Railroad Safety Dan Feltes

Introduction Importance of Rail Safety: –First Fundamental Cannon of the ASCE: Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and shall strive to comply with the principles of sustainable [1] –The “Highest Priority of the Federal Railroad Administration is the Safety of the US railroad system” [2] Safest form of major Land Transportation –Over a period of time, Railroad travel remains the safest mode…[3] Safety is Important for the Potentially high risk –…but the hazard potential if train and railroad maintenance operations must be respected [3] –High quantities of Hazardous wastes traveling at High speed offer enormous opportunity for catastrophe…Yet, rail is orders of magnitude more safe than highway-truck transportation. Rail Versus Truck: A Perspective On Safety

From the Text... Training –Link Between Safety and Freight Claims Two elements are often placed in one organization because technology training and discipline to minimize personal injury and equipment also contribute toward reducing damaged shipments [3] Safety and Accident Reporting –Required by law since 1910 –Change in reporting of accidents in 1979 Casualties- Defined as Any accident requiring medical attention rater than those involving lost work days. [3] Train Accident > $6,200 (1994)> Train Incident Train Accidents added up to $180 million dollars of damage in % lower than 15 years prior Train Incidents account for 90% of all railroad operations fatalities

Just the Facts and Stats More people die in highway-rail crashes each year than in commercial airline crashes in an average year. [4] In the US, approximately every 115 minutes (or 2 hours) a train collides with a person or a vehicle. [4] A motorist is 40 times more likely to die in a collision with a train than in a collision with another motor vehicle [4] However… Rail passengers are extremely safe; in fact, since 1980 fewer people have died in rail passenger accidents than die in two days on the nation's highways [5]

Breakdown of Accidents Rail Crossing Account for more than 50% of all railroad Fatalities –And 50% of Rail Crossing Fatalities were at active crossing systems (systems with a minimum of cross bars and lights) By far the biggest safety issues faced by railroads involve highway-rail grade crossings and trespassers During 1996, more than 92 percent of all rail-related fatalities involved either grade crossings or trespassers out of 1,039 These sobering statistics lead to the development of educational programs like Operation Lifesaver [5]

Railroad Crossings “A tin can is to a car... as a car is to a train”- unknown Examples of Railroad Crossings: –Operation Lifesaver Crossing Crash Statistics For 1998 –Ames –Iowa Crossing Incidents - safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Default.asp safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Default.asp Public Crossing90Percent of National Ave2.91% Private Crossing14Percent of National Ave3.31% –National Crossing Incidents - safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Default.asp safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Default.asp Public Crossing 3,086 Private Crossing422

Internal Railroad Issues Employee Accidents Trespassing Accidents

Railroad Safety Organizations Federal Railroad Association (FRA)- –The FRA, has the responsibility for ensuring railroad safety throughout the nation : To monitor railroad compliance with federally mandated safety standards, FRA employs 400 inspectors operating out of 47 offices throughout the country Operation Lifesaver –An answer to FRA need for better public railroad safety awarness, Operation Lifesaver is: a nationwide, non-profit public information program dedicated to eliminating collisions, injuries and fatalities at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights-of-way. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) –A federal organization responsible for investigating significant transportation accidents OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) –Government agency created to insure a safe workplace for all railroad employees

R&R Company Safety Departments Union Pacific Railroad- CSX- Canada National Railway (CN)- –Safest Company Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad-

Designing For Safety

Local Safety Issues Recent Accident in NW Iowa –NEAR ALTON, Iowa, Nov. 18th. Two trains were on the same stretch of track when they collided around 11:15 Wednesday [11/17/99] night. – Duff Crossing Improvements –Traffic Cameras –Crossing Surface Repairs New Automated Horn Warning System –Provides for safer crossing and lowers noise pollution – Old Train Wreck

Infamous Accidents Worst Accident on Record –Modane, France 12/17/1917 Brakes fail on an overloaded train returning from the Italian front during WWI Approximately 800 French troops perish Potentially Worst Accident (No Records) –Samastipur, India 6/6/1981 Seriously overcrowded train Few Facts no official inquiry… Some estimates include 3000 fatalities Worst Domestic Accident –Nashville, TN 7/18/ Casualties []

Future of Rail Safety Research and Development Centers New Safety Technology

References 1American Society of Civil Engineers website at: 2Ditmeyer, Steven. Railroad Safety Research. TR News. July-August 1999, Number 203 3Armstrong, John A. The Railroad What it is, What it Does. 4th Ed. Simmons- Boardman Books. p Operation Lifesavers website at: 5North American Freight Railroad Online at: e41f23d f0006ae6df?OpenDocument e41f23d f0006ae6df?OpenDocument 6Federal Railroad Administration Website at safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Default.asp 7