BOSTON — Preliminary indications are that a low-speed derailment of a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter train on Dec. 26 came when the train crew attempted to pass through a switch that was not properly aligned, a finding that is sparking plans for more crew training.
The MBTA, contract operator Keolis Commuter Services, and the Federal Railroad Administration are still investigating the derailment of the Worcester-bound train, which occurred in Boston’s Fenway area. [See “No injuries in MBTA commuter train derailment,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 27, 2019.] The derailment and subsequent repairs led to several days of delays for Framingham/Worchester service before repairs were completed in time for the Dec. 30 commute.
Masslive.com reports that officials said they will “enhance crew training, strengthen communications between crews and dispatchers, and inspect similar systems across the network” to address rules governing manual switch operations.
When I lived in the Boston area, MBTA bus drivers had the laziest work ethic of anyone I have ever seen. Their union encouraged that state of affairs. The union also gained a policy change from MBTA that bus drivers be “promoted” into railroad (engineman/trainman) jobs so as to be able to collect two public sector pensions (the federally manged Railroad Retirement and the State-administered transit pensions).
For the past two weeks, the “MORE” link to the entire week’s Newswire has been missing. I can only access two or three days of articles.
I was on an Acela sitting in South Station waiting to depart while listening to the dispatcher talk to someone on the ground going through the procedures described by Mr. Gless. This was just a few days prior to the derailment.
I worked on the railroad for 32 years and you are correct in the proper procedures, Daniel.
How do you get qualified as a conductor if you don’t know when and how a switch is lined or NOT!? Simply amazing.
A remote control dispatcher activated switch that was ‘gapped’ would/should show as “out of correspondence” at the dispatchers consol. They would then instruct a “qualified crewperson” to remove the power from the switch and examine same. Then hand throw same. Examine again and report back. The dispatcher would then either have them put it back on power if nothing wrong was found and try it again. If the console showed it to be locked and back in control the dispatcher would instruct to proceed by signal indication. (you cannot get a signal if the switch is out of correspondence.) If it was still out the dispatcher would have you hand throw it, examine for gaps etc, etc and proceed at restricted speed to the next better signal. Now if you are the crew person that examined said switch and you threw it and derailed I’d think a hearing letter would be forth coming. Simple as that. Been there and did it more then a few times while out on the road.
Folks, if the point is gaping more than 1/4 inch it is defective. Most need training also. You don’t look from the cab, you look from 5′ above your shoes standing on the ground.
I would think that it was a remote switch. Maybe there was something wrong with the switch an it did not throw all the way. Not saying that the crew was not at fault but if the points were only a inch or so from main rail it would be hard to see from the cab but enough to derail the train.
Very simple; it’s called hiring and promotion by affirmative action instead of qualifications.