Investigators and first responders work near the wreckage of an Amtrak passenger train carrying more than 200 passengers from Washington, D.C., to New York that derailed last Wednesday in north Philadelphia. (Win McNamee, Getty Images)
Re: “Philadelphia Amtrak crash kills 5,” May 13 news story.
Current technology allows speed-limit signs to be read by in-vehicle sensors, allowing warnings to drivers (or the auto-regulation of vehicle speed). Such technology would work for cars and 18-wheelers, though our infringement-sensitive public would no doubt complain. Airlines are at the other end of the spectrum, with automation of multiple parameters — speed, altitude, fuel — and nobody complains. But trains? Where are the automated controls?
In two recent incidents, trains have been driven at high speeds into “slow-speed” curves, resulting in tragic, lethal catastrophes. Letap be serious. Another train-related major disaster cannot be tolerated, even if against union rules or engineer preferences. Which means we must install whatever automated controls are necessary to prevent trains from exceeding maximum allowable speed limits. Not installing such controls is stupid, but allowing another preventable lethal wreck is even stupider.
John Turley, Littleton
This letter was published in the May 18 edition.
Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
