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It has now been revealed that Saturday's collision at West Portal was the result of train operator Henry Gray switching to manual mode when approaching the platform -- a violation of official Muni protocol that was an informal practice by most operators -- twenty-four seconds before blacking out at the controls. Department of Motor Vehicle records show that Gray has a spotless driving record.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are now focusing on operators' reports that it had been common practice in recent years to switch from automatic to manual mode when approaching platforms before getting authorization, in order to speed up passenger loading and unloading. Judson True declined to comment and Nathanial Ford gave a prepared statement, saying, "The Muni system is a safe one and safety is our absolute top priority."
Irwin Lum, the president of the Transit Workers Union, claims that prior to this informal practice of switching to manual mode early, surly riders "had been known to grow impatient and hit the emergency release button, then file off en masse at West Portal station."
Since the accident, SFMTA has implemented a number of measures to ensure that operators stay in automatic mode at all metro stations, including issuing bulletins, hourly announcements, and requiring that train controllers stop any trains that appear to be in manual mode while contacting the operator.
So, metro riders, remember that your safety is Muni's priority the next time you get impatient about having to wait a few several extra minutes in a tunnel!
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So if you're on a train that's outside the tunnel or a bus, you're still fucked.
As long as he's still allowed to claim he "blacked out," MUNI (and his pension) is golden.
the blackout does kinda fit the early eye witness accounts. (don't let that disrupt your anti-muni narrative though)
Irwin "Let's blame the riders" Lum - utterly despicable.
How many tens of millions of dollars were spent on a craptacular train control system, and we blame the driver and riders? Yay.
So in DC they are making Metro drivers take the trains off automatic due to sensor failures. In SF they are making drivers stay on automatic in case they happen to have a random fainting spell.
This has nothing to do with safety. The trains can be operated safely in either mode.
Someone like you would never get a job making policy decisions. You have far too much common sense.
It has never occurred to me to hit the emergency release button when I'm surly. Now, I know.
Ta!
How can you tell when Irwin Lum is lying?
When he opens his mouth and talks.
So, would anyone else care to wait until we have some actual facts before blaming the driver or the union or anyone else? Lum isn't "blaming the riders," he's telling the truth - switching the train to manual was not the driver's fault. I have commuted via West Portal station for years now and yes, before they started bringing the trains in manually it used to make us very cranky to be backed up five or six trains deep in the tunnel every single evening.
It does not take "a few extra minutes" to reach the platform when this happens - the traffic/foot congestion at the mouth of West Portal Tunnel is terrible and they run lots of trains (3 separate lines, remember), especially during commute, so trains may have to wait quite awhile before they can leave the tunnel. Last night it took a good 15 minutes, and I have a long enough commute already, thank you.
Now, thanks to this accident, we're stuck with this situation. Which is ridiculous, because the drivers are controlling the cars manually on the streets - where they can just as easily black out as in the bloody tunnel, eh? And that would be just as dangerous. But how often does it happen? Like, once in a 30-year career? It's not like auto controls are glitch-free, either. I'd rather take my chances, thanks.
I'm thinking blackout == worker's comp retirement, amirite? Certainly they can't be allowed to drive a fucking train with an unpredictable level of consciousness.
There are always sufficient facts to blame the drivers' union.
In the old days when running the terrible Boeings, they ran them manually, and since they were able to run full length 4-cars, it went quite well.
I scratch my head at this automated system, the ride feels funny, especially the speed increases in pulses and the jerk motion when waiting to enter the portal to Embaracadero (N and T lines).