Originally Posted by
anacapamalibu
Human Error:
Signaling system CTCS-2 was damaged/destoyed by lightning strikes.
Trains dispatchers disabled the Automatic Train Protection, due to pressure
from recent delays on the BJ-SH line.
Authorities order the wreckage to be buried "to prevent loss of
proprietary technology".
Oh, this is sickening news to turn off ATP.
Originally Posted by
jiejie
It's been confirmed that the 2 foreigners killed were US citizens.
Seems that rail and govt officials are now eager to play up the "foreign technology" of the system rather than their previous trumpeting of the "great Chinese rail invention and achievement." Coming soon: official blame of foreign technology and companies a la recent Otis-bashing on escalator failure.
Chinese officialdom is trying to muzzle media reports of the crash. No surprises here. Apparently the "rescue effort" and body recovery wasn't particularly thorough or humane before rail officials started tossing the derailed carriages around with people still inside. I can't fault the Chinese citizenry for being incensed.
It is reported that China developed its own ATP technology instead of using foreign technology version from Japan /Europe.... it seems wreckage buried was to prevent inspection of failure of China-ATP technology or revealing human error chain-of-command from top to bottom.