to the speed of travel, it's difficult for me to comprehend that the train could be traveling at "full speed" as described by the MSM. "Full Speed" is as high as 70-80mph! As these trains approach the Hoboken terminal, they have to go through a switch and then through a long tunnel before entering the main Hoboken Terminal switch. They usually do this at 35-40mph. When entering the terminal switch, At most it's running at 25-30mph through the switch. Any faster and one runs the risk of jumping the switch. As they enter the final track in the terminal after switching, at most we should be talking 10-15 mph and slowing down.

I don't know what happened, but we'll find out, hopefully. I'm looking at the damage on video and it's devastating. A lot of commuters are going to be affected by this. I understand the entire terminal is being sealed off. The best they'll be able to do is bus people into the area just outside the terminal and let them take the PATH train or the NY Waterway Ferry into the city. Alternatively, they can take the "Midtown Direct" service into mid-town Manhattan (i.e. the train goes on Amtrak tracks into NY Penn St.). But that's already way overloaded as it is. Hoboken is more for "downtown" NY and Wall St. areas.

Anyway, a tragic event, and my thoughts and prayers go to the victims and injured. I understand the engineer is in critical condition. I hope he recovers and can help shed some light on what happened.

Prayers out to all involved.

Prayers indeed.

Isn't this the same station where they found pipe bombs last week???

No, that would be the "Elizabeth NJ" train station on a different line.

Here is the system map.

http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/Rail_System_Map.pdf

The train involved was on the "Spring Valley" line (purple), but it really could have been any train that reaches the destination of Hoboken Terminal. The Elizabeth Station is on the "Northeast Corridor" line (red) which terminates at "New York Penn" station. This line is also shared by Amtrak for it's main North/South routes, including the "Acela" train service.

I used to travel on the "Morristown" Line (green) to either Hoboken or New York Penn. All trains going to Hoboken meet at a switch just outside of Hoboken in Jersey City. They then travel through a long tunnel which bores through a ridge of hills near the shore line. Upon exiting the tunnels, they enter the main yard switch. It's the only way in or out of the terminal.

One of the other problems is that it is very likely that a lot of the passengers were standing in line (i.e. out of the seats) preparing to disembark the train, at the point of impact. They can't leave the car and go into the vestibule between cars (although some do... they aren't supposed to), but they can stand just behind the door to each vestibule. That would result in a greater number of injuries.

This is going to get ugly!!!

They suspecting an accident or something else?

^^^^ This

The "official" response is that it was an accident. No Foul Play involved. Supposedly, the engineer is cooperating with authorities, even though he is in critical condition. So we'll see what happened.

Realistically, unless someone shot the engineer, I doubt anything could have happened to him. There are redundant break systems on the train so I doubt it was a fault in the breaks. Sometimes, the conductors will even practice applying the hand break as the train is rolling into the terminal in addition to the engineer hitting his/her breaks.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles are all dangerous, prayers

Prayers for them for certain....very sad situation!

An Update: The investigators recovered the 2nd data recorder, the engineer's cell phone, and the videos from the front facing camera, all from the front of the train that crashed into the station. They have determined from them that the train entered the station track at 8mph (within the speed limit) but accelerated to 21mph while entering. They also determined that the engineer applied the emergency brake approximately 1 second before the point of impact.

This does not bode well for the engineer. I think he can kiss his career goodbye. :mob: