Update on the NJ Transit train wreck in Hoboken

The NTSB is now reporting the train that hit Lackawanna Station, killing one woman, was going nearly double the speed limit. Hope you like story problems in school Billy:

The commuter train accelerated from 8 mph about 38 seconds before the crash, which killed one person and injured more than 100 others. The throttle had been in the idle position but moved to a No. 4 position as the train accelerated. Just before the crash, the throttle returned to the idle position and the engineer tried emergency breaking procedures.

Um, what is, uh, er, 45? What? No recess? Goddammit. For those scoring at home the correct answer was 21, the train was going 21mph.

A good read with more information and more on automatic speed control.

With the Hoboken's Lackawanna Terminal in shambles from the NJ Transit train...

...Johnny's first going to send his condolences for the three confirmed dead and his best thoughts for the over 100 injured.

Secondly, today Johnny is going to do something he never does, he's re-running a post from last year about Positive Train Control and how our local congressperson, Rep. Albio Sires was part of a cowardly voice vote to give the transportation companies an additional 3-5 years to add PTC. Sires never stood up in an area rife with train commuters and pushed the issue. He didn't stand on the floor of Congress and demand a quicker fix. Nope, Rep. Albio Sires simply joined everyone with a voice vote, the coward's way out so as not to put your name to a vote, and now we have a huge train crash that quite possibly could have been mitigated by PTC. Time will tell.

SHAME on you Rep. Sires and here is that article:
http://jerseycitydesk.blogspot.com/2015/11/every-so-often-you-have-to-hold-your.html