Fine I'll take that statistic as factual for the purposes of this argument, but my point still stands that it's entirely possible the fault was ignored but wouldn't have been if someone was around to actually look at the thing and pull the emergency cord or what have you.
The engineer can ignore a conductor easier than he can a defect detector, those devices's data is sent to dispatching centers and will be part of any investigation and/or lawsuit.
You mean a conductor asleep in the caboose while bearings fail and trains derail?
Trains used to derail far more frequently before electronic defect detectors were introduced and humans who were supposed to do the job got replaced.
Fine I'll take that statistic as factual for the purposes of this argument, but my point still stands that it's entirely possible the fault was ignored but wouldn't have been if someone was around to actually look at the thing and pull the emergency cord or what have you.
The engineer can ignore a conductor easier than he can a defect detector, those devices's data is sent to dispatching centers and will be part of any investigation and/or lawsuit.
As would a conductor's disposition.
Dead guys can't say much.