[pluckytree]

If this article is completely true, it’s sad to hear he would never pilot a train again even if exonerated. That sounds like how teachers are treated if a student accuses them of impropriety and their careers are over even if they are innocent. Is that a uniquely American thing?

[mturmon]

Your analogy is not really valid. Although the NTSB is not talking, the cause is reported to be "loss of situational awareness". In essence, the conductor was in some degree at fault because he was controlling the speed and the train was going 105mph instead of 55mph.

There could have been other contributing factors (rock, tough schedule), but it seems likely that their severity will not be known -- the information just is not there.

Surely you would concede that the right course of action here is not obvious?

[bsder]

Actually, the right course of action is perfectly obvious--he should be restored to driving trains. No other train engineer has been scrutinized so carefully, and he came out with flying colors.

Sadly, he will not be, because the company needs a scapegoat to cover their lack of adopting the technological safety system that can mitigate the human errors that are inherent in the current system.

If he never drives a train again, every single manager in his chain should be fired--including the CEO as they made the choices to set the system up this way.