An awful tragedy, and what a terrible job for the emergency services to have to deal with.

It was good to see footage on the news of long queues of local people outside hospitals, responding to a public appeal for blood donors.

I saw that, very heartening.... I have to ask though, as a blood donor myself, how do they test them quick enough to use their blood?

Often wondered that myself and asked the doctor why I had never been informed of my own blood type.

Apparently in an emergency there's one type of blood plasma that can be used for everyone until such time as the blood has been typed.

There have been allegations that ertms wasn't completed because the money ran out - hope that's not true.

This accident remembers a similar case in Germany. In this accident there is who says that what have been able to fail can be the measures of security that warn to the train of the area where it is necessary to circulate to 80 km/h, and the braked system, that when it detects that the train circulates more quick of the allowed speed, it brakes to the train

Yeah I know that, I was more talking about the issue of screening for any "nasties"... I know it's hardly relevant I was just wondering really.

According to his facebook which has now been pulled, in which he clearly identified himself as the driver of a high speed train, boasted over a number of months about how he almost always exceeded speed limits.

All his Facebook friends thought it was hilarious. Nobody reported him to the police.

http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2013/07/...88_825305.html

He was not drunk at the time of the accident. He was a self-confessed serial speed freak.

Shocking if true, and amazing that it escaped the attention of the various responsible authorities who could have done something about it.

This is what Libertal Digital says, that the driver cannot chose to travel at excessive speed because there is an overriding braking system.

http://www.libertaddigital.com/espan...90-1276496009/

I think one thing that was lucky in this instance ( if anything could be called lucky ) was that the accident happened where there was easy access for the emergency services.
The rails in Spain are so often far from any roads etc.

i have a home near.almoradi.costablanca.work well on its way.but can't see that being finished for a couple of years.

http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/driver-had...out-speeding-1

Beyond bazaar.
Weird beyond belief.
What on earth was going on in that engine control cab ?
The co-driver seems to have realized there was something wrong but also realized it was all too late.


"As the country mourned, Spanish media named one of the train's drivers as Francisco Jose Garzon Amo and reported boasts he allegedly posted on Facebook about how fast he was driving a train in 2012.

The 52-year-old, who together with a second driver survived the crash and is being treated in hospital for minor injuries, is now reportedly under investigation. Mr Garzon Amo is not believed to be under arrest but is expected to give evidence to a judge with access to the train's data recording "black box".

He allegedly posted a picture of a train speedometer at 124mph. His Facebook page has now been blocked.

"What a blast it would be to go parallel with the Guardia Civil (Spanish police) and go past them triggering the radar. Haha what a fine for Renfe (the Spanish train operator) haha," he allegedly wrote in March 2012.

According to reports, one of the two drivers at the helm of the train realised what was about to happen before the crash and made a desperate call to Renfe ahead of taking the bend, saying: "I'm going at 190kmh, I'm going to derail."

In a second call to Renfe after the accident, he explained that he was trapped in the train's loco. "We are human, we are human," he is reported to have said. "I hope there are no dead because they would fall on my conscience."

It may or may not be the case that the driver was negligent.
However, if the ERTMS system on this track had been fitted (it was already in place in earlier stretches) then according to this, the accident could not have happened in this way.

http://typicallyspanish.com/spain-ne..._tragedy.shtml

'What joy to set police speed guns off': Spanish driver whose derailed train killed at least 80 people while travelling at 120mph in 50mph zone posted boasting Facebook photo of speedometer
The passenger train derailed outside city of Santiago de Compostela
All eight carriages of the Madrid to Ferrol train derailed
The train was carrying 218 passengers when it smashed into the wall
Many were travelling to the area on the eve of a Christian festival
Foreign Office confirmed a British citizen is among the injured
Driver posted picture of train speedometer at 125mph in March last year
Spanish PM has visited scene and declared three days official mourning


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2a8Yj7gwz

Have to wonder how a guy who appears to have the mentality of a 5 year old judging by his facebook contributions, ever came to have such a responsible job ?

I always understood that one of the main commercial purposes served by social network sites was to help provide information for companies employing ppl in responsible positions ?

In any event what are said to be the drivers first remarks following the accident have been broadcast on TV news stations this morning.

"I f..cked up,..... so many people dead,......I wish I was dead."