Ohio toxic train derailment

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

How would Pete's position have prevented this or taken care of it better after it happened?  I'm not specifically talking about Pete but anyone who's been in that position over the years.

[Hardcore troubadour 15,512]

Just now, Hawkeye21 said:

How would Pete's position have prevented this or taken care of it better after it happened?  I'm not specifically talking about Pete but anyone who's been in that position over the years.

So he’s a figurehead?

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

2 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

So he’s a figurehead?

What?

[Dizkneelande 1,103]

The media doesn’t give a sh!t because the area is populated by white working class Christian families. Now compare this to Flint Michigan. 

[seafoam1 3,087]

Pothole Pete. The guy is a disaster. Southwest, supply chain, useless spending, now this. 

[Ultra Max Power 214]

1 minute ago, Hawkeye21 said:

How would Pete's position have prevented this or taken care of it better after it happened?  I'm not specifically talking about Pete but anyone who's been in that position over the years.

The rail safety unions have complained their labor force and amount of time to inspect each car and railroad crossing have been consistently reduced in order to increase profits.  This is a known issue in the industry and was actually raised to congress during the Obama years.  Unfortunately nothing was passed and that was likely due to congressional donations. 

I think people are rightfully upset when we pass an infrastructure bill to address this exact things and then have to hear about the railways posting record profits. Someone needs to hold them to account, and its not going to be Pete. 

[Dizkneelande 1,103]

Just now, seafoam1 said:

Pothole Pete. The guy is a disaster. Southwest, supply chain, useless spending, now this. 

Watch out the “centrists” will accuse you of parroting Matt Walsh. 

[seafoam1 3,087]

 

Buttigieg tells crowd White construction workers are taking jobs from communities of color

"We have heard way too many stories from generations past of infrastructure where you got a neighborhood, often a neighborhood of color, that finally sees the project come to them, but everyone in the hard hats on that project, doing the good paying jobs, don't look like they came from anywhere near the neighborhood," Buttigieg said

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/buttigieg-tells-crowd-white-construction-workers-are-taking-jobs-from-communities-of-color/ar-AA17rCyq?li=BBnb7Kz

[seafoam1 3,087]

2 minutes ago, Dizkneelande said:

Watch out the “centrists” will accuse you of parroting Matt Walsh. 

I'll throw eggs at them.

Crap, that's expensive

[TimHauck 2,918]

2 hours ago, Hawkeye21 said:

What are the current theories?  What I've been seeing the most is that all the UFOs are a distraction to current events like this.

wouldn't a true conspiracy theory be the other way around?  Although the UFO's do seem to be getting more press

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

5 minutes ago, Dizkneelande said:

Watch out the “centrists” will accuse you of parroting Matt Walsh. 

Doesn't it go beyond just him though?  That's all I'm really asking.  What administration has actually done anything to improve the issue?

[Hardcore troubadour 15,512]

9 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

What?

If he’s not responsible for anything then what is he? 

[TimHauck 2,918]

7 minutes ago, Dizkneelande said:

Watch out the “centrists” will accuse you of parroting Matt Walsh. 

You realize who you're quoting right?  All that dude does is parrot right wing media, thanks for proving my point

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

1 minute ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

If he’s not responsible for anything then what is he? 

You didn't answer the question at all.

[TimHauck 2,918]

14 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

How would Pete's position have prevented this or taken care of it better after it happened?  I'm not specifically talking about Pete but anyone who's been in that position over the years.

The articles I posted had some info.

Obama tried putting in a rule that would have required these trains to upgrade their brakes.   It happened, but due to industry pressure this particular material wouldn't have been included.

Trump repealed the whole thing, and Biden/Buttigieg have not put it back in.

[Hardcore troubadour 15,512]

Just now, Hawkeye21 said:

You didn't answer the question at all.

You’re asking what could the head of an agency done to make it more safe? Ok, he could have made it more safe. 

[seafoam1 3,087]

5 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

You didn't answer the question at all.

Gee, do trains count? Biden said they do.

The United States secretary of transportation is a cabinet-level position responsible for maintaining and improving the country's transportation system.

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

3 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

You’re asking what could the head of an agency done to make it more safe? Ok, he could have made it more safe. 

 

Just now, seafoam1 said:

The United States secretary of transportation is a cabinet-level position responsible for maintaining and improving the country's transportation system.

How can he make that happen with the railway system though?  Can't you even try to have a conversation on this?  It's not like this is a brand new issue and he's the cause of it.  It looks as if this has been an issue that's been going on through multiple administrations.  

[Horseman 2,480]

22 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

How would Pete's position have prevented this or taken care of it better after it happened?  I'm not specifically talking about Pete but anyone who's been in that position over the years.

  It's literally his job to figure that out and make it happen.

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

Good talk guys 

[seafoam1 3,087]

3 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

 

How can he make that happen with the railway system though?  Can't you even try to have a conversation on this?  It's not like this is a brand new issue and he's the cause of it.  It looks as if this has been an issue that's been going on through multiple administrations.  

He's been IN CHARGE of it. And it's even worse that it's a known issue and yet he's out there giving speeches about how wrong it is to have the wrong color construction workers working in black areas and ignoring his actual duties.

[Engorgeous George 2,331]

1 hour ago, Hawkeye21 said:

How would Pete's position have prevented this or taken care of it better after it happened?  I'm not specifically talking about Pete but anyone who's been in that position over the years.

Excellent questions/points.  I have no definitive answers, or even well-contemplated thoughts on the matter, but spitballing he might have advocated for more frequent track maintenance, more frequent train safety inspections, regulations demanding fewer chemical tanker cars in any one train or perhaps trains with such chemical tankers being followed by a separate train with emergency containment and clean up facilities.  For all I know he may have done all of this and more but simply ran into budgetary and other practical headwinds.

 

He might have been more prominent and forthcoming in communicating with the citizens in the impacted area. Being glib, days late, about balloons when families are wondering about the safety of the air they breath and the water they drink at their homes which they cannot afford to leave is tone deafness taken to a new level.

[seafoam1 3,087]

11 minutes ago, Horseman said:

  It's literally his job to figure that out and make it happen.

But..."It's a known issue", which I guess somehow lets him not have to address it I guess.

[Horseman 2,480]

8 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

Good talk guys 

You want to brainstorm his job for him?  Ok

1 - The cause of this wreak is believed to be a failure of one of the train car's axles.  More frequent inspections and better regular maintenance reliminates mechanical failures.

2 - A lot of train derailments are from too high of a speed going around curves.  Require and install automatic speed sensors and train control in high risk areas so it's not left up to human error.

3 - Install more train crossing arm guards in the rural high risk areas.

How's that, need some more?

[Engorgeous George 2,331]

BTW, I like Pete.  He is extremely well educated and is devoted to public service, I just have issue withn his political leanings.  He seems like a nice enough fellow.

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

2 minutes ago, seafoam1 said:

But..."It's a known isse", which I guess somehow lets him not have to address it I guess.

Who said he shouldn't have to address it?  You don't have to turn everything into a political argument here.

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

Just now, Horseman said:

You want to brainstorm his job for him?  Ok

1 - The cause of this wreak is believed to be a failure of one of the train car's axles.  More frequent inspections and better regular maintenance reduces mechanical failures.

2 - A lot of train derailments are from too high of a speed going around curves.  Require and install automatic speed sensors and train control in high risk areas so it's not left up to human error.

3 - Install more train crossing arm guards in the rural high risk areas.

How's that, need some more?

That's great info.  Now, do we know if there are things preventing him from making this happen?  Why wasn't this address in the previous administrations?  If Trump was still in the office would you all be acting the same way?  I think this goes beyond just Pete.

[Horseman 2,480]

1 minute ago, Hawkeye21 said:

That's great info.  Now, do we know if there are things preventing him from making this happen?  Why wasn't this address in the previous administrations?  If Trump was still in the office would you all be acting the same way?  I think this goes beyond just Pete.

But Trump!?1/1?!?!?

You don't have to turn everything into a political argument here.  

[seafoam1 3,087]

3 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

Who said he shouldn't have to address it?  You don't have to turn everything into a political argument here.

He simply sucks at his job. You know, the job he was given to as a favor from joe? The job he was never qualified to do. 

[Engorgeous George 2,331]

1 minute ago, Hawkeye21 said:

That's great info.  Now, do we know if there are things preventing him from making this happen?  Why wasn't this address in the previous administrations?  If Trump was still in the office would you all be acting the same way?  I think this goes beyond just Pete.

Undoubtedly all of the problems with our transportation system have been years in the making.  The question of Pete is not whether he has a built in excuse for where the system is, but whether he has a reasonable explanation for why he has accepted the deficient status quo.  When elected to be an agent of change, or appointed to be an agent of change, one has failed when they acquiese to the status quo.

[seafoam1 3,087]

1 minute ago, Engorgeous George said:

Undoubtedly all of the problems with our transportation system have been years in the making.  The question of Pete is not whether he has a built in excuse for where the system is, but whether he has a reasonable explanation for why he has accepted the deficient status quo.  When elected to be an agent of change, or appointed to be an agent of change, one has failed when they acquiese to the status quo.

He was never qualified. Biden made it political. Now we are stuck with this literal  train wreck of an administration. 

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

6 minutes ago, seafoam1 said:

He simply sucks at his job. You know, the job he was given to as a favor from joe? The job he was never qualified to do. 

I'm not arguing that at all.

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

2 minutes ago, seafoam1 said:

He was never qualified. Biden made it political. Now we are stuck with this literal  train wreck of an administration. 

Was anyone going to be able to avoid this?  It didn't seem like anything was getting done for years.

[Engorgeous George 2,331]

3 minutes ago, seafoam1 said:

He was never qualified. Biden made it political. Now we are stuck with this literal  train wreck of an administration. 

I don't know I have ever considered what good qualifications for that position would be.  Would it be sound administrative experience setting up an efficient chain of command while delegating planning to experts in the field?  Would it be experience running a transportation company, and if so in which industry, air, rail, trucking, shipping, something multimodal?

[Engorgeous George 2,331]

Seems to me the country had an in depth debate on rail safety when there was consideration of moving spent nuclear rod stockpiles.  There was discussion on what safety measures should be taken to transport them by rail.  Those proposals would seen apt for other hazardous materials transportation.  I suspect there have been studies up the wazoo.  Government is good at commisioning studies but often not so good at implementation, often due to cost considerations.  The people like safety, but the people also like to hang on to their money.

[Horseman 2,480]

19 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

Was anyone going to be able to avoid this?  It didn't seem like anything was getting done for years.

But Trump! to Unavoidable!

[TimHauck 2,918]

1 minute ago, Horseman said:

But Trump! to Unavoidable!

Both parties are at fault.  Trump relaxed regulations that were put in under Obama (which weren't as strict as many wanted anyway), but Biden/Buttigieg never put them back

[Hardcore troubadour 15,512]

43 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

 

How can he make that happen with the railway system though?  Can't you even try to have a conversation on this?  It's not like this is a brand new issue and he's the cause of it.  It looks as if this has been an issue that's been going on through multiple administrations.  

Right. And Biden can undo everything else Trump did via executive order but not anything to do with the railroads. I’ll ask you this, what has Buttegeig done in the last two years concerning railroad safety? 

[TimHauck 2,918]

Looks like Trump's transportation secretary was a "diversity hire" too

[Hawkeye21 2,400]

Just now, Hardcore troubadour said:

Right. And Biden can undo everything else Trump did via executive order but not anything to do with the railroads. I’ll ask you this, what has Buttegeig done in the last two years concerning railroad safety? 

As far as I know, nothing.  I'm not trying to defend him, but it seems like this position has done nothing over the years, not just Pete.