FRA issues Safety Advisory on speed restriction compliance

The Federal Railroad Administration on Dec. 11, 2013 issued an industry-wide Safety Advisory (2013-08) “to help ensure railroads adhere to federal regulations regarding maximum authorized train speed limits.”
Commentary

Emergency Order 29: Where’s the consistency?

When we investigate accidents and injuries, when we analyze failures of any sort on any railroad, we are searching for a root cause—that determining factor, or factors, that drive the accident from a potential condition to a manifest event.

FRA issues emergency order to Metro-North

In the wake of the Dec. 1, 2013 wreck of an MTA Metro-North Railroad train that was apparently caused by an overspeed condition and that resulted in four deaths and 63 injuries, the Federal Railroad Administration on Friday, Dec. 6 issued an Emergency Order (EO 29) to Metro-North “to take specific, immediate steps to ensure its train crews do not exceed speed limitations.”

FRA’s Szabo accepts Graham Claytor Award

Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo accepted Railway Age’s W. Graham Claytor Award for Distinguished Service to Passenger Transportation at the 20th Annual Passenger Trains on Freight Railroads Conference in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 16, 2013.

U.S. regulators reviewing crude-by-rail

The Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration are conducting a safety review of crude-by-rail shipments originating in the Bakken Shale formation, specifically within North Dakota and South Dakota.

Maine House rep introduces two-person-crew bill

Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Me.) on Aug. 2, 2013 introduced “The Safe Freight Act,” a bill requiring a minimum of two-person crews for freight trains. Fellow Maine Democrat Rep. Chellie Pingree is an original cosponsor of the bill.

FRA issues Emergency Order, Safety Advisory in Lac-Mégantic’s wake

The Federal Railroad Administration issued an Emergency Order (EO 28, Notice No. 1, 49 CFR 232.103[n]) and Safety Advisory (2013-06) Friday evening, Aug. 2, 2013, “to help prevent trains operating on main line tracks or sidings from moving unintentionally,” specifically, those hauling certain types of hazardous materials, such as crude oil and ethanol.
Commentary

Amtrak’s Sisyphean struggle to run on time

Benito Mussolini infamously made Italian passenger trains run on time, but Fascism is hardly the answer for Amtrak.

FRA launches grade crossing iPhone, iPad app

The Federal Railroad Administration has launched Rail Crossing Locator, a free iOS smartphone mobile application for iPhones and iPads that provides easy access to safety information about the nation’s more than 200,000 highway-rail grade crossings.

UP, Dow Chemical release joint safety update

The Dow Chemical Company and Union Pacific said Friday, June 7 they have published a new report on the progress of a cooperative agreement that began in 2007 to improve rail safety and security.

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