Yourlawyer.com (Train Accidents News)

DC Metro Crash Kills 9, Injures More than 70

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

At least 9 are dead following a rear-end crash of two Washington, DC Metro subway trains yesterday. The Metro crash, which occurred during rush hour, also injured more than 70 people, United Press International (UPI) is reporting.

Officials are calling yesterday's Metro crash the worst in the system's 33 year history. The collision occurred when one train stopped short of the Fort Totten station - near the Maryland border - and was rammed from behind from the second train, UPI said. The second train came to rest on top of the first - something that indicates it was traveling at a high rate of speed. The Los Angeles Times reported that the crash occurred around 5:00 p.m. on the Metro's Red Line, one of its busiest routes.

More than 200 emergency workers responded to the scene, where they had to work to release trapped commuters. Six people - including the operator of the second train - were declared dead shortly after the crash. The additional three bodies were discovered late last night, the Los Angeles Times said. In addition, 76 people were treated at the scene. Some were sent to area hospitals, six with critical injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is on the scene, and has assigned a railroad investigator and two specialists from its office of transportation disaster assistance to the incident, the Times said. The investigation will likely focus on the Metro's computerized signal system, which is supposed to keep trains from getting too close to one another, and operator error.

According to a report in the Baltimore Sun, the NTSB has been a "persistent critic" of the Metro system for the last quarter century. After other incidents, the agency has criticized Metro for ignoring warnings from front-line managers, disregarding NTSB recommendations and failing to learn from its mistakes.

For instance, according to the Sun, after a fatal crash in 1996, the NTSB recommended that Metro reinforce its rail cars' structure to prevent "telescoping" during a crash. But for 8 years, Metro resisted the move, complaining it would be too expensive. The Metro system is not required to follow NTSB recommendations, the Sun said.

The NTSB investigation of the Metro crash could take years to complete, but it may issue a preliminary report sooner than that, the Sun said.

In the Metro's 33-year history, there have been at least four other fatal accidents that have killed a total of seven people.

Metrolink Crash Lawsuits Filed

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Following the fatal Metrolink train crash that killed 25 people and injured 138, seven lawsuits have been filed. Officials said 220 people were aboard the commuter train on September 13, which was heading from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Ventura County, when it ran head-on into a Union Pacific freight train traveling in the opposite direction. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Metrolink train’s engineer failed to stop at the final red signal, which forced the train onto a track where the Union Pacific freight was traveling.

KeyT3 reported that the seven lawsuits were filed this week in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of the victims of the deadly September 12 Metrolink collision. Two lawsuits allege negligence and wrongful death and seek unspecified damages, said KeyT3, which reported that two lawsuits name the following defendants: The regional rail authority that operates Metrolink, several contract companies, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The other suits, which seek a jury trial and general damages, name Connex Railroad—a contractor that provides engineers who run the Metrolink trains—as well as Veolia Transportation—Connex’s parent company—and the train engineer’s estate.

Federal investigators confirmed the engineer was texting on his cellphone seconds before the crash. The last message the engineer received was at 4:21:03, more than one minute prior to impact; the final message he sent was at 4:22:01, just 22 seconds before the trains collided. Both trains were traveling at about 40 miles an hour.

Following the tragedy, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued an emergency order prohibiting all train operators from using cell phones while on duty. And, while the rule was issued in October, it comes years after the FRA first considered the matter, two weeks after the California Public Utilities Commission imposed the same restriction, and one day after the NTSB issued a preliminary report saying text messages were sent and received by Metrolink engineer Robert M. Sanchez's cell phone in the moments before his commuter train collided with the Union Pacific freight train. The FRA’s emergency order also contains a list of recent train accidents that involved cell phone use including one accident that occurred over the summer when a Union Pacific brakeman walked across tracks while talking on his cell phone; he was struck and killed by a train. Another accident involved a 2006 head-on collision in Texas between two Union Pacific freight trains. In that case, the FRA later determined that the engineer was talking on his phone and not paying attention.

Of note, the Senate recently approved—in a 74 to 24 vote—a rail-safety bill sponsored by California’s senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. The bill was approved in the House and requires major railroad and commuter lines to install collision avoidance systems, including automatic braking, by December 31, 2015. The last time Congress addressed railroad safety was in 1994, when it passed the Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act, but that law expired in 1998. Critics say Congress has neglected railroad safety and that the FRA has been less-than enthusiastic about new reforms and is deferential to industry.

Ex-NTSB Chief Confirms Safety Standards Less for Buses

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

While airline crashes tend to get more press, many travelers die in bus and train accidents as well. Take for instance the recent bus crash in August that killed 17 people who were traveling from Houston to a religious event, or the Atlanta bus accident last year that involved the Bluffton University baseball team or the 2002 Texas bus accident that involved Texas church campers.

Jim Hall, formerly of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)—Hall chaired the NTSB from 1994 to 2001—agrees that the traveling public is treated to a different standard if they are on a bus instead of an airliner or train. Further, some of those who died in the two Texas and the Georgia accidents might have survived if a few basic safety propositions, such as seat belts and stronger windows, had been adopted. "There's a strong safety culture in aviation that has been supported by the aviation community, in which fatalities are unacceptable," Hall said. "That same culture we haven't had on our highways. I wish I could explain it."

One basic issue in unaddressed bus safety remains why basic recommendations for long-haul buses made years ago have never been implemented. This lack of action has also confused safety advocates for some forty years. In 1968 NTSB first announced a recommendation to add seat belts to large nationwide buses; however, today, most buses do not offer seatbelts.

U.S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (Republican-Texas) and Sherrod Brown (Democrat-Ohio) offered a bill to turn some of those long-standing NTSB recommendations into law. At a subcommittee hearing last month, Hutchison pointed to a series of "horrific accidents" over the summer that confirmed the need to implement "sweeping changes" to enhance bus safety. While the law may not immediately pass, it may be reconsidered as part of a highway bill next year.

The motorcoach industry opposes the bill and the American Bus Association (ABA) and other industry groups claim buses are safe just the way they are. The ABA calls the Hutchison-Brown bill "an industry killer" on its Website citing the expense of adding safety featues and supports another bill sponsored by U.S. Representative Bill Shuster (Republican-Pennsylvania), that calls for research but no specific changes.

The NTSB is the agency that investigates serious transportation crashes and issues and has been the most persistent in calling for safety improvements such as: Three-point seat belts, stronger windows, stronger roofs, heat sensors, fire suppression devices, stronger driver certification requirements, training, and more vigorous inspection and monitoring of bus companies. Hall, other safety advocates, crash victims and their families, politicians, and plaintiff lawyers all blame a cowardly federal bureaucracy and a motorcoach industry that, they say, has fought changes for years. "You have years of delay and dithering by the (U.S.) Department of Transportation, and you have an industry that has been a partner with them in not wanting to do anything," said Jackie Gillan, vice president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

The Federal Railroad Administration Bans Cellphone Use by On-Duty Train Operators

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Federal Railroad Administration issued an emergency order prohibiting all train operators from using cellphones while on duty. The new rule was issued yesterday and comes years after it first considered the matter, two weeks after the California Public Utilities Commission imposed the same restriction, and one day after the National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report saying that text messages were sent and received by Metrolink engineer Robert M. Sanchez's cellphone in the moments before his commuter train collided with a Union Pacific freight train September 12. Twenty-five people died and 135 sustained injuries in that accident. "Everyone involved with rail travel deserves the full attention and focus of train operators, without exception and without excuse," the Federal Railroad Administration said in a statement.

The order contains a list of recent train accidents that involved cellphone use. One such accident occurred this summer when a Union Pacific brakeman walked across tracks while talking on his cellphone. He was struck and killed by a train. Another involved a 2006 head-on collision in Texas between two Union Pacific freight trains. The Federal Railroad Administration later determined that the engineer was talking on his phone and not paying attention.

Just two weeks ago, a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) spokesman said it was merely continuing to study the issue and that cellphone use by train engineers already was banned by railroads, but such a ban would be difficult to enforce. "Think, as a practical matter, “how an FRA inspector would actually catch an engineer with a cellphone," FRA spokesman Rob Kulat wrote to a Times reporter. "The engineer would have to be on the phone with the phone in his right hand as he's passing an FRA inspector who just happens to be there. It's a highly unlikely scenario." Kulat said the FRA has only 270 inspectors to watch over the nation's train traffic, and that having them be responsible for cellphone enforcement would "divert scarce resources into an area that is a problem only on a rare, an exceptional occasion."

Meanwhile, Federal investigators just confirmed that the engineer of the commuter train that collided with a freight train in California was texting on his cellphone seconds before the September 12 crash. Investigators are also working to draw links with the time on the phone and train and signal recorder data. The last message the engineer received was at 4:21:03, more than one minute prior to impact; the final message he sent was at 4:22:01, just 22 seconds before the trains collided. The trains—a Metrolink commuter and a Union Pacific freight—were traveling at about 40 miles an hour.

Meanwhile, the Senate just approved—in a 74 to 24 vote—a rail-safety bill sponsored by California’s senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. The bill has been approved in the House and would require major railroad and commuter lines to install collision avoidance systems, including automatic braking, by December 31, 2015.

Investigators Say Train Engineer Texting Seconds Before Crash

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Federal investigators just confirmed that the engineer of the commuter train that collided with a freight train in California was texting on his cellphone seconds before the crash. Twenty-five people were killed and over 130 were injured in the September 12 crash. Authorities continue to work to determine if the engineer was sending text messages at the time his train failed to stop for a red signal, which is what led to the deadly collision.

Investigators are also working to draw links with the time on the phone and train and signal recorder data. The last message the engineer received was at 4:21:03, more than one minute prior to impact; the final message he sent was at 4:22:01, just 22 seconds before the trains collided. The trains—a Metrolink commuter and a Union Pacific freight—were traveling at about 40 miles an hour.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it confirmed the engineer’s texting through his cellphone records and said the engineer, Robert M. Sanchez, 46, who was killed in the crash, sent text messages throughout his shift, which was a split tour of duty. On the first part of his shift, he operated the train from 6:44 a.m. to 8:53 a.m., and received 21 text messages and sent 24. On the second part of the shift, which lasted from 3 p.m. until the time of the crash at 4:22, Sanchez sent five messages and received seven. Although it was unclear with whom he was texting, some teens--describing themselves as rail buffs—told media that just before the crash they exchanged messages with Sanchez. Investigators obtained the teens’ cellphone records and interviewed them. The cause of the crash has not been officially determined; however, investigators confirmed the tracks, signals, brakes, and locomotives were operating normally. Also, while the Union Pacific engineer braked, Sanchez did not.

The California Public Utilities Commission—the office which oversees rail safety—issued an order less than one week following the crash barring train operators from using cellphones other than for emergencies or unless the train is stopped and managers give permission. The Federal Railroad Administration said it would issue an emergency ban on the use of personal electronic devices. The commission said it acted in response both to the Metrolink crash and another accident on June 14 on a light rail line in San Francisco in which a dozen people were injured. That accident might have been caused by inappropriate use of a cellphone. Metrolink said it forbids cellphone use while operating trains.

Michael R. Peevey, president of the state Public Utilities Commission, said Sanchez’s cellphone use is “very, very sad but I think we suspected from the very beginning something like this.” Peevey added, “It is almost inexplicable how this thing could happen if you had your eyes open and were looking out.” Tim Smith, the California chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trains, Sanchez’s union, said it supported the cellphone ban.

Meanwhile, the Senate just approved—in a 74 to 24 vote—a rail-safety bill sponsored by California’s senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. The bill has been approved in the House and would require major railroad and commuter lines to install collision avoidance systems, including automatic braking, by December 31, 2015.

LA Train Crash Sparks Push for Reforms

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

This month's fatal crash of a Los Angeles commuter train has the U.S. Congress scrambling to pass what would be the first significant railroad reforms in 14 years. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has for years pushed for many of the safety rules now under consideration.

The fatal Metrolink train crash killed 25 people and injured 138. Officials said 220 people were aboard the commuter train on Sept. 13, which was heading from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Ventura County. The train was traveling at 42 mph when it ran head-on into a Union Pacific freight train traveling in the opposite direction. According to the NTSB, the Metrolink train’s engineer failed to stop at the final red signal, which forced the train onto a track where the Union Pacific freight was traveling.

Both the House and Senate have passed versions of a railroad reform bill, but must resolve differences before the election recess Friday. If passed, the new laws would limit hours engineers work, mandate technology to stop trains on a collision course and enact the rail industry's first other major reforms in 14 years.

The last time Congress addressed railroad safety was in 1994, when it passed the Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act. But that law expired four years later. Since then, critics say Congress has neglected railroad safety.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which regulates the railroad industry, has also been less-than enthusiastic about new reforms. According to the Associated Press, the FRA says it can do its job without new safety inspectors, and while both the FRA and the railroad industry claim they support so-called positive train control technology, neither wants Congress to impose a timeline. Critics of the FRA charge that it defers to the industry too much.

Compared to the industry it regulates, the FRA is a relatively small agency. According to the Associated Press, the FRA's 430 inspectors must oversee an industry with over 235,000 employees and over 1.3 million freight cars running on 220,000 miles of track.

Railroads Balk at Crash Prevention Technology

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

For years, Metrolink, the Southern California commuter rail system involved in a fatal train crash earlier this month, has resisted installing automatic braking and other systems which many say could have lessened the severity of - or even prevented - the fatal accident. Now, a report by The Los Angeles Times recently found that such control systems have been installed in several places around the country where they have worked effectively.

The fatal Metrolink train crash occurred around 4:22 on Sept. 12, near Chatsworth, California, at the west end of the San Fernando Valley. Officials said 220 people were aboard the Metrolink train, which was heading from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Ventura County. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Metrolink train’s engineer failed to stop at the final red signal, which forced the train onto a track with a Union Pacific freight.

Positive train controls range in complexity from sensors and automatic braking systems to sophisticated designs that rely on Global Positioning System technology, computers and digital radio communications. According to the LA Times, positive train controls have been installed on railroads for almost 90 years in the United States. They were first required by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1920, when 49 railroads were ordered to install train stop systems on some passenger lines. But because of the dramatic decline in train travel in the U.S., many of the systems were removed with the approval of federal regulators.

According to the LA Times, the only part of Metrolink's 388 miles of track that has automatic braking is a stretch in south Orange County that was equipped with the system by another railroad before Metrolink began operation in 1992. Metrolink officials repeatedly have said that such controls have not yet been perfected to the point where they can be installed throughout Southern California's rail system, where 66% of the tracks are shared by freight and passenger trains.

But the NTSB says the systems have been proven in testing and practice. For instance, Massachusetts’ commuter rail system is equipped with sensor technology that was used recently. One day in March, a 112-ton parked freight car came loose and headed toward a commuter rail train carrying 300 passengers during rush hour 3 miles down the track. The technology stopped the commuter train, and though there was a collision, passengers suffered only minor injuries.

The NTSB recommended positive train controls more than 30 years ago. In 1990, the agency added the technology to its list of 10 most wanted safety improvements. In August 1999, the federal Railroad Safety Advisory Committee issued a report stating that out of a sample of 6,400 train accidents of all types, 2,659 accidents could have been prevented had some form of positive train control been implemented.

Agency officials told the LA times that they are frustrated about at the slow pace of developing and applying positive train control technology around the country. They blame a failure of leadership in Washington and the railroad industry, which views positive train control as too expensive.

After LA Train Crash, California Approves Cell Phone Ban

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Nearly a week after the crash of a Los Angeles commuter train killed 25 people, California regulators approved a rule banning train operators from using cell phones while on duty. The emergency order, which goes into effect immediately, was approved yesterday by a unanimous vote of the California Public Utility Commission.

The fatal Metrolink train crash occurred around 4:22 last Friday, near Chatsworth, California, at the west end of the San Fernando Valley. Officials said 220 people were aboard the Metrolink train, which was heading from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Ventura County. The commuter train was traveling at 42 mph when it ran head-on into a Union Pacific freight train traveling in the opposite direction. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Metrolink train's engineer failed to stop at the final red signal, which forced the train onto a track where the Union Pacific freight was traveling.

Yesterday, the NTSB confirmed that the engineer, who died in the accident, had been text messaging while working. Shortly after the accident, two teenagers who had befriended the engineer said they had received text messages from him right before the crash. The NTSB's investigation of cell phone has not determined yet if the driver was texting at the time of the crash.

The new California rule imposes an immediate ban on the use of wireless devices by train engineers, conductors and brakemen while on duty. The only exception would be in emergencies, after a train has stopped and permission has been received from superiors.

Metrolink and other commuter railroad in California already have rules banning the use of cell phones and other electronic devices, but they lack enforcement power. Under the order approved Thursday, rail systems operating in California could be fined up to $20,000 per violation if employees are caught using cellphones. In some instances, rail service could be halted. Enforcing the ban will primarily be the responsibility of train services. But spot inspections by state workers will be conducted, and the public will be encouraged to report abuse.

There is currently no federal law banning railroad employees from using electronic devices while working. In 2003, the NTSB urged the Federal Railroad Administration to adopt regulations to control the use of wireless communication devices by railroad employees. The issue is still being studied.

Meanwhile, the NTSB has cautioned that a cause for the train crash - cell phone use or otherwise - has not been determined. In addition to text messaging, the NTSB is also looking at whether driver fatigue may have played a role in the Metrolink crash. Robert Sanchez, the engineer of the doomed train, typically worked five days a week with back-to-back, split-shift schedules that began before dawn and ended at 9 p.m.

Records Confirm LA Train Crash Engineer Was Text Messaging On the Job

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The engineer driving a Metrolink train involved in a fatal Southern California train crash last Friday was text messaging while he worked. However, it is not clear if he was doing so at the time of the accident. The commuter train crashed outside Los Angeles after running a stop signal, killing 25 people and injuring 138.

Over the weekend, an LA TV station reported that two teenage train buffs were claiming that the Metrolink train's engineer, 46-year-old Robert Sanchez - also among those killed in the crash - had been text messaging them in the moments before the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) subpoenaed Sanchez's phone records and on Wednesday issued a statement confirming that he "had sent and received text messages on the day of the accident, including some while he was on duty." Investigators do not yet know what time those messages were sent.

The agency said it also has been in contact with the two teenagers who were exchanging text messages with Sanchez.

Metrolink rules do not allow train operators to use cell phones or other electronic devices while on duty. NTSB has interviewed the Metrolink train conductor who had worked with Sanchez since April, but the conductor did not report any issues with Sanchez's job performance. Sanchez was not an actual Metrolink employee, but was a subcontractor who worked for another company.

News that the train engineer could have been text messaging while operating the train has sparked calls for the cell phone ban. The California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates trains in the state, is scheduled to vote on such an order today.

The fatal Metrolink train crash occurred around 4:22 last Friday, near Chatsworth, California, at the west end of the San Fernando Valley. Officials said 220 people were aboard the Metrolink train, which was heading from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Ventura County. The commuter train was traveling at 42 mph when it ran head-on into a Union Pacific freight train traveling in the opposite direction. The impact of the collision rammed the commuter train’s engine backward, jamming it deep into the first passenger car. The Associated Press reported that the Metrolink train was so mangled that some bodies had to be removed in pieces. In addition to the fatalities, 138 passengers were injured.

According to the NTSB, Sanchez for some reason failed to stop at the final red signal, which forced the train onto a track where the Union Pacific freight was traveling. Three signals that should have warned the engineer to stop before hitting a freight train appear to have been working and visible prior to last week’s catastrophic collision, investigators said.

In Wake of LA Train Crash, Cell Phone Ban Considered

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Following last week's deadly crash of an LA commuter train that killed 26 people, the California agency that regulates railroads is seeking an emergency order banning train operators from using cell phones. The call for the cell phone ban comes amid speculation that the driver of the doomed Metrolink train was text messaging just prior to the crash, and news that federal regulators are seeking to examine the engineer's cell phone records.

The fatal Metrolink train crash occurred around 4:22 on Friday, near Chatsworth, California, at the west end of the San Fernando Valley. Officials said 220 people were aboard the Metrolink train, which was heading from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Ventura County. The commuter train was traveling at 42 mph when it ran head-on into a Union Pacific freight train traveling in the opposite direction. The impact of the collision rammed the commuter train’s engine backward, jamming it deep into the first passenger car. The Associated Press reported that the Metrolink train was so mangled that some bodies had to be removed in pieces. In addition to the fatalities, 138 passengers were injured.

Two teenage train buffs who befriended engineer Robert Sanchez - who was among those killed - told an LA TV station that they received a text message from him a minute before the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has requested cell phone records to investigate whether Robert Sanchez might have been distracted by text messaging. However, the NTSB said that so far, a cell phone belonging to Sanchez has not been found in the wreckage.

According to the NTSB, Sanchez for some reason failed to stop at the final red signal, which forced the train onto a track where the Union Pacific freight was traveling. Three signals that should have warned the engineer to stop before hitting a freight train appear to have been working and visible prior to last week’s catastrophic collision, investigators said.

News that the train engineer could have been text messaging while operating the train has sparked calls for the cell phone ban. The California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates trains in the state, is scheduled to vote on such an order tomorrow.

"Some railroad operators may have policies prohibiting the personal use of such devices, but they're widely ignored," Michael Peevey, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, told the Associated Press. "Our order would make it the law and we'll go after violators. We owe it to the public."

While Metrolink prohibits rail workers from using cell phones when working, there is no existing federal regulation covering such use. This despite the fact that in 2003, after finding that a an engineer's cell phone use contributed to a fatal May 2002 Texas train crash, the NTSB recommended that the Federal Railroad Administration regulate the use of cell phones by railroad employees.

Fatal LA Train Crash Could Have Been Prevented with New Safety System, Feds Say

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The death toll from last week's Los Angeles commuter train crash has now reached 26, making it the worst U.S. rail accident in the past 15 years. Now, federal officials have gone on record as saying the tragedy could have been prevented with the installation of new safety technology which most railroads have refused to use.

The fatal Metrolink train crash occurred around 4:22 on Friday, near Chatsworth, California, at the west end of the San Fernando Valley. Officials said 220 people were aboard the Metrolink train, which was heading from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Ventura County. The commuter train was traveling at 42 mph when it ran head-on into a Union Pacific freight train traveling in the opposite direction. The impact of the collision rammed the commuter train’s engine backward, jamming it deep into the first passenger car. The Associated Press reported that the Metrolink train was so mangled that some bodies had to be removed in pieces.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the engineer at the helm of the Metrolink train failed to stop at the final red signal, which forced the train onto a track where the Union Pacific freight was traveling. Three signals that should have warned the engineer to stop before hitting a freight train appear to have been working and visible prior to last week's catastrophic collision, investigators said.

Right now, the NTSB's investigation is focusing on whether or not the engineer - who died in the crash - was text messaging at the time. Two teenage train buffs who befriended him told an LA TV station that they received a text message from him a minute before the crash. The Board has requested cell phone records to investigate whether Metrolink engineer Robert Sanchez might have been distracted by text messaging.

Meanwhile, an NTSB official used the accident as an opportunity to criticize railroads for refusing to install new technology that could have prevented the crash. The system, known as positive train control, monitors train location and speed using satellite-based positioning systems and digital communication. It can engage the brakes if a train fails to heed signals or gets on the wrong track. According to the Associated Press, the technology is in use on only 2,600 miles of track out of about 140,000 miles nationwide. Railroads have resisted it because of cost.

"Many times in this country, we regulate by counting tombstones," Barry M. Sweedler, former director of the Office of Safety Recommendations for the NTSB, told the Associated Press. "Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy like this with many people dead for action to take place, even though people in the know knew what needed to be done and didn't do it," he said.

In addition to costs, railroads argue that the technology has not been fully tested. But the NTSB says the system has been proven in testing and practice. According to the Associated Press, Massachusetts' commuter rail system is equipped with sensor technology. It was used in March, when a 112-ton parked freight car came loose and headed toward a commuter rail train carrying 300 passengers during rush hour 3 miles down the track. The technology stopped the commuter train, and though there was a collision, passengers suffered only minor injuries.

Louisiana Train Derailment and Acid Spill

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A six-car train derailment that caused one of the cars to rupture and leak hydrochloric acid, resulted in the evacuation of thousands this weekend in Louisiana. The acid formed a yellowish pool on the ground and spread a large, toxic cloud over Lafayette, a southern Louisiana city about 125 miles west of New Orleans. A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Company train was responsible for the derailment and spill.

An evacuation order was enacted early on Saturday morning after an estimated 11,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid leaked from the ruptured rail car. Hydrochloric acid can cause respiratory problems and irritation to the skin and eyes. Cleanup crews used lime to neutralize the chemical, while contractors for the rail company excavated the acid for disposal. According to the state Department of Environmental Quality, the railroad company intends to dig out and dispose of the resultant material. According to state police, over half of the 11,000 gallons of acid has been removed so far.

The derailment and spill affected a large scope of Louisiana’s Lafayette Parish area and, following the derailment, approximately 3,000 residents and businesses in northwest Lafayette—all those within a one-mile perimeter of the derailment—were displaced. The train was headed to Lake Charles, near Texas and about 75 miles west of Lafayette. The derailment affected not only train workers and local residents, but also many area businesses, forcing such businesses to close down during and following the derailment and chemical spill. A portion of the area remains shut down and those operating within 1,000 feet of the derailment are still under evacuation orders. It is believed no residents are involved in the smaller perimeter area.

The derailment occurred at the Ambassador Caffery Parkway overpass, leading to a number of major road closures, including the Ambassador Caffery, Cameron, Bertrand, and Interstate 10. The Ambassador Caffery overpass remains closed at the railroad-crossing site. Because some of the rail cars may have hit the underside of the overpass, the state Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) must clear its use and approve is reopening. Meanwhile, the DOTD cannot work in the area until the entire chemical cleanup is completed and the final 1,000-yard safety zone has been dissolved. That portion of the work is expected to take a couple of more days.

The widespread chemical release emitted hazardous and harmful chemicals and toxins, which can cause both medical problems and property damage. Five people, including two railroad workers, were sent to a hospital and treated after complaining of skin and eye irritation, state police said. Also, a nursing home was forced to evacuate its 161 residents with 35 residents taken to local hospitals because their frail and weakened conditions did not enable their movement to other facilities.

A variety of families stayed at the Red Cross shelter established at the Carencro High School. This shelter was dismantled by 9:00 PM on Saturday when other accommodations were arranged by the rail company for the displaced at area hotels.

Also, an Amtrak Sunset Limited heading from Los Angeles was detoured and arrived about one and a-half hours late in New Orleans. A number of passengers bound for Lafayette and other Louisiana stops were bused out of Houston.

Officials call for better rail safety

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is calling for a task force to investigate all upstate New York CSX accidents this year. "For far too long, CSX has failed to prevent these incidents and protect upstate New York communities from these recurring accidents. Federal regulators have not done nearly enough to crack down on these companies after accidents to improve and secure the rail infrastructure across the state," he said.

"The task force I am proposing would have the sole focus of getting to the root cause of these accidents to ensure that CSX is taking all necessary steps to avoid a catastrophe. Unfortunately, CSX's track record this year may have put us on a collision course for disaster."

During a conference call Wednesday with reporters, Schumer said that since 2000 there have been 572 rail accidents in communities across upstate New York, causing nearly $34 million in damages. Not all of those 572 accidents involved CSX and Schumer could not provide a solid count on that figure.

"Monday's accident in the City of Oneida is just one in a series of dozens of accidents, derailments and fatal crashes that CSX has been involved in across upstate New York," he said.

He noted a January incident in East Rochester where 13 cars on a CSX train derailed. There were no injuries but at least two motorists were nearly hit by falling trailers that had dislodged from their cars.

Also in January, 20,000 gallons of methanol caught fire at a CSX rail yard in Selkirk, N.Y., which is where the derailed train in Oneida was headed.

Schumer also noted a December incident where a CSX train carrying vegetables derailed on an overpass in Cheektowaga, N.Y.
And he said that while nobody was injured in Monday's accident, had the explosion occurred in a more populated area it could have been much worse.

Schumer says that's the real worry, "one day one of the trains derails in a populous area and spills poisonous chemicals like chlorine and unfortunately it's a real possibility because according to the National Transportation Atlas Database three million tons of chemicals are transported on New York's rail networks every year."

Schumer's proposed task force would include members from the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

"The FRA hasn't done the job in terms of inspections, in terms of fines, in terms of staying vigilant, there's a lot of carelessness there," Schumer said. "It's a real worry because railroads have not put in the capital that they used to in terms of new cars, new tracks, new switches."

As one of the authors of the bi-partisan Rail Crossing and Hazardous Materials Transport Act, Schumer feels recent train accidents will help get the bill through.

The bill calls for charging higher penalties to rail companies for gross negligence. If a fatality occurs fines could be anywhere from $50,000 to $10 million. For gross negligence not involving a fatality, the Federal Railroad Administration will be required to fine a rail company at least $5,000 but not more than $2.5 million.

"The legislation aims to crack down on negligent railroad companies and require the broader use of modern technology to protect the public from more fatal crossing and hazardous materials accidents," Schumer said in a news release.
The bill also sets age restrictions on cars carrying hazardous materials. It requires that every car be inspected and upgraded every fifteen years and that all rail cars over 15 years old be inspected and brought up to federal code within a year.

Schumer is also calling for immediate congressional hearings on freight rail safety.

"We've got to get to the bottom of this, find out what CSX is doing wrong, where they're cutting back, whether they are in violation of safety regulations and whether there has been negligence or carelessness that has caused this rash of accidents," he said.

CSX Spokesperson Bob Sullivan says his company is constantly working on safety and that rail is "by far the best mode of moving these materials."

"It's the nature of what we do, we have a steadily improving safety record," he said. "When we have an accident we investigate it and try to learn from it."

Sullivan explained that it's the responsibility of the Federal Railroad Administration to decide how often a track is inspected. He said the one in Oneida is inspected twice a week.

"In addition to that we also do inspections with specialized equipment that can go in and check the geometry of the track-it can check the integrity of the rails," he said. "A lot of inspecting gets done here."

Sullivan said the cars are inspected before each trip.

"They're going to look at the wheels, at the brakes and all of that," he said. "We also have equipment alongside of the tracks that checks the cars as they go by."

In response to recent events, Joseph Boardman, administrator to the Federal Railroad Administration announced Wednesday that through a rail safety re-authorization bill submitted to Congress, the FRA will have control over railroad worker hours and focus more on risk reduction.

"We must embrace new methods and strategies to further reduce the number of accidents in the rail industry," he said in a news release. "Railroads must be more accountable for the safety of their operations and rail employees need work schedules that reduce fatigue and promote safety."

Boardman noted that the FRA proposal would "replace railroad hours of service laws, first enacted in 1907, with comprehensive, scientifically based regulations to address the serious issue of worker fatigue."

The laws that set the maximum on-duty or minimum off-duty hours for train crews, dispatchers and signal maintainers will now be set by the FRA. It will be similar to the hours of service standards set for airline pilots and truck drivers.

The FRA Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, made up of railroad management and labor representatives will develop recommendations regarding hours.

The proposal also sets in motion some risk reduction programs.

"The FRA will place increased emphasis on developing methods to systematically evaluate safety risks in order to hold railroads more accountable for improving the safety of their own operations," stated the news release. "Including risk management strategies and implementing plans to eliminate or minimize the opportunity for workers to make errors which can result in accidents."

Local politicians are urging the New York State Public Safety Transportation Board to immediately examine safety issues related to rail transportation.

"The train derailment in Oneida highlights the need to examine and maintain the integrity of our transportation infrastructure, including rails. We are calling for an immediate response from the NYSPSTB regarding this accident," said Assemblyman David Townsend, R-115, in a news release Wednesday.

In a bi-partisan letter to the NYSPSTB Townsend, along with state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-47, Sen. David Valesky, D-49 and Assemblyman William Magee, D-111, encouraged the board to take action in two key areas.

The officials want the condition of all railroads across New York state examined to "make sure that every mile of railroad is safe and in proper working condition."

Secondly, they are asking that the board require the contents of all railroad cars be listed on the trip manifest.

"Hundreds of people were forced out of their homes following the crash because first responders were not aware of the contents of freight cars that exploded or were in danger of exploding," states the letter. "Any first responder called to a similar situation in the future should have the confidence that a train's contents can be easily located."

Train derailment forces evacuation

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

A fiery explosion of a freight train carrying liquid propane forced an evacuation Monday from the city of Oneida, stalled passenger train service and shut down a section of the state Thruway.

The 7 a.m. blast from the derailed train sent a huge fireball into the dawn sky. Thick, black smoke continued to pour out for hours as propane tanker cars burned through the morning. Oneida Fire Chief Don Hudson said two cars containing liquid propane exploded and burned out.

Two other tankers filled with liquid petroleum a fifth car filled with toluene, a solvent, also burned.

“I was standing in the driveway waiting for the bus when I saw this big ball of fire go into the sky. It must have shot up thousands of feet,” said Will Medler, 16, of Oneida. “First I thought, ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ Then I realized something bad has happened.”

Medler said he did not hear anything because he was wearing his iPod.

There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

“All the dangers of explosions have passed,” said Hudson.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation released data showing train accidents across the country declined for the second year in a row, falling from 3,236 in 2005 to 2,834 in 2006. The number of accidents fell from 105 to 89 in New York state.

U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Monday called for an investigation of New York’s rail safety in the wake of the derailment.

“This accident should be a wake up call. We cannot continue to treat these derailments as isolated incidents. I urge the Federal Railroad Administration to launch a full investigation of railroad safety across the state to prevent the next derailment before it occurs,” she said.

Clinton added that Monday’s derailment in Oneida was yet another troubling incident in what has become a series of rail accidents across New York. She said even more concerning, the incident involved explosive and hazardous materials with the potential to cause widespread damage, injury and even loss of life. “It is necessary for the security of all New Yorkers that railroads throughout the state run safely,” the senator said.

In early December of last year, two derailments occurred in the cities of Cheektowga and Buffalo. On Jan. 16 of this year a train transporting 30,000 gallons of liquefied propane was derailed in Maspeth. As a result, businesses and homes were evacuated and a Long Island Railroad train was forced to divert its operation onto a different track. On the very same day in East Rochester, several cars carrying tractor trailers derailed, some of which ended up on locals’ lawns. As a result several homes were evacuated and power lines were downed leaving hundreds of people without power. Earlier this year, the Federal Railroad Administration called for an investigation into railroad safety in Erie and Chautauqua counties.

In Monday’s incident a 23-mile stretch of the Thruway, which passes within a mile of the explosion, was closed in both directions for about four hours as a precaution. Amtrak suspended service between Syracuse and Albany. The rail service is making plans to provide bus service to passengers.

Officials evacuated areas a mile around the blast, which included most of the downtown area of the city of 10,000.

Up to 4,000 people live in the affected area, though the evacuation was mandatory only for homes closest to the blast.

About 100 people reported to a local shelter. Most people were back in their homes by mid-afternoon.

Madison County jail officials moved 78 inmates to the jail in neighboring Chenango County. They were expected to spend one night there.

The CSX Corp. train was headed from Buffalo to Selkirk, just south of Albany, and consisted of 80 cars about half of them carrying propane, said company spokesman Robert Sullivan.

Federal Railroad Administration investigators were at the scene trying to find out what caused the 28 cars to derail. Drug tests will be performed on the engineer and data from the locomotives’ black boxes will be analyzed, said CSX spokesman Maurice O’Connell.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators also were headed to the scene.

Officials declared a state of emergency for a half-mile area around the accident site, which affected 11 homes.

A police dispatcher said that evacuation was expected to last at least into Tuesday.

Four firefighters had to be decontaminated after being exposed to liquid chloride that leaked out of an overturned car.

They remained at the scene and continued to fight the fire.

Search begins for cause of Oneida derailment, explosion

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

A detailed investigation into what caused Monday's train derailment and explosion could take up to 18 months, but authorities said they may have some answers by the end of the week.

The chaos in Oneida started around 7 a.m. when 28 cars of a 79-car CSX train derailed, sending a bright orange fireball into the sky. Two tanks containing pressurized propane initially caught fire. Soon after those fires burned out, two other tanks with liquefied petroleum gas and one with the solvent toluene began to burn.

By Monday night, the remaining 23 cars were either upside down, on their sides or in a ditch, said Oneida Fire Chief Don Hudson. It was unclear as to whether the derailment or explosion came first.

Fire officials had no choice but to let the fire burn itself out.

As the air turned into a funnel of black smoke, the explosion affected hundreds:

Two schools: Broad Street elementary and Durhamville elementary were closed.
At first, many homes and businesses were evacuated in a one-mile radius around the Madison County site. By late afternoon, only eight homes were affected in a half-mile radius as a state of emergency was declared.
Madison County jail was evacuated.
State Thruway exits 34A and 33 were closed.

Robert Sullivan, a spokesman for CSX, said ferric chloride had leaked and his inspectors would be working "around the clock" Monday night and into today.

"We have specialists en route to deal with the hazardous materials," he said. "We've been doing air monitoring since 8 a.m., and there have been no readings except for on the scene."

Sullivan said CSX was committed to meeting the needs of the residents who were displaced from their homes.

A cause had not yet been determined, he said.

"We have to wait and make sure it's safe for investigators to get on scene," said Keith Holloway, public affairs officer for the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that investigates various transportation accidents in the country.

"Once that has been done, we will document and examine cars, look for any failures in the structure of the tank cars, look at the track and look at the wheels of the car," Holloway said. "We'll look for anything that can give us an idea of what happened. We've had accidents like this before."

As of Monday afternoon, seven NTSB inspectors were en route to Oneida, Holloway said.

CSX authorities said the train originated in Buffalo and was headed to Selkirk, south of Albany.

The Federal Railroad Administration sent inspectors to the scene within an hour or two after the accident Monday to assist with the investigation. "We perform a supporting role," said Warren Flatau, the agency's spokesman. "We're a regulator, and they have the legal authority to make recommendations."

Approximately 55 to 60 firefighters from at least five departments responded to the scene, but Hudson said most stood on the sidelines, watching the blaze.

Propane cars explode, part of city being evacuated

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

A fiery explosion of a freight train carrying liquid propane forced an evacuation Monday from this small central New York city and shut down a section of the state Thruway.

The 7 a.m. blast sent a huge fireball into the dawn sky. Thick, black smoke continued to pour out hours later as about half a dozen propane tanker cars burned, said Oneida Police Chief David Meeker. Fire crews were trying to keep the flames from spreading to other tankers on the derailed 80-car train, about half of which carried propane.

"There is danger of further explosions," said Oneida Fire Department Lt. Kevin Salerno.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities.

A 23-mile stretch of the Thruway, which passes within a mile of the explosion, was closed in both directions as a precaution, said Patrick Noonan, a spokesman for the Thruway Authority.

Amtrak suspended service between Syracuse and Albany.

Officials were evacuating an area of about a one-mile radius from the blast, which included most of the downtown area of the city of 10,000. Meeker couldn't say how many people were evacuated. Up to 4,000 live in the affected area, though the evacuation was mandatory only for homes closest to the blast.

Meeker said the explosion followed the derailment of about 15 cars.

The CSX Corp. train was headed from Buffalo to Selkirk, just south of Albany, and consisted of 80 cars about half of them propane tankers, said company spokesman Robert Sullivan. He said the cause of the accident hadn't been determined yet.

"Our focus right now is protecting the public," Sullivan said.

Sullivan said two other cars were carrying hazardous materials. One contained a flammable liquid and the other carried a corrosive, but he had no other details on the materials.

A Madison County Sheriff's Department dispatcher said the train was in a non-populated area on Oneida's north side, although within the city limits.

Westbound Thruway traffic was being directed off at Exit 33 in Verona and eastbound vehicles were being directed off the Thruway at Exit 34A in suburban Syracuse. Traffic was being rerouted around the fire scene to local roads, Noonan said.

Federal proposal would require speed controls on semi trucks

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Federal transportation officials are weighing a proposal to require devices on commercial trucks that would limit their top speeds to 68 mph. The idea is supported by many large trucking companies and opposed by many smaller, independent carriers.

The campaign to equip semis with the speed controls is led by Road Safe America, an advocacy group founded by an Atlanta couple whose son died in a 2002 accident involving a big rig.

Steve Owings launched the group after his 22-year-old son, Cullum, was killed when the car he was driving was struck by a semitrailer truck in Rockbridge County, Va.

About 5,000 people die each year in accidents involving commercial trucks.

Owings petitioned the federal government to require the speed devices on commercial semis. He was joined by the American Trucking Association, which represents about 40,000 trucking companies and nine individual firms.

The Department of Transportation is accepting public comments on the proposal until March 27. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will have the final say.

Speed controls will turn big trucks into "rolling roadblocks," said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. "That will force other vehicles to try to pass them. Cars are three times more likely to run into the back of trucks than the other way around."

FRA: Study Supports Link Between Fatigue, Train Accidents

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0800

As part of an ongoing effort to target the highest risks and major causes of train accidents, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is releasing a study that, according to the agency, provides a strong scientific rationale for evaluating railroad employee work schedules to address worker fatigue.

According to FRA, human factor errors are responsible for nearly 40 percent of all train accidents over the past 5 years. An FRA evaluation of the research findings confirms that fatigue plays a role in approximately one out of four of those accidents, the agency said.

"In almost every other category of train accidents, we've seen a steady decline in recent years, but human-factor-caused accidents are increasing," FRA Administrator Joseph Boardman said. "Widespread acceptance by the railroad industry of the validated findings of this fatigue report could potentially lead to fewer serious train accidents."

Boardman noted that the goal of the research was to determine if a fatigue model can accurately and reliably predict an increased risk of human error that could contribute to the occurrence of a train accident.

A mathematical model for detecting the point at which the risk of fatigue becomes hazardous could be part of a railroad's fatigue management plan. FRA expects that this information will aid the railroad industry in improving crew scheduling practices in order to reduce that risk. A similar approach currently is utilized by the Department of Defense.

Study Analyzed 1,400 Train Accidents

As part of the study, researchers analyzed the 30-day work-schedule histories of locomotive crews preceding approximately 1,400 train accidents and found a strong statistical correlation between the crew's estimated level of alertness and the likelihood that they would be involved in an accident caused by human factors, FRA said.

The relationship, FRA noted, is so strong that the level of fatigue associated with some work schedules was found to be equivalent to being awake for 21 hours following an 8-hour sleep period the previous night. At this level, train accidents consistent with fatigue, such as failing to stop for red signals, were more likely to occur.

Boardman added that this fatigue study is an important part of the FRA's National Rail Safety Action Plan, a comprehensive effort to target the major causes of railroad incidents.

The report, titled "Validation and Calibration of a Fatigue Assessment Tool for Railroad Work Schedules, Summary Report," as well as a supplemental agency evaluation, can be found http://www.fra.dot.gov.

Freight train derailment blocks tracks in Everett

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Freight train derailment blocks tracks in Everett Ten rail cars loaded with wood products jumped the tracks early Monday, blocking Amtrak passenger trains and Sound Transit service between Everett and Seattle.

The derailment occurred shortly before 2 a.m. as the train was passing over a switch less than a mile south of the old Everett train station. Repair crews expected to reopen one set of tracks by 1 a.m. Tuesday and the other later that day, Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman Gus Melonas said.

No one was injured, no hazardous materials or toxic substances were involved and there was no risk of pollution, Melonas said. The cause remained under investigation but train handling was ruled out, he added.

The first of the 10 cars to go off the tracks was 19 cars behind the four engines pulling the 89-car train, he said. One car was partly in Puget Sound, four were on their sides, two were tilting and three were upright. All were carrying lumber, veneerboard, particleboard or wood pulp.

Geoff Patrick of Sound Transit said the derailment blocked commuter service Monday morning and evening between Everett and Seattle. Amtrak passenger trains also were blocked, Melonas said.

He said some eastbound freight trains were being detoured through the Columbia River Gorge.

Train Derails, Bursts Into Flames in Pa.

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Several cars of a train that derailed and burst into flames over a bridge in southwestern Pennsylvania continued to burn Saturday, and officials were concerned about the risk of an explosion.

There were no immediate reports of injuries after the accident late Friday that left fiery rail cars dangling over the Beaver River, said Dom Bedolatti, 911 center supervisor at the Beaver County Emergency Management Agency.

The 80-car Norfolk Southern Railroad train was carrying ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and officials were concerned about the risk of an explosion, said Terry Erickson, a supervisor with the county Emergency Management Agency. Authorities determined there was no spill.

"It poses more a danger of an explosion than it does of a toxic situation," he said.

Still, downstream water users were notified of the incident as a precaution, said Betsy Mallison, spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Eight rail cars on the bridge had caught fire, but authorities did not expect the flames to spread to homes or businesses.

"None of the cars that are on land are on fire," said Brian Hayden, a spokesman for the Beaver County Emergency Operations Center.

The eastbound train's midsection derailed while crossing the bridge, which is about 100 feet high and a half-mile long, Hayden said.

The cause of the derailment and its damage estimate remained unknown Saturday.

At least 50 people were evacuated from homes and businesses in Beaver Falls and New Brighton, emergency officials said. They were expected to remain out of their homes until later Saturday. The site is about 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.

Witnesses reported hearing explosions and seeing flames shoot into the sky.

Freight train in flames near Pittsburgh

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700

A freight train derailed and burst into flames over a bridge near Pittsburgh Friday night, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate, authorities said.

The engineer and the conductor aboard the train escaped injury, said Fire Chief Dennis Stone of the Daugherty Township Volunteer Fire Department. There were no other reports of injuries.

Police said as many as 500 to 600 people were told to leave their homes as a precaution in an area that includes numerous businesses, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Hazardous materials crews were on the scene Saturday as a several burning cars dangled from a trestle above an embankment of the Beaver River, 35 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.

The train`s midsection derailed while crossing the bridge, officials said. Witnesses reported hearing explosions and seeing flames shoot into the sky.

The cause of the derailment was being investigated and the extent and cost of the damage were being determined, the Post-Gazette said.

Tanker cars burn in New Brighton; more than 500 residents evacuated

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Flames lit up the sky over New Brighton late last night after a train derailed and several tanker cars caught fire, burning into the early hours this morning and prompting an evacuation of more than 200 homes.

Police said as many as 500 to 600 people were told to leave their homes as a precaution in an area including numerous businesses.

For several hours, firefighters and other rescue crews remained at a command post about half a mile from the site where eight rail cars burned, shooting roaring flames 10- to 15-feet into the air. A few burning cars dangled from a trestle above an embankment of the Beaver River.

The engineer and the conductor aboard the train escaped injury, said Fire Chief Dennis Stone of the Daugherty Township Volunteer Fire Department.

State Department of Environmental Protection officials were among those responding at the scene.

The cause of the derailment and the complete extent or cost of damages remained unknown early this morning. "That information, right now, we're still investigating all that," said Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband.

A spokesman for the Beaver County 911 center said the train included about 80 cars, some of which were tankers loaded with liquid ethanol, an alternative fuel. "Some of the cars were carrying liquid ethanol and some did catch on fire," the spokesman said.

The accident occurred near Third Avenue and Fifth Street, near the Beaver Falls-New Brighton Bridge, according to police at the command post. The train was heading south toward Conway when the accident occurred. A local police officer said the trestle was part of the Fort Wayne line.

Brian Hayden, a spokesman for the Beaver County Emergency Operations Center said the train's midsection derailed while crossing the trestle, which is about 100 feet high and a half-mile long.

Eight rail cars on the bridge were on fire, but none abut homes or businesses and authorities did not expect the fire to spread. "None of the cars that are on land are on fire," Hayden said.

Small groups of citizens stood in groups along state Route 65, some in their robes, sharing whatever information they had gathered about the accident. Several witnesses reported hearing explosions after the train derailed. Flames and a tall gray billow of smoke could be seen from miles away.

New Brighton police working security at a local high school football game said they heard screeching of metal on metal as flames burst into the sky, lighting the night horizon for several minutes.

A large portion of New Brighton was blocked off to traffic and many residents wandered the streets, moving in and out of the porous blocked-off area. Police said the evacuated area extended from Second to Seventh avenues and from Third to Seventh street.

HazMat crews and as many as 150 firefighters from 10 municipal fire departments responded to the accident, which occurred about 10:45 p.m. But at 12:25 a.m. none of the fire crews had moved in close enough to begin battling the flames.

19 hurt in Mass. commuter train-truck crash

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0700

A commuter train heading into Boston struck a flatbed truck that had bottomed out on a railroad crossing, injuring 19 people Monday morning, authorities said.

The driver of the truck, which was hauling construction equipment, had walked up the tracks to try to warn the approaching train, but the engineer was unable to stop in time, said Joe Pesaturo, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

Construction equipment on the truck swung around when the train hit and smashed into one of the passenger coaches and another nearby vehicle.

Eighteen people and the engineer, who warned passengers to brace for impact, were hurt in the 8 a.m. crash, he said. Most had been released from hospitals by afternoon.

“The crossing is at a slight incline. The low-bed truck bottomed out and became stuck on the tracks,” Pesaturo said. He said a sign warned that such trucks shouldn’t attempt that crossing.

Transit police and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating.

Franklin is about 40 miles southwest of Boston.

One Dead, Dozens Hurt in Derailment

Sat, 17 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700

A commuter train derailed Saturday morning on Chicago's South Side, killing one person and injuring dozens, officials said.

The cause of the derailment is not yet know, officials said.

The Metra train was traveling into the city from Joliet, Illinois, when it derailed near 47th Street, according to Metra spokesman Tom Miller.

Emergency crews, including dozens of ambulances and Life Flight helicopters, converged on the scene.

TV news footage showed people on stretchers and emergency workers.

"I got slammed up against the door; I held on. The book I was reading flew up in the air," a passenger told a local television station. "There's stuff everywhere. The guy next to me was laying on his back, and people were just screaming and crying."

She said she thought the train "was going to fall over on its side" and the train seemed to move "back and forth, back and forth very scary."

"People were in hysterics," she said. "Nobody knew what happened, and we all just tried to get out."

The Cook County medical examiner's office confirmed that one person was killed.

Monique Bond, a local emergency management spokeswoman, said 125 people were on the train and about 76 were injured and transported to six area hospitals. Later, fire and emergency authorities said the five-car Metra train had 185 passengers and four crew members and 83 people received injuries.

"It's unclear at this time as to what caused this derailment," said Miller, who said the National Transportation Safety Board will get involved in investigating.

The derailment disrupted service on the Rock Island line, Metra said.

"We ask all Rock Island customers to seek alternate transportation," Metra said.

Judy Pardonnet, a Metra spokeswoman, said that two years ago another derailment occurred on the same line. She said the service should be restored fully by Monday.

The Metra system is a 495 mile electric rail system that serves 280 stations in six Chicago-area counties.

Amtrak Train Hits Dump Truck in California; 18 Injured

Sat, 06 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Officials say two people were seriously hurt and 18 others suffered minor injuries when an Amtrak train bound for San Diego collided with a dump truck crossing the tracks.

Officials say 18 of the train's 168 passengers and crew were taken to hospitals with minor injuries but only one remains hospitalized. The truck's two passengers were seriously hurt.

The Amtrak Surfliner left Santa Barbara around 7:00 p.m. headed for Los Angeles, then San Diego, its final destination.

Trains generally travel at 69 miles per hour when passing through the area.

Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham says the Surfliner consists of several cars with an engine pushing from behind. The front cab car partly derailed.

The cause of the crash is not known.

Danger On The Rails

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Less than a week after a massive train derailment in Graniteville, S.C., spewed toxic fumes killing nine and forcing thousands from their homes, federal officials told railroads to do more to ensure the safety of rail lines and communities around them. The move can't help the S.C. residents still sick, homeless and grieving from the disaster. But it is a welcome first step in addressing an issue that has gotten too little attention the dangers of transporting hazardous materials by rail.

The Graniteville crash occurred when an apparently misaligned manual switch diverted a Norfolk Southern train from the main track. The train slammed into parked railcars and spewed a cloud of toxic chlorine in what is believed to be the nation's worst chemical leak from a wrecked train in 27 years.

This newspaper's review of federal records showed misaligned switches are among the most common causes of train wrecks, and the federal safety advisory keyed in on just that problem. Tuesday's advisory from the Federal Railroad Administration urges officials to make sure manual switches on rail lines are properly set, requiring crews to orally report they've reset switches and to log their action on a form.

These changes could help prevent another tragedy. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the Graniteville crash, is also considering whether automatic signals or dispatcher-controlled switches are needed on the Graniteville rail line. Most trains in the United States operate on tracks with electronic signals, which tell crews the position of a switch and warn of problems. But 40 percent of the tracks in the country the Graniteville tracks among them do not have such signals or automated switches. They are needed, especially where hazardous materials are transported.

Train wrecks are infrequent and dangerous chemical spills even more so, officials note. Still, in the last 20 years, more than 600 rail cars carrying hazardous materials through South Carolina have been involved in train wrecks, and 26 of those cars leaked their contents.

However infrequent, the crash of a train carrying hazardous materials can have catastrophic consequences, as this one did in Graniteville. Every feasible safety precaution must be taken.

And when disaster strikes, companies should not take actions that add to the hardship of those affected. Norfolk Southern blundered last week in distributing expense checks that said endorsing them "constitutes full, final and complete release of all claims" from the accident. Residents feared the company was trying to escape litigation and was taking advantage of families in their time of need. Norfolk Southern, which commendably stepped in quickly to pay for lodging, food and the like, has rightly disavowed the odious statement and reissued checks without that language.

The threat of terrorist strikes should ratchet up concern about better safeguards and procedures on rail transport of hazardous materials. The Graniteville crash shows the horrific results when it's just an accident. Imagine how bad it might have been if terrorists were involved. This issue deserves focused attention and action.

Few States Aiming for Safer Rail Crossing

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0700

The 33-car CSX freight train blasted its whistle as it thundered toward a railroad crossing in Conasauga, Tenn.

"Hey! Hey!" the engineer shouted when he saw a school bus rumble toward the tracks, then slammed on the emergency brakes.

It was too late.

The 2,465-ton train smashed into the side of the bus. One witness said the crash sounded like "damn thunder or a bomb blown up."

Two girls, ages 7 and 9, and a 9-year-old boy were killed in that crash in 2000. Three more children were seriously hurt, one of them the bus driver's daughter.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the crash and in 2002 recommended states make it a high priority to improve safety at ungated railroad crossings those without barrier arms that lower to block traffic used by school buses.

But since then, only 12 states have made satisfactory progress, the NTSB says. They are Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina and Texas.

And seven of the 10 states with the most collisions between trains and all kinds of vehicles at grade crossings have largely ignored the recommendation. They are Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi and Ohio.

"Children continue to be unnecessarily killed in school bus accidents at grade crossings," NTSB Chairman Ellen Engleman said in an interview this week. "Children's lives can and will be saved if state authorities adopt the simple safety measures that the board recommended. With the school year beginning, action is needed."

Vehicles and trains collide an average of nine times a day. More than 1,000 people have been killed in the four years since the Tennessee crash. In the first five months of this year, there were 1,205 crashes, including four involving school buses, and 155 deaths.

The 82,000 crossings where there are no gates present the greatest danger the accident rate is seven times that for crossings with gates that block vehicles.

A key NTSB recommendation for such crossings was installation of stop signs. That was seen as a far cheaper alternative to other railroad crossing safety measures, such as installing gates at a cost of $150,000 apiece, building bridges or rerouting tracks or roads.

Every state requires school buses to stop, turn off noisy equipment, open the doors and look both ways before crossing railroad tracks, according to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, which supports the NTSB's recommendations.

But that doesn't always happen. The 34-year-old bus driver in the Tennessee crash never stopped at the crossing, even though it was marked with two warning signs and a crossbuck a white, X-shaped sign.

Research shows that while some know to "stop, look and listen" when they see a crossbuck, many others think the sign means "slow down" or doesn't require any special action, NTSB investigator Joseph Osterman said. There is no such confusion with a stop sign, which is why installing them at crossings makes sense, he said.

"It's a real easy solution," Osterman said. "Leaving an ambiguous sign that means different things to different people in different states is not a good answer."

Barbara Harsha, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, agreed crossings present significant danger but said she doesn't believe stop signs will persuade drivers to halt.

"They think, `I never see a train on this track, so I'm just going to ignore the stop sign,'" Harsha said. She suggested placing video cameras at crossings and issuing tickets to anyone who fails to stop.

Beyond stop signs, the NTSB recommends equipping school buses with "option kill switches," which enable drivers to turn off noisy devices like fans and radios when a bus approaches a rail crossing. Only Florida and Kentucky require the switches.

Crash Engineer Had Downtime

Wed, 21 Apr 2004 00:00:00 -0700

An Amtrak engineer found to be responsible for colliding into a Long Island Rail Road train on Monday had several hours of "downtime" in the hours before the crash, officials said Wednesday.

The lack of active work came because the unnamed engineer was not busy at his shift moving trains between Sunnyside Yard and Penn Station, said Amtrak spokesman Dan Stessel.

Stessel also said Wednesday that the unnamed engineer had 14 hours off work before his shift started late Sunday evening, according to spokesman Dan Stessel.

The information comes as the railroad continues to probe into the early morning accident that injured nearly 130 people as the two trains bumped at the entrace to Penn Station.

The LIRR train was stopped and the Amtrak train was moving at less than 10 miles per hour, but the force was enough to throw commuters off their feet, causing bumps and bruises.

Amtrak suspended the employee without pay Tuesday after finding that he violated rules by not being able to suddenly stop in a restricted speed zone. A "restricting signal" illuminating in the tunnel at the time of the crash requires engineers to brake quickly without hitting other trains or items on the tracks, Stessel said.

The engineer is expected to appear before a commission looking into the crash within about two weeks, after the results of his drug and alcohol tests are determined.

Stessel also said the engineer was alone in the cab at the time of the crash.

Amtrak has declined to identify the engineer, citing its confidentiality policy. The engineer, a veteran of Amtrak, is on unpaid leave pending the result of the investigation.

John Bentley, a spokesman for the engineer's union, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, declined to comment.

A final determination of the cause could take about six months, said Jennifer Post, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, which is assisting in the investigation of the accident.

A representative of the Federal Railroad Administration, which Post said is the lead agency investigating the crash, did not return a call for comment.

Amtrak Blames Motorman

Wed, 21 Apr 2004 00:00:00 -0700

The Amtrak motorman at the controls of the engine that slammed into a stopped Long Island Rail Road train was suspended without pay as officials blamed him yesterday for the accident.

The engineer either failed to hit his brakes or braked too late to avoid crashing into the back of the packed LIRR train in a Manhattan tunnel leading to Penn Station on Monday morning, officials said. A joint investigation by Amtrak and the LIRR found human error not mechanical problems caused the crash, Amtrak spokesman Dan Stessel said.

None of the 127 injuries was life-threatening. Most involved bruises, cuts and back and neck pain. But it was a traumatic experience for many riders who initially thought the train was attacked by terrorists.

"The person should have been more careful," said commuter Kingsley Gyamfi, 38, of Holbrook, L.I. "Anyone can make an error, but when you are driving a train in a tunnel you have to be more careful than the average person. It would be good if he would apologize."

Gyamfi was enduring back, neck and chest pains yesterday.

Amtrak would not release the engineer's name or work record. The investigation is ongoing.

Drug and alcohol test results were not available yesterday. Investigators who interviewed the engineer Monday did not suspect he was under the influence of either, a source said.

Trackside signals were set to alert the Amtrak crew that a train was ahead and to be prepared to stop if necessary, officials said, and the Amtrak train was going less than 15 mph, as required.

The LIRR train was stopped at a signal awaiting clearance to continue to a Penn Station platform when it was struck. The engineer could be fired, depending on the outcome of a formal

Amtrak Engineer Blamed In NYC Train Crash

Tue, 20 Apr 2004 00:00:00 -0700

The engineer of an empty Amtrak train that rear-ended a crowded Long Island Rail Road commuter train was responsible for the crash, investigators said Tuesday. The accident left 127 people with mostly minor injuries.

The Monday morning rush hour collision "was caused by human error on the part of the engineer of Train 183, the Amtrak train," Amtrak spokesman Dan Stessel said.

An investigating committee comprised of Amtrak, LIRR and federal railroad officials found the engineer failed to comply with regulations governing restricted speed. "You must be able to stop your train short of another train," Stessel said.

The engineer, whose identity was withheld by Amtrak, has been suspended without pay. Stessel said a formal investigation is pending and further action may be taken. Amtrak was awaiting the results of drug and alcohol tests.

The LIRR train was waiting in a tunnel to enter Pennsylvania Station when it was hit from behind by a crew-only Amtrak train moving at less than 15 mph.

"All of a sudden there is a thunderous crash from behind and we all go flying into one another," said LIRR commuter Bob Buchmann, 46, program director of WAXQ Radio. "It was thunderous, and it was violent.

"From the train crew to the passengers who rose up to the occasion, it was really handled well," he added.

Trains Collide In New York's Penn Station

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:00:00 -0700

An Amtrak train slammed into a Long Island Rail Road commuter train parked at New York's Penn Station during Monday rush hour, causing minor injuries to 130 people, the New York Fire Department said.

Emergency crews evacuated at least a dozen passengers on stretchers and treated some on the scene.

It was unclear what caused the accident.

Witnesses said a Long Island Rail Road train was inside the station on Track 14 when it was hit by the Amtrak train.

Three crew members were on the Amtrak train, but no passengers were on board, said Dan Stessel, an Amtrak representative.

Most passengers on the Long Island Rail Road train were allowed to leave after paramedics examined them. The injured were tagged according to the degree of their injuries, fitted with neck braces and told to sit until they could be removed.

The train station was full of National Guard personnel and police officers, who have been on the scene regularly since the September 11, 2001, attacks.

"We have received no report of injuries to our crew members and won't know the cause of the collision for some time," Stessel said.

Delays on the Amtrak service range from 15 to 30 minutes, but these may be extended, Stessel said. The Amtrak train left just before 7 a.m. ET from Sunnyside in Queens and was making its way to Penn Station, Stessel said.

Train service on the Long Island Rail Road line was being diverted to the Flatbush Avenue terminal. The struck commuter train departed from the Long Island town of Ronkonkoma at 5:42 a.m. ET.

Train Accident Injury Lawyer Commuter Train Lawsuit

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Train Accidents

Typically train accident or railroad accidents are considered common carrier accidents. Train operators and local railroads and other common carriers are held responsible if the accident resulted from a failure of the railroad to meet the high standard of care required. This means that train operators and railroads can be held responsible for even the slightest negligence.

In addition to accidents and crashes railroads may be liable for injuries caused from any element within their control including slip and falls on railroad platforms, or an injury resulting in defective railroad crossing.

If you have been injured on a train or railroad it is essential that you contact a lawyer quickly as there are very short statutes of limitations in many states. Some railroads are owned or operated by government entities. In these cases, laws called "tort claims acts" may apply to injuries caused by the railroad. Tort claims acts usually require that the government entity be given notice of the injury within a very short time, and prohibit the filing of a lawsuit unless the proper notice is given.

If you or a loved have been injured in a train accident, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified personal injury attorney.