Close call in Fostoria

Any closer and it would have been in the National News.  How could a mix-up like that Occur?

The news story doesn't appear to be correct. The train on the right is identified as an NS train, but it has CSX power. I think they have it backwards. It would appear that the NS train (with UP run-through power) was in the interlocking and the CSX train did the emergency stop. In any case, for this incident to tie up the whole town for 4 hours is absolutely ridiculous.

The closing of F tower in Fostoria has been rife with controversy. If this is a dispatching or computer interlocking error, that's a huge problem. Given that the article says this is the second time this has happened since F tower closed, it would seem likely this is the problem. If it was a crew not paying attention and running a red signal, that's a whole different issue.

Here is a satellite view of the "Iron Triangle."

Here is a map of the Fostoria rail lines.  The violet and rust colored lines are abandoned and no longer in existence.  There are a LOT of tracks in a very confined area.  I don't know why F tower was closed, other than cost cutting.  With trains traveling in all directions, visual confirmation of movements is almost required.  How can a dispatcher in Indy know where trains are in a situation like this?  

I'll be the first to admit that I know very little about real railroad operations.  I have great respect for the people that run and dispatch the trains on a daily basis.  I'm just trying to apply a little common sense to the situation.

Tom

any closer and the city of fostoria would have been redesigned plus we would be minus 1 railfan park . supposingly the train across the diamond was a loaded ethanal tank train. i would bet ellen knows whats going on there.-Jim

Early info is the CSX crew was not qualified on the connection they were using and mis-read the signals.

With that being said, just for safety reasons alone , shouldn't they have kept the tower open? Regardless of crew qualifications, if someone hadn't of stopped this could of been serious. Better to have eyes on then rely on computers.

Not to the bean counters. I bet the CSX crew had to change their underwear.  Just wait until they start this PTC stuff.

All I'll say is that the Engineer stops the train - not the Towerman.  There have been some pretty big wrecks right outside the windows of interlocking towers.

However, it's always good to fully investigate before placing blame, and especially in conditions such as this, when a recent cutover to CTC has replaced a complex interlocker at a junction and crossing.  Occasionally, something has been wired incorrectly or has been left open.  The Signal Department has to test everything, but there are hours of service issues that work against stated deadlines for replacement with CTC, and there have been a few instances of the Signal Department hurrying to get everything finished within the federal hours limitations for Signalmen and supervisors involved in the testing.