PUBLIC FORUM.

Pay the cost

Re ``Horrific'' (Jan. 27):

Southern California's Metrolink riders will continue to be killed and endangered in their trains as long as the rail service persists in jeopardizing its passengers on 50 percent of its runs. Metrolink's most devastating collisions invariably involve trains pushed by a locomotive, resulting in a lighter, more vulnerable passenger coach at the point of impact.

When the comparatively impenetrable locomotive pulls the train from the front, passenger injuries and equipment damage from collisions are negligible. It's time to reject Metrolink's inevitable sob story about how much time and expense it would take to switch the locomotive to the front of the train at the end of each run.

- Paul M. Thiele

Los Angeles 

Common sense

Re ``Horrific'' (Jan. 27):

Metrolink trains need to stop running backward immediately. No forensic or engineering experience required - just common sense.

- William H. Isenberg

Camarillo

Crossing gates

Re ``Horrific'' (Jan. 27):

I have asked if railroad-type crossing gates will be installed on the Orange Line busway to help prevent grade crossing-type accidents. The conventional ``stoplights'' will not prevent bus/auto accidents. What will prevent automobiles from driving on the busway? Will this Glendale Metrolink train accident convince the MTA to install crossing gates on the busway?

- Raiford L. Langford

Sherman Oaks

Makes no sense

Re ``Horrific'' (Jan. 27):

Who could not help but feel empathy for the victims and their families of the horrific Metrolink train collision? And who could not be outraged with the person responsible for parking his Jeep across the tracks in an aborted suicide attempt? But to charge this so-called ``deranged'' person with 11 counts of murder makes no sense.

Was Juan Manuel Alvarez's intent to kill anyone other than himself? True, he could have chosen another way to end his life, but ``deranged'' or mentally ill people do not think rationally. The drug rehabs obviously were unable to help him. As is so often the last resort of the mentally ill, Alvarez attempted suicide. If anyone is to blame for this horrific accident, think of the bureaucrats who, to cut state budget expenses, closed all the state mental hospitals during the Reagan administration.

- David Tulk

Northridge

Pusher trains

Again, a horrible train wreck because a pusher train was involved. As opposed to a standard train, in which the powerful heavy engine unit is at the front, pulling the train, a pusher train has the engine at the back. If it hits anything, the powerful engine pushes into the cars, jack-knifing them like an accordion.

As a simple experiment, take a 2-foot length of rope on a smooth floor, and push it into a small, 8-ounce can. The rope buckles. Now, pull the rope with your hand into the can. The can is pushed aside. We should stop using pusher trains.

- Wendell Washer

Arleta

Worst and best

As a Metrolink rider who takes a later train on the same route as those trains involved in Wednesday's catastrophe, I can certainly say there are a lot of wonderful people who ride these trains, and who develop close and lasting relationships with fellow commuters. It is a shame that one individual can have such a devastating impact on so many lives.

On one hand, you have despicable people who carelessly put themselves and others' lives in harm's way; on the other, you have common everyday heroes like the Costco employees who rushed out to rescue many of the passengers. I think this horrific event showed humanity at its worst and best - the latter far outweighing the former.

- Larry Tamblyn

Northridge

Ounce of prevention

In the past couple days the media has reflected officialdom's assumption that ``it would cost too much'' to eliminate train grade-crossings in populated areas and/or to install defenses to shoulder-held heat-seeking missiles on U.S. airliners.

Knowing that al-Qaida is understood to have more than 20 missile launchers in the United States already doesn't phase the resisters to action. Over half a century ago, when we had auto deaths at the L-shape booby-trap crossing at Sherman Way and Laurel Canyon Boulevard, I got Jim Corman to promise to fix it if elected to the City Council. He got in, and got both the underpasses there and at Woodman. And I have been pointing out for a couple of years that 10 or 11 of the billions we find when we need it for war would equip all our planes.

- John A. Thomson

North Hollywood

Deadliest day

Re ``Deadliest day in Iraq since war began'' (Jan. 27):

It saddens me to read 36 more are reported killed in Iraq. But just how long is it going to be before we Americans rise up and push to end this travesty of brutality perpetrated by George W. Bush, along with his inept administration? Just when are thinking people going to ask their representatives that impeachment proceedings be instituted? I mean, Clinton was impeached for doing far, far less.

And while we're at it, how about the same for Arnold? The only difference between Arnold and Gray Davis is that Davis is a better actor.

- Leo Bertucelli

Sherman Oaks

Greed at City Hall

Re ``City Hall's stickup'' (Editorial, Jan. 27):

I am in total agreement with your editorial regarding the disgraceful Los Angeles City Council. There is, however, a salient point not addressed in your editorial that is the root cause of council members' failures to act responsibly. We have a one-party system - all Democrats, all beholden to the same special interests.

There is no possibility they will lose their powerful positions as long as they are indefinitely assured of being re-elected until either death or terminal avarice.

- Francis Gerard Clifford

Encino

A bad precedent?

Re ``Jail immigration enforcement OK'd'' (Jan. 26):

I was stunned by the article on immigration enforcement interviews. The number of illegals incarcerated and the cost is staggering. Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky only wants the illegals questioned if they are convicted.

Apparently if your aren't convicted of a second crime, you are not to be deported for the crime of coming here illegally. Finally, the ACLU showed its true colors with the statement, ``The agreement creates a dangerous precedent for further cooperation between federal immigration authorities and county level law enforcement agencies.'' How can two law enforcement agencies working together to stop criminal activities set a dangerous precedent?

- Gary Vartanian

Moorpark

In our best interest

Re ``Boxer's anti-Rice bombast backfires'' (Viewpoint, Jan. 23):

I must reply to Chris Weinkopf's column that is critical of one of only two dissenting voters for Condoleezza Rice's confirmation. I thought Sen. Barbara Boxer's main grilling was over Rice's statements that were contradictory before and after the 9-11 tragedy.

I think it was only fair, right and in this country's best interest to remind everyone there were discrepancies in Rice's statements of the past. Rice still would not or could not answer or account for these contradictions.

- Martin Schiechl

Woodland Hills