"Little late?"
No.
The grain train crew called "emergency emergency emergency" as required by rule approximately 48 seconds after the UDE as the grain train came to a rest. The grain train crew warned the passing train as required by rule, even calling to them by engine ID about 40 seconds after the UDE while they were still slowing to a stop. Given the opposing train was right on top of them (and moving at 43 mph) at the time the UDE occurred, I don't think it's fair to suggest that the grain train crew's performance was deficient in any way or that the notification they gave was a "little late."
When your train goes into emergency, your first course of action is to stop the train as safely as possible. This requires some attention and focus, even when you are the one who puts the train into emergency.
The trains meet at approximately 20 seconds after the UDE while the grain train was still underway and while the engineer was controlling the stop. If the oil train crew had plugged their train when the meet occurred, before they had knowledge of the UDE or the derailment, it is still possible the collision would have occurred and still been catastrophic. The performance of both crews was not the cause of the collision. The cause was equipment failure, which unfortunately occurred as the trains met.
As someone who has dealt with UDEs at speed, both during meets and out on single track main alone, each one is different. Like I said, your focus is getting the train stopped safely, which must be done with consideration for the train (weight, length, slack, etc.), the terrain and how the train is handling during the UDE. It's a whole lot of trouble right now when it happens.
The crews did their jobs the right way on that day.
Ryan H
Fort Worth TX