The
first westbound run took almost 15 minutes since the train operated at
about 30
mph.We detrained and walked the length
of the train and occupied Metrolink 800.Someone asked why there was a small camera was in the windshield
of #800
and it turned out to be a video camera of all eastbound movements fed
to a
monitor in the Silver Lariat car.The
first eastbound movement started at 10:26
am
and immediately we
encountered a restricted speed problem due to stopping short of signals
to the
west.Sheriff Smith had suggested 65 mph
speed for the first eastbound run, but we could not.We had to stop at Union Pacific Control Point
Walnut and call the dispatcher for permission to pass the red signal.
Everyone
in the cab was intensely looking for
the warning gates to start to close and then see if any motorist
attempted to
illegally cross the tracks.One thing I
noticed about engineer Angel Velazquez was his excellent vision.Train crews call out colored signals as they
see them and Angel was calling out signals long before I could see them.The train proceeded through the City of Industry
station and we kept
going eastbound until we sat on the single track and waited for our
green
signal again.
Between
Fairway Drive and Nogales street, an eastbound container train
met the O.L. train. This provided a moment which causes train
crews a
small amount of anixity. There were northbound motorists waiting
for
that eastbound train to clear the Nogales Street crossing and
unaware
of the O.L. train approaching. I heard engineer Angel blowing the
horn. After the eastbound train cleared the crossing no motorist
tried
to cross in front of the O.L. train. This train crew was very
observant of all aspects of operating the O.L. passenger train.
Above, law enforcement stopped this unfortunate motorist.
The
second
westbound run did attain 65 mph speed.There was debate amongst the crew and Metrolink Sheriff about
which
speed was better for this operation.The
crew rightly pointed out that a faster train warns the highway-rail
grade
crossing earlier and thus motorists are stopped sooner.Few if any motorists tried to run the
crossing at our fast speed.A slower
train can get closer to a crossing before the warning devices are
activated.Engineer Angel Velazquez
maintained that either way it is difficult for a motorist to look up or
down a
track and be able to tell the speed of an oncoming train.According to Operation Lifesaver statistics,
half of all collisions occur with a train speed below 30 mph.The train crew extended the westbound run
about one mile so that we could catch a fresh green signal and have
unrestricted
speed eastbound.
At
11
am
Sheriff Smith announced that this would be
our last run as they needed to reassemble the troops for debriefing and
collection of statistics.This also
provided a break during which everyone was treated to lunch aboard
Silver
Lariat.The train was again parked at
the City of Industry
station until it was
to return to Los
Angeles.Before the train stopped, the train crew
invited me to return to Los
Angeles
with them.I hesitated for a moment
thinking that my car
was going to remain at City of Industry.With Metrolink trains on this line, my return
was assured.The
O.L. train remained at City of Industry
for about 20 more
minutes before law enforcement finished their paperwork.
According to
Metrolink Sheriff Steve Smith, the local law enforcement officers
issued 46 moving violations and 11 pedestrian violations.
