Are Trains Safer When Pulled?

Engines at the front of trains might be safer but will likely cost far too much.

1 minute read

March 23, 2005, 9:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"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

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 in The Los Angeles Times

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