The Muni's Derailing Problems
David Kaye
now, especially after an $8 million fix?
spamtrap1888
> Does anybody here have any answers about the Muni's derailing problems? Why
> now, especially after an $8 million fix?
The papers never report any root causes. Either Muni doesn't know or
isn't telling. Compare to the reporting on the CTA's recent 'L'
derailment, from the Tribune:
"Investigators determined that the train operator disobeyed a "stop"
signal and caused the derailment by driving the train over a track
switch that was not aligned for the train to pass safely"
Stan de SD
If the articles posted by the SF Comical in their new on-line site
(sfgate.com) are any indication, it's clear that nobody in the SF
media (outside perhaps a popular yet cantankerous radio show host on
the call-letter deficient station) has much of a clue how railway
equipment works, much less the inclination to get off their lazy asses
and do some work. Derailments can be related to the track (out of
gauge, too tight curvature, debris in flangeways/frogs/switchpoints),
vehicles (wheel/flange profile, wheelbase length, harmonic vibrations/
oscillations during operation, high center of gravity) or operator
issues (excessive speed, heavy braking in curves). None of this is
really rocket science (your typical nerdy train-buff kid can tell you
more than you ever wanted to know), but the type of old-school
gruntwork and pounding the pavement to get the whole story is likely
too much effort for your typical AP-wire-spoonfed J-school graduate
these days.
Interestingly enough, this member of an older generation remembers a
chronic derailment issue with Amtrak's first generation of new diesel-
electric locomotives (EMD SDP40Fs for you foamer types). This issue
perplexed Amtrak for several years in the 1970's, as this particular
design was a minor modification of the six-axle GM locomotives that
Amtrak's main tenants (UP, BN, ATSF, Conrail) rostered in the
thousands, with negligible problems (in fact, 18 of the Amtrak units
were later sold to the Santa Fe which used them for years without
complaint). The problem was so severe that most of the class were
eventually scrapped while only a few years old, with the prime movers
and electricals re-used for a four-axle variant (F40PH). Years after
the fact, it was noted that the water tanks used for the steam
generator were located relatively high in the carbody, and lacked
proper internal baffling. The hypothesis was that the combination of a
higher than normal center of gravity and centrifugal force of water
sloshing around when the locomotives went into curves at passenger
train speeds resulted in enough momentum to momentarily lift the
locomotive wheels on the inboard side of the curve, causing the
derailments. I would hope that MUNI would have better luck in
resolving such issues in a timely manner, but I have my doubts.
John David Galt
> signal and caused the derailment by driving the train over a track
> switch that was not aligned for the train to pass safely"
Am I right in thinking that Muni's drivers, like most on federally funded
transit systems, are next to impossible to fire because of union rules?
If that's the problem, the only solution is to privatize the system.
David Kaye
>If the articles posted by the SF Comical in their new on-line site
>(sfgate.com) are any indication, [....]
SFGate is 15 years old. That is new? Did you also call Pope John Paul II
"that new pope" when he died after 27 years in office?
>[....] but the type of old-school
>gruntwork and pounding the pavement to get the whole story is likely
>too much effort for your typical AP-wire-spoonfed J-school graduate
>these days.
You have no idea what you're talking about. J-school grads are just as
anxious to do investigative reporting as any previous reporters. The trouble
is that MANAGEMENT is not paying for this. They don't want someone spending
days on a story; they want them spending hours, or preferably minutes on a
story. J-school grads are itching to do real reporting. That's why so many
of them have turned to blogging.
David Kaye
>Am I right in thinking that Muni's drivers, like most on federally funded
>transit systems, are next to impossible to fire because of union rules?
No, you're not right. Like most unionized jobs, Muni drivers are given fair
hearings and can be fired for cause, but not fired capriciously. When I did
undercover investigations for the Muni, I managed to get a cable car conductor
fired for stealing fares. And this was a couple decades ago when unions were
far stronger than they are today.
>
>If that's the problem, the only solution is to privatize the system.
You're silly. The reason why there are no longer 12 privately-owned transit
system in SF is because they can't make any money in private hands. The last
private transit system to be absorbed into the Muni was Cal Cable, and that
was a problem of not making enough money to pay their liability insurance.
You know, John David, you need to read a little history.
Stan de SD
> Stan de SD <stand...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >If the articles posted by the SF Comical in their new on-line site
> >(sfgate.com) are any indication, [....]
>
> SFGate is 15 years old. That is new? Did you also call Pope John Paul II
> "that new pope" when he died after 27 years in office?
>
> >[....] but the type of old-school
> >gruntwork and pounding the pavement to get the whole story is likely
> >too much effort for your typical AP-wire-spoonfed J-school graduate
> >these days.
>
> You have no idea what you're talking about. J-school grads are just as
> anxious to do investigative reporting as any previous reporters.
Yeah, right. I was a photo stringer for a major So Cal newspaper for
many years, and from what I saw the average J-school product views him/
herself as some advocate for "change" or "saving the world". They go
to the same canned, self-proclaimed "experts" to get the opinion that
fits into their agenda, and call it a wrap.
Stan de SD
> John David Galt <j...@diogenes.sacramento.ca.us> wrote:
>
> >Am I right in thinking that Muni's drivers, like most on federally funded
> >transit systems, are next to impossible to fire because of union rules?
>
> No, you're not right. Like most unionized jobs, Muni drivers are given fair
> hearings and can be fired for cause, but not fired capriciously. When I did
> undercover investigations for the Muni, I managed to get a cable car conductor
> fired for stealing fares.
Well, hats off to you. You actually had a real job once...
David Kaye
>Yeah, right. I was a photo stringer for a major So Cal newspaper for
>many years, and from what I saw the average J-school product views him/
>herself as some advocate for "change" or "saving the world". They go
>to the same canned, self-proclaimed "experts" to get the opinion that
>fits into their agenda, and call it a wrap.
But was that ever any different from journalism of bygone days? I call your
attention to the movie, "His Girl Friday" in which the reporters go to the
same old sources to get the same old news.
You can watch it on archive.org in case you've forgotten the movie:
http://www.archive.org/details/HisGirlFriday
David Kaye
>
>Well, hats off to you. You actually had a real job once...
Don't be an asshole (I know how hard that is for you to refrain). I've had
plenty of jobs from furniture mover to restaurant owner, radio talkshow host
to cannery line worker.
Jonz
Heh... Which means you did not last very long at any of your prior jobs
or you are a hell of a lot older than you pretend to be.
jonz
Stan de SD
You seem to be a bit cranky. Is it that time of month again, David?
Stan de SD
>
> >> Well, hats off to you. You actually had a real job once...
>
> > Don't be an asshole (I know how hard that is for you to refrain). I've had
> > plenty of jobs from furniture mover to restaurant owner, radio talkshow host
> > to cannery line worker.
>
> Heh... Which means you did not last very long at any of your prior jobs
> or you are a hell of a lot older than you pretend to be.
Nah, I'm sure that David was reasonably competent in most of his
occupations, with the possible exception of talkshow host. He probably
received more than one written warning at the cannery while singing
the "Internationale" along with the other writers/artists-turned-
lumpen-proletariat... :O|
David Kaye
>
>You seem to be a bit cranky. Is it that time of month again, David?
So, you think accusing someone of being a woman is an insult? I think you
have more emotional problems than anybody here can help with.
David Kaye
> Heh... Which means you did not last very long at any of your prior jobs
> or you are a hell of a lot older than you pretend to be.
It means that I'm older than you are, and coming from a poor family I often
held two jobs at once.
Stan de SD
I had three jobs at once. Heck, I have had 2 jobs most of my life...
Stan de SD
> Stan de SD <stand...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> >You seem to be a bit cranky. Is it that time of month again, David?
>
> So, you think accusing someone of being a woman is an insult?
I didn't ACCUSE you of being a women, and besides, that would be
considered a compliment in some parts of Frisco, especially in certain
parts of the 'Loin. I just think you're a but humorless at times,
that's all.