Originally Posted by
Captn Roy
Years ago a train that was able to travel at top speed was most likely doing from 30 to 60 some MPH. Today a train travels at much higher rates of speed and with the amount of weight they carry and the stresses the tracks are subjected to the maintenance required is incredible. The evolution of the industry on mechanical terms is shamefully inadequate. A very good example of this is the horrendous accident that occured not so long ago in the next town over to where I live. People were blown to smithereens, burned to death and literally just disappeared. Granted this had nothing to do with the track conditions but did have everything to do with common mechanics. If common mechanics cannot be kept to date in an industry how could they ever begin to figure out the complexities of track corrugation? We must be more demanding of the people operating these types of large transportation industries if we are ever to hope to stop burying our loved ones over senseless industrial neglect.
rr