Remote Control Locomotive Technology Public Safety Advisory

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Remote Control Locomotive TechnologyPublic
Safety Advisory
Remote Control Locomotives Put Los Angeles
Residents At Risk!
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Why are we here today?

• To discuss the BLEs public safety concerns
  regarding Union Pacifics implementation of
  remote control train operations at their Los
  Angeles Terminal Operations
• To inform this committee of the potential
  dangers that are associated with Remote Control
  Locomotive Technology
• To help facilitate a process which will ensure
  the safest implementation of this technology

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Why should you be concerned

• Railroads are major transporters of hazardous
  materials and deadly chemicals
• On 2-14-01 the Federal Railroad Administration
  (FRA) released a Safety Advisory which states,
  FRA has limited data on which to base an
  objective safety analysis and must therefore
  proceed prudently, regarding remote control
  operations
• Since implementing this technology U.S.
  railroads have experienced numerous Remote
  Control Locomotive (RCL) related accidents

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FRA safety recommendation for notifying railroad
workers and the public of Remote Control
Locomotive Operations
Is this adequate protection?
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Emergency Responders

• Emergency responders need to be made aware of the
  heightened danger that is associated with
  Unmanned Remote Control Locomotive operations
• Situation Awareness With remote control
  operations, there is no longer an engineer in the
  locomotive cab to respond to crisis
• Should the ground person remotely operating the
  locomotive be involved in an accident or
  hazardous spill, that person may not be able to
  respond if he or she is rendered incapacitated

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RCO Accident
Cars being switched by RCO ran into Trim
Locomotive June 9, 2002 (UP) Hinkle Yard
Hermiston, OR
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RCO Accident
Approximately 400 gallons of highly flammable
liquid fuel Naphtha leaked from this tank car
containing 25,000 gallons of the hazardous
material when three cars derailed in a remote
control wreck.The Cumberland Fire Department and
the Allegany County Hazardous Incident Response
Team responded to control the leaking
hazmat. November 1, 2001 (CSX) Cumberland, MD
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RCO Accident
These cars were unknowingly uncoupled by the
remote operation, rolled out of the hump yard and
collided with the cars they uncoupled from at 25
MPH, derailing 17 cars. The derailed cars hit
another train on one main line derailing 3 cars
on that train. The main line on the other side
of the wreck was also blocked. Amtrak
regularly travels on that main line. December 21,
2002 (BNSF) Yard Galesburg, IL
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RCO Accident
A remote control locomotive and several cars
rolled downhill 3 miles before colliding with a
tractor trailer at the entrance of a lumber mill.
August 6, 2002 (Puget Sound Pacific)
Shelton, WA
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RCO Accident
This Remote Control Operator said he pressed the
stop button, but the train didnt stop.
Notice the Hazmat placard on the car that
remained on the rails.
October 31, 2002 (BNSF) - Lincoln, NE
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Remote Control Bans and Resolutions
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The following cities and counties have banned
remote control locomotives from operating in
their communities
CITIES Baton Rouge, LA Detroit, MI Shreveport, LA Marysville, MI Boston, MA Cleveland, OH Pine Bluff, AR North Little Rock, AR Beardstown, IL Bakersfield, CA Woodbridge, NJ Maple Heights, OH Belen, NM Alliance, NE Evansville, Indiana CITIES Dupo, Illinois Durand, MI Flat Rock, MI Woodhaven, MI COUNTIES Huron County, OH Whitley County, KY Unicoi County, TN Douglas County, WI West Baton Rouge Parish, LA Point Coupee Parish, LA Cuyahoga County, OH
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Baton Rouge RCO Wreck

• On February 13, 2003, just five months after the
  Metro Council voted to ban remote-controlled
  locomotives in Baton Rouge, an unmanned train
  involving empty chemical cars derailed on a
  highway overpass, damaging cars below and closing
  Interstate 110 for over 12 hours.
• After the accident, Mayor Pro Tempore Lorri
  Burgess said, "I don't want Baton Rouge to make
  the stories that get told from California to New
  York about train wrecks. We're the first in doing
  something right. Now this should give more
  credibility to our resolution.

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Government Regulation

• Currently there are no rules or regulations
  mandated for remote control operations
• The FRA and DOT have turned a blind eye to the
  accidents and incidents involving RCO
• Responsible government agencies and citizens need
  to contact the Federal Government to force the
  FRA to implement responsible rules and
  regulations for remote control operations

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What would a responsible RCO implementation look
like?

• The BLE maintains that a responsible RCO
  implementation is one that weighs the public
  safety issues and the negative impact that the
  implementation of remote controlled train
  operations could have on your community. We are
  asking that the elected representatives of Los
  Angeles create a forum and begin an educational
  process which brings all of the parties into the
  RCLT debate in order to create a public awareness
  and better understanding of this issue.

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Solution

• The BLE is asking all City, County, State and
  Federal government entities to actively
  participate in a process which directs the FRA to
  establish comprehensive and mandatory safety
  regulations for the use of Remote Control
  Locomotive Technology.
• Contact The Honorable Alan Rutter
• Federal Railroad Administrator
• U.S. Department of Transportation
• 400 Seventh Street, N.W.
• Washington, D.C. 20590
• Phone[phone]
• Re Petition the FRA for Rulemaking on the
  Use of Remote Control Locomotives - Docket
  No. FRA-00-8422

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Thank you from the Members of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers