Acela pull-apart preliminary findings: FRA
The Federal Railroad Administration has issued preliminary findings on the Feb. 6 incident in which an Acela Express trainset experienced a separation between two cars at a speed of approximately 125 mph.
Federal Railroad Administration
Reyes takes FRA reins, for now
Deputy Federal Railroad Administrator Heath Hall, who has been serving in an Acting Administrator capacity as Ron Batory awaits Senate confirmation, has taken an extended leave of absence, placing control of the agency under Chief Counsel Juan D. Reyes III.
Commentary
Crew Resource Management: Cure for Amtrak’s safety woes?
Amtrak has a new Executive Vice President and Chief Safety Officer, and he is a former chief safety officer at both Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines. The Jan. 9 appointment of Ken Hylander clearly signals that Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson—also a Northwest and Delta alumnus—has decided the passenger railroad’s safety programs need a wholesale overhaul.
Commentary
Accidents that didn’t have to happen
On Dec. 18, 2017, Amtrak 501, the first Cascades passenger train operating over the Point Defiance Bypass in Washington State, careened off the rails as it entered a 30-mph speed-restricted curve at 80 mph. The investigations into the accident’s cause may take a year, even two.
Schumer a thorn in Thune’s side—again
On. Dec. 21, U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.Dak.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, took to the Senate floor to voice his support and call on his colleagues for unanimous consent to confirm the nomination of Ronald Batory as Federal Railroad Administrator. Once again, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) played the spoiler.
Commentary
Remember that?
Anybody else here old enough to remember all the way back to June 2, 2015?
UPDATED DEC. 20: Overspeed cause of Amtrak Cascades fatal derailment
Three people were killed and more than 70 were injured as an Amtrak Cascades train derailed early Dec. 18 while traversing a curve leading into an overpass at Interstate 5 southwest of Tacoma, Wash., sending a locomotive and passenger cars crashing onto the highway below.
Conrail restores NJT service in less than three days
It took Conrail maintenance-of-way forces less than three days to repair heavy damage to its Lehigh Line, a busy main line used by New Jersey Transit Raritan Valley Line (RVL) passenger trains and CSX and Norfolk Southern freights, following the derailment of a 141-car CSX mixed freight late on the afternoon of Dec. 8.
Commentary
NTSB missed the mark
The NTSB analysis of the 2016 Amtrak backhoe accident on the Northeast Corridor at Chester, Pa., that killed two m/w workers and injured 39 has missed the mark. This incident is by no means the first of its kind.
USDOT repeals ECP brake rule
The U.S. Department of Transportation on Dec. 4 repealed a 2015 Federal Railroad Administration rulemaking requiring freight railroads to employ electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes on certain trains hauling hazardous flammable commodities such as ethanol and crude oil in DOT-117 tank cars.