Subject: Safety (4/09/1997)
[11/5/86] Unfortunately, on Thursday of the Milwaukee convention, the Empire Builder was involved in a very serious derailment. Five private cars were on the back of the train. The first private car came within inches of going onto the ground at the switch which caused the derailment. All of these cars decelerated from 60 mph to 0 in only 13 car lengths.
However, there was a very valuable safety lesson involved. When you make changes and additions to your car, you must construct them in such a manner that they can withstand very heavy punishment. This means that microwaves, china cabinets, and tables should be thoroughly bolted down, so that they will not fly about and cause a further menace in the event of a derailment. Aside from four flat spots, two bent buffer stems, four broken draft lugs, and a couple of broken batteries, all of the private cars survived the ordeal.
[12/29/86] Safety - I do not mean to harp on the subject of safety, but you will recall that I urged you to make certain that appliances, tables, and other things which could fly about during a derailment, should be securely tied down. In the past, I have also asked you to make certain that any ladders which give access to the roof of your car should be removed, or at least modified to prevent unauthorized use.
[3/2/87] Safety, Baltimore Wreck - Those who attended the H.E.P. school in Los Angeles in February, received a full report from Ed Laird on the wreck near Baltimore. Ed reported that flying objects were the major cause of injury to the passengers, particularly luggage, which went everywhere. The lesson here is, of course, the same as was reported to you a couple of reports ago, and that is: everything should be tied down in your car, so that it can withstand the tremendous "G" forces which result from rapid deceleration.
No one knows yet what the FRA, and the other investigative teams, will ultimately recommend. However, we should expect to see the following things mentioned: luggage, and other objects in luggage racks, should be spread out, and not piled up so that items will come flying over the retaining bars. We may even see closed luggage racks, as on airplanes. Emergency instruction cards and emergency markings on the cars will probably become necessary. The cards to give instructions and emergency markings so that operable windows, and tools, may be found. The FRA has mentioned the possibility of seat belts, although this does not seem very practical. Emergency exits and windows will have to be marked plainly. Because of the safety glazing installed in the Amtrak cars, there was not a single injury as a result of broken windows. Some of the seats did come loose from their moorings, which will necessitate either new designs, or larger bolts. Locomotive engineers will probably be licensed by the FRA, and all of their speed violations (highway and railroad) will be reported. Cab signals and automatic train control (service braking) will probably be required on corridor trains. Strict control will be required over the use of the radio frequencies, so as to avoid interference and delay in reporting wrecks and in receiving instructions.
[3/24/88] SAFETY - NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS. The Board, as a result of the steam excursion wreck in May 1986 on the Norfolk & Western has recommended that certain changes be made in all railroad equipment. The Board states that it is aware of the modification and restoration of historic equipment by societies who take pride in restoring equipment to the original condition. However, according to the Board, when the historic equipment is used on the general railroad system, the public has a right to expect that the equipment will not jeopardize the public's safety. Specifically, the Board chastises the Norfolk & Western for not requiring tight lock couplers on all cars. There are, of course, good reasons for not using interlocking couplers, such as when the engine pulls the entire train off of a high bridge.
In addition, the Board comments upon the safety glazing standards and mentions the many broken windows which occurred during the accident, or as a result of people escaping from the cars. Therefore, the Board believes that no cars should be exempt from recognized safety standards. Whether Lexan windows are in fact a useful safety standard, or a hindrance to evacuation is another matter, but the association needs to be aware of the Board's thinking, and also formulate its own response. I have seen one reasoned response made by one of our members, the Keokuk Junction Ry.
The Board also commented upon the modifications which were done to the cars with little consideration for crash worthiness. It states that the appliances, counters, and stoves were not adequately fastened to the floor and in one instance slid along the floor and trapped a passenger. Further, protruding objects, such as light switches, junction boxes, nails in the wall, coat hooks, and the like should be removed or made flush. There is, of course, much merit to this suggestion, and you should check your car to make certain that there is nothing protruding which can maim or injure, and that all possible objects are tied down very securely, so that they do not become missiles or battering rams.
[4/5/97] REQUIRED EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT - Harold Weisinger advises that Amtrak will now check private cars for the presence of certain emergency equipment, namely a fire extinguisher and a pinch bar. Ordinarily, Amtrak does not check the insides of private cars, but there has been a push by the FRA to have certain safety equipment on Amtrak and Commuter cars.
The current AAR rules (current is a misnomer since there are no longer any AAR rules for passenger cars, but there is the last set of such rules, which Amtrak still follows) require only an axe and a sledge. They do not mention a fire extinguisher.
The proposed FRA rules will require a fire extinguisher, a pry bar, a flashlight, and on-board emergency lighting. As presently worded, private cars, office cars, and circus trains are exempt.
The old Pullman car tool locker had room for a pry bar, an axe, a sledge, a saw, and a cold chisel with handle. Brad Black tells me he does not carry any tools, because it has been his experience that thieves use your tools to break into the locked drawers and lockers.
In my view, a fire extinguisher is essential, as is a flash light. Amtrak already requires battery powered marker lights, and there is no reason the same battery could not also run a few emergency lights.
Paul L. DeVerter II
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