With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Metrolink engineer banned from railroad, another under investigation
File photo: A conductor steps down from the engine of a Metrolink train on the Los Angeles-bound Monday morning commute September 15, 2008 in Chatsworth, California.
(
David McNew/Getty Images
)
A Metrolink train engineer who covered a camera aimed at him has been banned from the railroad and another is under investigation for allegedly blocking the electronic eyes put into locomotives after the deadly 2008 collision in Chatsworth, it was reported today.
The engineer driving the train in the Sept. 12, 2008, collision, which killed 25 people, was sending text messages via his cellular telephone and had just run a red light before the commuter train hit a freighter head-on.
Attorneys for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, however, have argued that the cameras are creating a safety hazard, because sun visors have been reconfigured to carry the cameras.
That, according to the union, has increased glare and made it harder to see speed indicators, according to a federal lawsuit challenging use of the cameras. The case is being watched as a test of a key safety reform being sought nationwide.
Sponsor
Metrolink spokeswoman Angela Starr said an investigation of the engineer banned from the railroad concluded that he was trying to block the camera's view, first by turning the device and later by putting a visor in front of the lens.
Union officials declined comment to The Times on the two recent cases.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Today, on Giving Tuesday, your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why on this Giving Tuesday, we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Today, on Giving Tuesday, your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why on this Giving Tuesday, we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
