While human error is always a factor to be considered, this tragedy might also be viewed from the perspective of outdated and inadequate infrastructure. Commuter and freight trains should not run on the same track, double tracking should exist, and signaling must be modernized.

I’m starting to feel really depressed about the state of this country. Not only are we in debt to the world, but we are no longer a shining example as concerns… well, about anything. Our infrastructure is outdated (rail, road, public works, etc..) our cities are ghost towns and many indicia point to declining standards of living for the vast majority of our population. In New Orleans, where I’ve now lived for about a month, this is especially noticeable.

The majority of the roads in the city are seriously damaged, some traffic signals are non-functioning, and others are downright misleading. Public school buildings are extremely outdated, public transportation is a joke, and access to public health programs is extremely limited. Having lived in two developing nations, I feel almost right at home; this saddens me.

A law school buddy of mine said late last night that New Orleans may just be the first great lost city in the United States. Look at the damage to Galveston and Houston TX caused by hurricane Ike. If that storm had hit us, this city would surely have been flooded again as it was in Katrina; were this to happen once again, I fear that the exodus of residents, especially from lesser privileged areas, would render this city even more of a ghost town than it already at times appears.

And it saddens me to see the familiar petty concerns of human relations consume us while the real threat slowly laps against our battered bulwarks.