Yesterday afternoon I posted and then left for nearby Chatsworth.I was meeting another arcaheologist to look over an old excavation of a 19th century chinese labour campsite.
It is near the tunnel and I was apparently a few meters from discovering 'Shorty' Shea's remains, one of Charlie Manson's victims. A short walk over the tunnel, and you are in L.A. county viewing 'Stoney Point' famous movie location for countless shoots.
It was no film stunt as We watched the metro and a Santa Fe Frieght train collide.

I grabbed my car first aid kit, two blankets and ran down to the wreck. I helped a few people from the third car, my blankets covered two beyond help and my first aid kit was soon an empty nylon bag.
I watched Sherriff Deputy Eber, a passenger who immediately called in on his service radio helping others. He eventually collapsed with a broken clavical,sternum, ribs,hand and punctured leg wound.
I was soon pulled back as the emergency personel arrived in force. I gave my information and left.

The latest information is the Metro engineer went through the stop light beore the passing corridor on the horshoe turn. It also has been learned he was TEXT MESSAGING with some local train enthusiast kids who watch trains daily just before the collision and may have been distracted.

A few lessons I gathered for train travelors. Like an over the wing seat, the REARMOST compartment is the safest. The engine couldn't even be seen, telescoping back inside the first car and flipping on it's side.
The two deck units were slowly entered, and by enter I mean equipment to slowly dismantle with power tools, hand tools and by hand. Passengers in the upper decks were extricated first. Those below; injured, merely trapped or deceased WAITED.
People suffered multiple fractures, punctured lungs and facial trauma from being hurled from the impact. Cellphones were seen scattered everywhere. Again, Deputy Eber had his service radio holstered and secure.

Just a few observations. Now the inevitable connections as the dead and injured are found to be friends or relatives of people you know somehow.

Wow we saw it on the news up here but your description from being there was much more vivid. Terrible wreck, and just to think we had family leave from down there on a train a few days ago eeek.

I`m sure people appreciated your assistance.

Well done sir. It also just goes to show that no one will ever know when or where you can very quickly find yourself involved in a survival situation.

Paul -

You do have a knack of being in the right place at the right time, don't you? Good job!

Texting. They need to outlaw that stuff, it is killing people all over the place every day...

Thanks Chris for getting involved and your post.

I normally commute by bus and airplane. Good advice on where to set. I normally try to set over wing on the airplane and between the wheels on the bus. I need to do better at finding a way to keep my backpack with me in case of accident.

I hope you were treated better by the professionals than I when I responded to an accident two years ago. Sometimes the people in the shinny red trucks and black/white cars don't think anyone else knows anything, unless you are in uniform. I was surprised that I had to show id before they would take my inputs seriously.

Spud

As a former black and white driver, I was more than happy to have folks not in uniform stop to help me. I asked their level of training, if it looked/sounded as if they knew what they were doing, I left them to it, even supplying them with my EMT kit. I would rather measure skidmarks, or give FST's to the drunk who caused that mess, any day...

Well done, Chris.

As said texting...

OldBaldGuy,
Sorry for my rank.

Spud

The AP is reporting that the MTA is now laying the blame on the engineer, without benefit of any investigation. They apparently took the word of a teenager who claimed he was text messaging the engineer shortly before the incident occurred.

Talk about a rush to judgement. In the same report blaming the engineer they, the MTA, also state that it will take up to a year to give a final report.

So within 24 hours they know it was their driver but it will take a year to sort out the details?

Pardon the expression but they've literally thrown their own employee under the bus.

In the same AP report, not a word from anyone from Santa Fe about blame.

Good work on the rescue efforts Mr. Kavanaugh.

Even it turns out to be operator error, would it have hurt the MTA's already battered public persona any worse to wait until even the most preliminary investigation was started before blaming the guy who died at the controls?

John E

sounds like you had a day in hell..i only hope i could do half as well if called on..