From: stephen@sprunk.org   
      
   On 29-Aug-14 12:38, Joseph D. Korman wrote:   
   > The train operator failed to get clarification about what was   
   > obviously a confusing or incorrect order.   
      
   Was this truly "obvious", or were strange orders common and the TO had   
   learned not to question them?   
      
   > The conductor failed to ask the T/O or the dispatcher for   
   > clarification.   
      
   So the second human made the same mistake as the first human?  I guess   
   that shows the "benefit" of having two humans rather than one: twice the   
   union dues for no actual improvement in safety.   
      
   Computers aren't perfect, but they make _different_ mistakes than humans   
   do, so they're more likely to catch each other.   
      
   > As luck would have it, at least the T/O was operating at a slow   
   > speed and had time to stop when she saw the southbound at W4th.   
      
   If that line was unsignaled, wouldn't he have been limited to Restricted   
   speed by rule?   
      
   > That southbound would not have had a stop and stay, as there are no   
   > switches between 34th St and Canal on the express track.   
      
   Wouldn't the southbound train have gotten a "Stop and Proceed"   
   indication, which means moving at Restricted speed by rule?   
      
   This scenario is one of the reasons that Restricted speed means being   
   able to stop within half of the sight distance: if two trains are moving   
   toward each other at Restricted speed, they can stop in time to prevent   
   a collision.   
      
   S   
      
   --   
   Stephen Sprunk         "God does not play dice."  --Albert Einstein   
   CCIE #3723         "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the   
   K5SSS        dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking   
      
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