Moving locomotive from back to front difficult?

[Robert Gift]

This deadly derailment may not have happened had the idiot Juan Manuel Alvarez's Jeep Cherokee been hit by the locomotive:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glendale_train_crash

To avoid the locomotive in the back pushing a passenger train, is ithat difficulto uncouple it, pass the train on a siding and couple the locomotive to the front? (Before Amtrak started using the forward-headed locomotives.)
When I rode Amtrak between San Diego and Goleto, there are tracks at both ends of the trip which would allow this to be done. Buthey didn't bother.
When the train pulled into Los Angeles Union Station, they could have backed out and continued in the direction they were headed. (Or backed into the station and continued forward in the direction headed.)

 

[nick]

If it was a 2 unit consist coupled back to back, perhaps(uneconomical as far as time/money concerned, what with the extra engine and switch move). One unit, NO WAY!(would be facing long end forward, being a cab unit = no visibility). Cab car operation for short haul, commute operations is here to stay.

 

[Robert Gift]

If it was a 2 unit consist coupled back to back, perhaps(uneconomical as far as time/money concerned, what with the extra engine and switch move). One unit, NO WAY!(would be facing long end forward, being a cab unit = no visibility). Cab car operation for short haul, commute operations is here to stay.

Is it that important?
I have seen many trains operated withengine part of the locomotive forward. They still have fine visibility well down the track, just limited visibility up close - unless the engineer walks over to the fireman'side. (Or is thathengineer'side since the locomotive is now running "backwards" (long end forward)?

My great uncle's huge 4-8-4 steam locomotive boiler was always in the way but it never stopped them.

 

[LATX]

Is it that important?
I have seen many trains operated withengine part of the locomotive forward. They still have fine visibility well down the track, just limited visibility up close - unless the engineer walks over to the fireman'side. (Or is thathengineer'side since the locomotive is now running "backwards" (long end forward)?

My great uncle's huge 4-8-4 steam locomotive boiler was always in the way but it never stopped them.

But back than there wasnt so many grade crossing and every grade crossing had a switchman or a flagman i think its called. To make sure that nothing like what happen in glendale happen. In my eyes there is always going to be stupidty around trucks and especially trains. Also due to regulations and practices now long hood forward operations wont happen on passenger trains

 

[Robert Gift]

But back than there wasnt so many grade crossing and every grade crossing had a switchman or a flagman i think its called. To make sure that nothing like what happen in glendale happen. In my eyes there is always going to be stupidty around trucks and especially trains. Also due to regulations and practices now long hood forward operations wont happen on passenger trains

There was a higher percentage of grade crossings without signals. Most were just crossbucks.

This regulation may have led to 11 innocent passengers being killed.
Years ago I recall an engineer saying he wanted the long part forward to take the brunt of any collisions.