What will be determined to be the primary cause of DC train crash?

Was the operator texting or just talking on a cell phone?

She'll never tell, because, unfortunately, she is one of the dead....

Is it my imagination or if there is some kind of land/sea/air accident 'onedave' is there with a hubdub question?

He probably works for the NTSB and he uses Hubdub to write his reports. ;-)

They can find out if she was texting or talking on a cell phone, because they are getting the cell records...

I think there's a fairly strong duty of care argument to have all professional public transport drivers turn in their phones when they start their shift.

I'm hearing strong opinions of some type of computer error. The trains at rush hour in DC operate on something similar to an aircraft's auto-pilot. If it fails, bad things happen.

@XC: So, for which accidents did I create Hubdub questions?

the operator hit the e break

The emergency brake was activated because the computer system failed. The system was intended to keep the trains 1,200 feet apart at all times. It's apparent that she hit the brake when the trains got too close to each other. Now what comes into play is whether or not she was being distracted and didn't look up in time to see the other train. Was she texting? Talking on the phone? Only time will tell. I understand the NTSB is reviewing her cell phone records. This could come down to a duel settlement of Train Operator Error and Other Cause.

I assumed "signal error" to be referring to an error in the signaling computer system that caused the train wreck in June 2005. Is that correct?

"The 33-year-old Metrorail system was designed with a fail-safe computerized signal program that is supposed to prevent trains from colliding. The agency's trains are run by onboard computers that control speed and braking."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/23/AR2009062301698.html?hpid=topnews

what if there's more than one error? i mean there's usually multiple backup things to prevent accident from happening, so it's likely that a few failed that caused the accident. what would that settle as?

I assume that this would be "signal error"?

Crash Investigators Find Faulty Track Circuitry

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/us/25crash.html

Faulty track circuitry sounds more like Other Cause. Signal error sounds like a Red light/Green light situation.

It depends on what the circuitry deals with, and how it is ruled....If it affects the signals
(Like electronic transmission of trains ahead, it might be considered "signal error" -- there are electronic signals now, not just old early 20th century lights)

My own $0.02: even some news outlets are referring to the problem as "signaling error". For instance: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31550288/ns/us_news-life/.

Hmmmm...

Maybe HD staff can define question / answers better as to whether "signaling error", (part of the electronic control sent from the signals to the train) is a signal error, or other..

Hi all,

As per some media reports a signaling error would be considered a failure in the signaling system. Although the term signal may make some think of red and green lights, that is not the main meaning of signal error. The main meaning for this term is failure in the signaling system which routs and detects trains on the tracks etc...

Above added to market as clarification.

Regards,
Ryan

"D.C. train control system fails in test"

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-train26-2009jun26,0,4470392.story

"Investigators Say D.C. Train System Had Chronic Signal Problems"
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124837027004476385.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Two more people killed by the DC metro train system. I mean wow...

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/traffic/2009/08/man_killed_on_dc_metro_tracks_1.html

http://virginiabeach.injuryboard.com/mass-transit-accidents/dc-metro-worker-killed-while-repairing-metro-track.aspx?googleid=268868