Gothamist: Safety Procedures Examined in Subway Track Work

Still Not Amused

Tue, 01 May 2007 16:12:30 -0500

They do . The problem is some of the crews have don't utilize them . Anyway you look at this, It's one of the most dangerous jobs in the city, No matter how many safety precautions they put in place something will go wrong . I read that the reason for the worker that got hit by the train at Hoyt-Schermerhorn was because he crossed the tracks and got caught by an incoming train . You can't protect against that . It's a judgement call !

civil servants incl kops

Tue, 01 May 2007 13:11:40 -0500

Sometimes it pays to be pro-active. How bout spending some money on radios within your own crew to warn others? How bout some flashing lights? This is what happens when one does the mandated minimum in a civil service job. All civil service, same with the cops, they too will complain. Don't like the job? Quit like any other worker. No one put a gun to your head.

Still Not Amused

Tue, 01 May 2007 12:53:10 -0500

Look this is the way it's suppose to go . You have a track gang of say [10] to [15] plus one flagger to set up warning flags along the stretch of track their going to be working on . The flagger is responsible for laying down the flags at certain points of distance from the actual work-site . "Red" flags indicate do not enter this section of track . These flag are set to warn a motorman not to enter the area beyond them . Also the track-workers use the lanterns for the same purpose . A set set "Green" flag means proceed along the route unimpeeded . "Yellow" flags are caution flags meaning slow down and proceed at a slower pace (Those are posted, and are in the Manuel that all motormen have to know in order to drive the trains)and prepare to stop . I wasn't there so I can only speculate how it went down but I'm willing to bet somebody fucked up there ! Either the track-worker didn't set up the flags properly, Or the motorman was driving too fast (AS they usually do when entering the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts. station in either direction)and by the time they saw this guy had already hit him .