Topic: Railroad Safety

2 chapters across the catalog

Stunt Grenade
Episode 1817 2:05:38 - 2:08:10

1817: Stunt Grenade

History of the Stop Sign, Yellow Signs

A detailed listener contribution explored the history of the stop sign, noting that the original signs were yellow until the mid-20th century. The report mentioned that some towns in Indiana maintained yellow signs into the 1980s and discussed rare variations, such as blue stop signs used at railroad crossings.

Dead Name
Episode 1531 2:52:07 - 2:56:20

1531: Dead Name

Railroad Safety Failures, Hotbox Detectors

Technical analysis from "boots on the ground" suggests the East Palestine derailment was a failure of railroad safety equipment, specifically a hotbox detector that should have alerted the crew to an overheating axle. The hosts discuss the industry's push to reduce staff and eliminate safety features like cabooses. They conclude that the decision to blow up the tankers was likely the worst possible choice for the local environment.