just saw that video reported the news. these sensors have been around for decades, my bet is that the Railroad has been slacking on maintenance and Norfolk Southern has a long lobbying history getting over on the Dept of Transportation by throwing cash at them for lax regulation.
Norfolk Southern has a lot to explain here. sensor failures, operators not being observant. don't these trains have rear-view mirrors? they should have cameras as well.
Originally Posted by The_Waco_Kid
Rear view mirrors are for a reverse move. By time the engineer sees a problem in the mirror, it is too late. If there indeed was an equipment problem, the defect detector should have caught it and sent a warning to the train crew. Would be kind of difficult to determine after the intense flames immersed the equipment.