Both trains involved were six car trains, and those are supposed to run on automatic (in default mode, 8-car trains are run by the engineer). Friends report that there were electrical problems on the line earlier in the afternoon before the crash, but I haven't seen anything in the news confirming that. The engineer in the train that rammed the other was relatively new at the job. not sure if that is meaningful. How this all added up into a horrific crash is not yet known. The cynic in me wants to say that they will blame human error, since the engineer died in the crash and can't protest at being blamed. The adult says wait until the investigators have done their job.

Seven dead, many injured, a tragedy.