accident report from 2004 that I found

[BrooklynIRT]

WARNING: the following accident report is about a 12-9.

 

I posted it b/c I read the whole report and was struck by the way MTA criticized the train operator rather sharply after she dealt with a traumatic experience. I know it is part of the job, but when I saw how sharply she was criticized and that it was recommended that she be dismissed, I thought MTA was going overboard a bit. again, this was after a traumatic experience. but rules are rules I suppose. I want to see what others think of this whole incident.

 

https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/osss/rail-repository/8334%20Fatality%20Brooklyn%20Bridge.pdf

[BreeddekalbL]

what?! is this their way of hanging an operator out to dry?! cause something tells me they are hanging them out to dry.

[SmallParkShuttle]

After reading the report, one thing jumped out to me; the 90 seconds between the BIE events. If that is true, then the focus of the report is on her pre-incident actions. My non-skeptical question is: is that truly enough time to call in a BIE, sucure the train, inspect at least 260 feet of roadbed, walk back, charge-up the train and move it?

 

Addition: The reason I ask this question is if the track was not inspected and the guy not found, then moving the train and the brakes going out again suggests that hitting the guy the first time was his fault, but hitting him again puts the responsibility on the crew.

[mediccjh]

We are taught in Schoolcar that if the train goes BIE and it is unknown why, the Train Operator is responsible to walk the roadbed and investigate, and if necessary due to lack of space, climb down between every car and inspect as best as possible. There is no way that it could be done in 2 minutes. 

 

Then again, I wasn't there. 

[m7zanr160s]

I see nothing wrong here. An train went BIE coming into 14th street one night, when I was going home. The T/O got out and searched the train for the cause. Turns out, it was what I think was a sand bag that caused it. (He had it with him when we got to 71st Ave.) The whole ordeal lasted about 25-30min.

[youngblaze]

Technically, she was negligent as the rules state the following:

 

Rule 2.43(h) reads, “If the brakes of a train apply in emergency and the Train Operator does not know why, the Train Operator must secure the train and inspect both sides of the trackway, if possible, as well as sufficient distance behind the train, to try to find the cause."

 

I find it hard to believe that she walked 513 feet (the R142A is 51'4" long including the couplers/linkbars) both ways plus inspecting the roadbed in under 2 minutes.  They are extremely strict with the rules and regulations both in surface and RTO which further translates them to easily pinning those involved with human error due to them setting themselves up by not following protocol.  

 

As stated by smallparkshuttle the way transit looks at the situation is, "if you would have inspected the entire consist the first time around maybe the individual wouldn't have died."  Although it seems harsh provided the situation, the reason they are pursuing termination (if the T/O hasn't already been canned) is due to the violation of rule 2.43(h) which contributed to the severity of the accident being that the PTSB had ruled the probable cause of the accident to have been due to the passenger taking the unsafe initiative and ultimately losing his/her balance while walking in between cars.

[BrooklynIRT]

it is quite unfortunate that the T/O dealt with both the trauma and the rebuke, but it was a huge mistake to not perform a proper inspection in the first place. it really sucks to have to see the mess down there, but again, that is protocol. not much more to it than that AFAIK