WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration, reacting to the Feb. 1 accident in Alabama that claimed the life of a Norfolk Southern engineer, today issued a safety bulletin advising railroads to ensure that rolling equipment is properly secured at all times.
The bulletin did not specifically mention NS, but the specifics match those of an accident in the railroad’s yard in Decatur, Ala.
“The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is investigating an accident that resulted in fatal injuries to a locomotive engineer during yard switching operations. At the time of the accident, the fatally injured engineer, who had approximately 30 years of experience, was operating a locomotive on the east side of the yard and working with a conductor and brakeman to switch cars,” the bulletin says. “Another crew was switching cars on the west side of the yard and had set out 35 cars. At some point, those 35 cars from the west side of the yard track rolled uncontrolled towards the east, colliding with the locomotive, occupied by the engineer, that was located on the east yard track switching lead. The collision ejected the engineer from the locomotive cab and the engineer succumbed to his injuries.”
Although the FRA’s investigation into the incident is ongoing, the safety agency said it was issuing the bulletin to remind railroads of the importance of securing rolling stock. The bulletin recommends that:
- Employees understand the importance of complying with railroad rules for securement of
rolling equipment; - Railroads provide employees adequate training on railroad operating rules and procedures
for proper securement of rolling equipment; - Railroads provide employees appropriate periodic oversight of compliance with railroad
operating rules and procedures for proper securement of rolling equipment; - Railroads empower employees to seek immediate clarification of any safety rule,
including rules related to the securement of equipment; and - Railroads remind employees of the dangers associated with improperly secured rolling equipment.
The FRA also issued a safety bulletin regarding a software error found in the Interoperable Electronic Train Management System. The error was found during testing, not in actual railroad operations, and the FRA said the likelihood of a positive train control exclusion was low. A software fix is under way.
