Ok fellas, here's the facts. East bound grain train DPU'd, departed El Paso Tx with 109 loaded cars. 2x2 1.2HP. In route, corridor manager requested the train to pick up 2 more units from Desert siding. They departed Desert enroute to Vaughn,Nm. They were suppose to meet a train at Carrizozo. It was a HOT UPS Ztrain. High priority. The Z train had engine trouble at Coyote siding on the main between switches. 3 hour delay. The new relieving dispatcher decided to move the Grain train from Carrizozo to Coyote and go around the Z. This stretch of track has severe hog-backs. The new dispatcher was unaware of the 2 unit pick up or the new train lenght. By the time they figured out the situation, it was too late. Two trains, both no fitters. They then intructed the grain train to shove back to Carrizozo. While the train was shoving back, they derailed at a crossing. They charged the engineer with train handling. The engineer claims he had the fence up/dyno's on the rear, around notch 3, and power on the head end shoving with 3/4 throttle. The company claims he couldnt have been in dyno's on the rear, and power on HE. They claim the software doesnt allow. They say he should have had a minimum set under the train in order to controlled slack. The downloads they provided were clearly not the complete downloads showing what the remotes were doing. The investigation was dismissed yesterday after 5 days of testimony. We lucked out due to a simple procedural error in the filling of charges. The engineer was reinstated w/ back pay.
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