Amtrak criticized for Main Line fires

[amtrakwolverine]

A series of Main Line fires - including a serious house blaze - caused by a malfunctioning Amtrak locomotive has alarmed Lower Merion residents who live near the busy tracks.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/...Line_fires.html

amtrak refused to stop trains refused firefighters access and said you step on the tracks your trespassing. THAT DISPATCHER NEEDS TO GO TO JAIL FOR ARSON AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.

 

[George Harris]

A series of Main Line fires - including a serious house blaze - caused by a malfunctioning Amtrak locomotive has alarmed Lower Merion residents who live near the busy tracks.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/...Line_fires.html

amtrak refused to stop trains refused firefighters access and said you step on the tracks your trespassing. THAT DISPATCHER NEEDS TO GO TO JAIL FOR ARSON AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.

And you would hang the guy on what you read in a newspaper?

Get real.

Have you ever read anything in a newspaper about which you also had first hand knowledge? If so, was there any resemblence between the story and the reality? To my experience, usually no, and usually not even close.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

THAT IS IT. WHAT THE F IS YOUR PROBLEM AROUND HERE. I GAVE MY OPINON WHICH I HAVE A RIGHT TO AND YOU TELL ME TO GET REAL. WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR FREAKING PROBLEM HUH. THAT DISPACHER NEVER SENT THE SUPERVISER OUT. THAT FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD TO HOUSES. THAT DISPACHER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING SO HE SHOULD GO TO JAIL FOR ARSON AS A ACCOMPLICE. THATS MY OPINION SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT I DON'T GIVE A DARN. IM DONE STARTING THREADS SENSE ALL I GET IS HOSTILITY FROM YOU MEMBERS.

 

[saxman]

Well personally attacking other members of the forum certainly doesn't help make friends man.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

he attacked me first so he started it

 

[AAARGH!]

he attacked me first so he started it

Um, no, I don't think he attacked you, just your opinion. There is a difference.

Perhaps it was a bit too confrontational, but I don't think he was attacking you.

Again, please relax and take a few deep breaths.

As for the original subject, if the article is correct (which is a BIG if (as Saxman points out)), I agree with you 100%. But I also have seen inaccuracies (or outright lies) in newspaper articles, so I will withhold my judgment against the dispatcher. It is possible he did the correct thing based on facts not known to us.

 

[Upstate]

he attacked me first so he started it

welcome back to elementary school

oh, and you don't have a "right to an opinion", you have the ability to give an opinion at the discretion of the mods.

 

[wayman]

A series of Main Line fires - including a serious house blaze - caused by a malfunctioning Amtrak locomotive has alarmed Lower Merion residents who live near the busy tracks.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/...Line_fires.html

amtrak refused to stop trains refused firefighters access and said you step on the tracks your trespassing. THAT DISPATCHER NEEDS TO GO TO JAIL FOR ARSON AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.

And you would hang the guy on what you read in a newspaper?

Get real.

Have you ever read anything in a newspaper about which you also had first hand knowledge? If so, was there any resemblence between the story and the reality? To my experience, usually no, and usually not even close.

As an example of how reporting can sometimes be in error... back in April, the story of these very fires was first reported on this forum by a non-eye-witness who was quite certain that the train was a Keystone and that an AEM7 had gone up in flames. It turns out that it was a ballast train with a GP38 shooting sparks out its exhaust.

 

[haolerider]

THAT IS IT. WHAT THE F IS YOUR PROBLEM AROUND HERE. I GAVE MY OPINON WHICH I HAVE A RIGHT TO AND YOU TELL ME TO GET REAL. WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR FREAKING PROBLEM HUH. THAT DISPACHER NEVER SENT THE SUPERVISER OUT. THAT FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD TO HOUSES. THAT DISPACHER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING SO HE SHOULD GO TO JAIL FOR ARSON AS A ACCOMPLICE. THATS MY OPINION SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT I DON'T GIVE A DARN. IM DONE STARTING THREADS SENSE ALL I GET IS HOSTILITY FROM YOU MEMBERS.

Kiss Alive: You seem to be on the edge of hostility most of the time. This is a pleasant forum where people can express their opinions. You express yours and others express theirs. You seem to express yours generally in all caps, which sets other people off toward you. Personally, I think the story is not complete, but I don't know, since I wasn't there or personally involved. Jumping to conclusions and stating that some one should go to jail for arson and attempted murder just doesn't make sense. As someone else has suggested, take a deep breath, walk around the block and continue to post on the board, but maybe toning it down a bit will help.

 

[GG-1]

THAT IS IT. WHAT THE F IS YOUR PROBLEM AROUND HERE. I GAVE MY OPINON WHICH I HAVE A RIGHT TO

Aloha

When I first saw this I was going to hide it, and refer this to the other moderators, for a joint opinion. But I see there are some good responses. Please don't get upset by what I am about to say. For some reason you seem to have a very short fuse, and think people are out to get you. I do not understand why you think this, as from all the messages I see you post, you are a very intelligent young man. Yet any time someone disagrees with you it is a personal attack. Can you explain this feeling to us? I believe this group to be the most open, friendly, wide mixture, of people with a common interest. You are part of it, yet you are also upset by differences. This is odd to be because you have chosen the moniker of a band that was/is known to be following it's own direction. Never phased by the reactions from fans or the general public.

For the moment Iwill do nothing else, but alert the other mods. but if I see more "shouting" or borderline profanity I will close/hide this untill the other 4 express their opinion

Please All calm Down

Mahalo

Eric

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

The train was powered by two diesel locomotives. The second one - a 40-year-old engine - shot sparks high into the air from its exhaust stack.
"Sparks were spewing out of the back of the first car or the top of the second car. . . . It was like they were falling out of the engine. It looked like a giant sparkler," said Jacqueline Scharff, who watched from her backyard patio as the train passed slowly.

This is why I wouldn't buy too much of this article, as far as technical specs are concerned. The fact that its a GP38 and that is the sole cause of the fire (as the reporter constantly makes reference to the age of the engine) obviously shows he is being mislead. GP38s are in service everywhere and for just about ever Class I railroad. They aren't firebugs, rather, they've proven to be reliable engines.

Faulty upkeep, maybe a bad part-- probably. Age? No way.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

THAT IS IT. WHAT THE F IS YOUR PROBLEM AROUND HERE. I GAVE MY OPINON WHICH I HAVE A RIGHT TO AND YOU TELL ME TO GET REAL. WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR FREAKING PROBLEM HUH. THAT DISPACHER NEVER SENT THE SUPERVISER OUT. THAT FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD TO HOUSES. THAT DISPACHER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING SO HE SHOULD GO TO JAIL FOR ARSON AS A ACCOMPLICE. THATS MY OPINION SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT I DON'T GIVE A DARN. IM DONE STARTING THREADS SENSE ALL I GET IS HOSTILITY FROM YOU MEMBERS.

You have a right to your opinion, KA. I wouldn't take it away from you, and neither would the Mods on this forum. You also, however, have the responsibility to express that opinion calmly and politely. I don't know about other members of this board, but I will speak for myself. I have very limited respect for your opinions. Not because of what you say, because I stopped paying attention to it long ago. But because of the way you say it. You are always on the edge of both hostility and hysteria.

You have limited facts in this instance. You know the information present in a sketchy article at best beset, primarily, with the opinions of the unwashed masses. This is an interesting basis to go do some solid research and dig up more information to decide for yourself upon. It is not useful for forming a direct opinion. It doesn't contain nearly enough information.

Most people around here don't particularly like my opinions, and I have been, uh, heckled by certain members over time with regards to my opinions, as well as in fashions that are less appropriate. I have occasionally made some remarks in kind, but I don't start tirading in all caps that they should F THIS AND SCREW THAT AND I HATE YOU ALL I'M NOT POSTING HERE ANYMORE!

You see, I have met very intelligent people who are not respected, and people that are total fools that are. The difference is in presentation. Don't just be careful in what opinions you express- in fact, within the realm of sanity, there is very limited need to censor your opinions. Be very careful, however, in the tone, timbre, nature, and attitude with which you present it.

Please take this in the way it was intended- friendly advice- and not as an attack.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

*Avoids the flame war*

Where did Amtrak get GP38s? I love the old High Hoods in the NS Lively were they NS locos or does Amtrak keep GP38s on the roster?

 

[the_traveler]

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, yes. But they are just that - that person's opinion. Here is a timeline of this thread's postings.

You started this thread. 2 minutes later, there was 1 other post. Less than 5 minutes after the thread, your post was #3 - which was in ALL CAPS and you said it was a personal attack! I think you do have a short fuse, and need to calm down! People may disagree with me or find fault with me, but I don't take it as a "personal attack against me" - but as them expressing their opinion.

You have as much of a right to post as anyone else.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

*Avoids the flame war*
Where did Amtrak get GP38s? I love the old High Hoods in the NS Lively were they NS locos or does Amtrak keep GP38s on the roster?

BNSF has loads of them around-- perhaps BN or SF gave em up in 1971?

 

[caravanman]

Please remember this is just a forum.. If any of us had anything worthwhile to do, we wouldn't be on here!

Ed

 

[Neil_M]

THAT IS IT. WHAT THE F IS YOUR PROBLEM AROUND HERE. I GAVE MY OPINON WHICH I HAVE A RIGHT TO AND YOU TELL ME TO GET REAL. WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR FREAKING PROBLEM HUH. THAT DISPACHER NEVER SENT THE SUPERVISER OUT. THAT FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD TO HOUSES. THAT DISPACHER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING SO HE SHOULD GO TO JAIL FOR ARSON AS A ACCOMPLICE. THATS MY OPINION SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT I DON'T GIVE A DARN. IM DONE STARTING THREADS SENSE ALL I GET IS HOSTILITY FROM YOU MEMBERS.

You have a right to your opinion, KA. I wouldn't take it away from you, and neither would the Mods on this forum. You also, however, have the responsibility to express that opinion calmly and politely. I don't know about other members of this board, but I will speak for myself. I have very limited respect for your opinions. Not because of what you say, because I stopped paying attention to it long ago. But because of the way you say it. You are always on the edge of both hostility and hysteria.

You have limited facts in this instance. You know the information present in a sketchy article at best beset, primarily, with the opinions of the unwashed masses. This is an interesting basis to go do some solid research and dig up more information to decide for yourself upon. It is not useful for forming a direct opinion. It doesn't contain nearly enough information.

Most people around here don't particularly like my opinions, and I have been, uh, heckled by certain members over time with regards to my opinions, as well as in fashions that are less appropriate. I have occasionally made some remarks in kind, but I don't start tirading in all caps that they should F THIS AND SCREW THAT AND I HATE YOU ALL I'M NOT POSTING HERE ANYMORE!

You see, I have met very intelligent people who are not respected, and people that are total fools that are. The difference is in presentation. Don't just be careful in what opinions you express- in fact, within the realm of sanity, there is very limited need to censor your opinions. Be very careful, however, in the tone, timbre, nature, and attitude with which you present it.

Please take this in the way it was intended- friendly advice- and not as an attack.

Spot on. Well said.

 

[Ryan]

Wow, Neil agreeing with GML? That's the true definition of being on the wrong side of things when you get these two to agree!

 

[tp49]

Hopefully I'm not violating the article quoting protocol here but this passage from the article struck me.

Lack of cooperationAs fire companies scrambled to respond to reports of blazes springing up along the line, "we did not receive the cooperation we needed from Amtrak," McGarvey said.

An Amtrak dispatcher at 30th Street Station said he would only slow trains down, not stop them, McGarvey said, and that if firefighters went onto Amtrak property, "we'd be trespassing."

Trains continued to pass through the fire zone until firefighters placed flares on the tracks to stop the trains about 9:15 p.m., nearly a half-hour after the first fire call at 8:47, McGarvey said.

Amtrak officials blamed a "miscommunication" between the dispatcher and the fire chief. Karina Romero, a spokeswoman in Washington for Amtrak, said the dispatcher was "asking them to await Amtrak supervisors on the scene" for their own safety because of overhead electrical lines.

"I think he [McGarvey] took that to mean [the dispatcher] wasn't going to stop traffic," Romero said.

Not so, said McGarvey.

Amtrak's PR people are immediately backtracking here. It's a CYA move because for the fire department to access the area would not be a trespass as the dispatcher is reported to have said. The overhead electrical lines, while an issue would not be a great danger to trained fire operations personnel. The level of danger would be about as much as it would for overhead power lines which I'm sure they deal with regularly and they could always call for a power cut.

Honestly, in a situation like this I'm apt to believe the Fire Department's account of events because in general they would not go to the press unless something like this happened. I'm also sure that if the dispatcher either was disciplined or is awaiting it.

*EDIT: for violating the bad typing protocol. There is no "q" in atricle.

 

[AlanB]

*Avoids the flame war*
Where did Amtrak get GP38s? I love the old High Hoods in the NS Lively were they NS locos or does Amtrak keep GP38s on the roster?

BNSF has loads of them around-- perhaps BN or SF gave em up in 1971?

Not sure how Amtrak got them, but they've owned 5 of them now for many years. And they are on the roster.

 

[catblue]

Opinions are like belly buttons everybody has on and they are all different.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

*Avoids the flame war*
Where did Amtrak get GP38s? I love the old High Hoods in the NS Lively were they NS locos or does Amtrak keep GP38s on the roster?

BNSF has loads of them around-- perhaps BN or SF gave em up in 1971?

Not sure how Amtrak got them, but they've owned 5 of them now for many years. And they are on the roster.

Well the good ol' OTOL Equipment Roster said this.

These units were rebuilt from the former Go Transit GP40s by NS at the Juniata Locomotive Shops with the same numbers as now: 520-527

So I guess they are Go Transits. Amtrak put a nice paint job on them I must admit.

 

[AlanB]

*Avoids the flame war*
Where did Amtrak get GP38s? I love the old High Hoods in the NS Lively were they NS locos or does Amtrak keep GP38s on the roster?

BNSF has loads of them around-- perhaps BN or SF gave em up in 1971?

Not sure how Amtrak got them, but they've owned 5 of them now for many years. And they are on the roster.

Well the good ol' OTOL Equipment Roster said this.

These units were rebuilt from the former Go Transit GP40s by NS at the Juniata Locomotive Shops with the same numbers as now: 520-527

So I guess they are Go Transits. Amtrak put a nice paint job on them I must admit.

Well that would depend on whether Amtrak sent out one the Road GP38H-3 units or one of the Switching GP38 units on the ballast train.

 

[wayman]

Well that would depend on whether Amtrak sent out one the Road GP38H-3 units or one of the Switching GP38 units on the ballast train.

A slightly related question... why was there a ballast train on the Main Line at 9pm or thereabouts? Normally those things only roll long after hours. The several-times-weekly Amtrak ballast train to the Glen Mills quarry often rolls through Lansdowne around midnight or one in the morning. So I was really surprised to read that's what this was at that hour....

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Well that would depend on whether Amtrak sent out one the Road GP38H-3 units or one of the Switching GP38 units on the ballast train.

While I know the GP38H-3s are listed as road power, does Amtrak ever actually assign those dinosaurs to passenger trains anymore? Even NJT has retired those things, and I heard the GP40s are gonna go after the DMs get in.