NTSB -- FIVE FREIGHT TRAIN REAR-END COLLISIONS IN 2011 PROMPT NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS TO FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, INDUSTRY, LABOR UNIONS

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NTSB PRESS RELEASE

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2012

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FIVE FREIGHT TRAIN REAR-END COLLISIONS IN 2011 PROMPT NTSB

SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS TO FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION,

INDUSTRY, LABOR UNIONS

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) today issued

two safety recommendations to the Federal Railroad

Administration (FRA) related to five rear-end collisions in

which crewmembers failed to operate their trains at the

required restricted speed. Related recommendations were also

issued to the Association of American Railroads, the

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, the

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and the

United Transportation Union.

All five recommendations focus on the need for railroads to

disseminate information related to these accidents to their

employees and to emphasize the need for crewmembers to

operate trains in accordance with restricted speed operating

rules.

The five accidents include:

* Red Oak, Iowa, April 17, 2011, BNSF

* Low Moor, Virginia, May 21, 2011, CSX

* Mineral Springs, North Carolina, May 24, 2011, CSX

* DeWitt, New York, July 6, 2011, CSX

* DeKalb, Indiana, August 19, 2011, Norfolk Southern

The accidents in Red Oak and Mineral Springs resulted in

crewmember fatalities and are still under investigation by

the NTSB. Four of the five accidents occurred on railroad

lines over which Amtrak passenger trains operate.

Because these accidents occurred on different railroads and

under different circumstances, the NTSB is concerned that

noncompliance with restricted speed requirements may be an

issue affecting a broad segment of the U.S. railroad

industry.

Signal systems provide for the safe separation between

trains. However, there are times when trains are authorized

to occupy the same sections of track. In these cases, safe

train operations rely solely on crewmember compliance with

the railroad's restricted speed requirements.

Typically, these requirements include "being prepared to

stop within one-half the range of vision." Complete

understanding of and strict compliance with restricted speed

requirements are absolutely mandatory to prevent

catastrophic train collisions.

The safety recommendation letters may be found here:

http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety_recs.html

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Media Contact:

Bridget Ann Serchak

Bridget.serchak@xxxxxxxx

202-314-6100

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an

independent federal agency charged with determining the

probable cause of transportation accidents, promoting

transportation safety, and assisting victims of

transportation accidents and their families.

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