Engines at the front of trains might be safer but will likely cost far too much.
"The widely accepted practice of pushing trains has gone on for decades in the commuter railroad industry, but since the deadly Jan. 26 crash of a Metrolink train in Glendale, it has come under intense new scrutiny. After long condoning the practice, federal regulators now say they are conducting a fresh review of the issue.
...[P]utting the locomotives at the rear can make economic sense. By pulling trains one way and pushing the other, railroads avoid the costly and time-consuming practice of rearranging cars at the end of the line."
Thanks to Chris Steins
FULL STORY: Pushing of Trains Gets New Scrutiny
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