Who's really been asleep at the switch

It's a sad situation when trains on the same track collide (as occurred recently in California).

Now, in trying to place blame for the crash, the authorities are looking into all aspects of the railroad personnel. Perhaps the engineer of the commuter train was asleep at the switch due to the strain of his work schedule.

My thought is there should be a command center that can visualize where trains in their district are at all times.

The center would be able to send alarms to each engineer if they are on the same tracks heading for collision. If this procedure is already in place, why wasn't the alarm sent? Where was the oversight?

Speaking of oversight, apparently the committee charged with overseeing Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac did nothing to forewarn us of an approaching disaster, subsequent failure, and the need for a federal buyout.

What say the chairman of the oversight committee, Democrat Barney Frank? And what about the others in Congress who have been given the job of oversight, including Barack Obama?

Does the millions of dollars they were funneled give them the right to look the other way, thus allowing a head-on collision?

Barack Obama says, "too many in Washington weren't minding the store." I say that too many in Washington, including him, were asleep at the switch (and it sure wasn't due to the strain of their work schedule).

Sharon Eilert

Prospect Heights