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Metro-North passenger train derails in NYC

6 Lexington Ave

By 6 Lexington Ave,
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QM1to6Ave

QM1to6Ave

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Keep in mind that hindsight is 20/20, and until this year the curve didn't have too many accidents. Until something happened, it was just another unfunded cost mandated by the feds, and it wouldn't have made sense to do this if the PTC would've replaced it in a few years.

I hear you. It sounds like this particualr curve is known to be dangerous, so at least putting it in here would have made sense

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nostalgia

nostalgia

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Hey hey, look at that, Conductors are now permitted in the cab at high risk areas of operation. Begs to question why they were not permitted before, as per old MNR regulations...

They were always permitted in the cab. But now, they HAVE to be in the cab or call the engineer on the radio.

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lirr42

lirr42

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Hey hey, look at that, Conductors are now permitted in the cab at high risk areas of operation. Begs to question why they were not permitted before, as per old MNR regulations...

 

They were always permitted in the cab. But now, they HAVE to be in the cab or call the engineer on the radio.

 

As per MNCR regulations, extra crew members were not allowed in the cab because they would feel they would distract the engineer, as mentioned earlier in this thread.

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Cyberider

Cyberider

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From Metro Magazine December 9, 2013

 

FRA issues Emergency Order to Metro-North following crash

 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued an Emergency Order (EO 29) to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Metro-North Railroad to take specific, immediate steps to ensure its train crews do not exceed speed limitations.

The EO requires Metro-North to modify its existing signal system to ensure speed limits are obeyed and to provide two qualified railroad employees to operate trains where major speed restrictions are in place until the signal system is updated.

EO 29 requires Metro-North to provide the FRA with a list of main track locations where there is a reduction of more than 20 mph in the maximum authorized passenger train speed by Dec. 10, 2013. Further, Metro-North is ordered to identify appropriate modifications to its existing automatic train control system or other signal systems to enable adequate advance warning of and adherence to such speed restrictions.

The modifications will help prevent another over-the-speed-limit event if a locomotive engineer fails to take actions to appropriately slow or stop a passenger train.

In the meantime, Metro-North is ordered to operate trains with two qualified train crew members in the controlling locomotive cab or passenger car control compartment at the locations where speed limits change by 20 mph or more until the signal work at these locations is complete. Additionally, the railroad must submit to the FRA for approval an Action Plan that ensures the safety of its operations for passengers and employees by December 31. The plan must contain target dates and milestones for implementing necessary signal system modifications.

The EO is a mandatory directive to the railroad, and failure to comply with its requirements will result in enforcement actions against the railroad or individuals who violate it.

In response, the MTA announced that Metro-North signal crews have installed new protections at the Spuyten Duyvil curve, the site of last week's fatal derailment, which will warn train engineers of the approaching speed reduction and automatically apply the train's emergency brakes if speed is not lowered to the 30 mph maximum in the curve.

The signal improvement at Spuyten Duyvil was done simultaneously and in coordination with work to restore track, power and signal systems there after the derailment. Those protections were set to begin operating on all trains by Monday morning.

“Metro-North is taking important steps to improve safety for its customers and employees, and I expect the railroad will continue searching for ways to improve its operations and fully restore its commuters' confidence,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast.

By Tuesday morning, all Metro-North trains will enhance communication between train engineers and conductors to ensure trains are operated at safe speeds at four other critical curves as well as at five movable bridges. Conductors will stand with engineers at each train's control cab through the critical curves to verbally confirm that speed limits are adhered to. Where the train layout prohibits the conductor from reaching the engineer in a locomotive, they will communicate by radio. They will also communicate by radio at the five movable bridges.

Metro-North engineers are developing new signal protections to automatically enforce speed restrictions at the other four critical curves by March and at the five movable bridges by September. The four critical curves are at Yonkers on the Hudson Line, White Plains on the Harlem Line, and Port Chester and Bridgeport on the New Haven Line. All five movable bridges are on the New Haven Line.

Metro-North has also surveyed its tracks and will reduce the maximum authorized speed at 26 locations to eliminate all locations where the speed limit drops by more than 20 mph. Signs will be posted along the right-of-way to alert engineers of reductions in maximum authorized speed at the four curves by December 16.

In addition, Metro-North has committed to enhance its monitoring of compliance with speed restrictions. This monitoring is accomplished by reviewing the event data recorders from randomly selected trains, by sending supervisors to ride trains and observe speeds and by operating radar gun enforcement at locations throughout the Metro-North network.

Two-thirds of Metro-North's operating fleet is equipped with alerter devices in the engineer's position to ensure engineers remain attentive, and the remaining one-third is equipped with dead man's controls. Within the next year, all equipment without alerters will be either retrofitted to include them or replaced with new equipment that includes alerters.

At the FRA's direction, Metro-North has also committed to implementing a confidential close call reporting system, a measure which will allow employees to anonymously report safety concerns without fear of reprisal in order to identify potential problems before they can cause an accident or injury.

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Turbo19

Turbo19

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Figures he'd be let off because of the nature of the incident. Not much else to say other than Rockfeller should probably look into seeking advice as it would appear that this has left a lasting affect on him.

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Via Garibaldi 8

Via Garibaldi 8

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No.  They do not indemnify their employees.

All I know is I've been avoiding Metro-North... Took it last week three times but I was rather nervous any time we started going too fast, especially with the snow and icy conditions.  The trains were certainly coming around the curve much slower though and I hope that is permanent.  Two derailments in that area this year... We who live in Riverdale will be watching closely and will be in close contact with our local representatives to keep that stretch as safe as possible.

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QM1to6Ave

QM1to6Ave

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MTA is not his insurer but his employer.  Most employees (if any) are indemnified.

Sorry, I'm a bit confused--do you mean the MTA does indemnify most employees, or it does not indemnify its employees? I always assumed if, let's say, a B/O got into an accident, it was the MTA that got sued and paid the other party, not the B/O himself or his auto insurance. 

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nostalgia

nostalgia

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I rode into the city on the New Haven line and thought about the recent operating changes. I understand the reason the conductor has to stand with the engineer to ensure speed restrictions are followed when there isn't an alerter in the operating unit. But I don't understand the reason the conductor has to communicate with the engineer when an alerter system is operating.

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lirr42

lirr42

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I rode into the city on the New Haven line and thought about the recent operating changes. I understand the reason the conductor has to stand with the engineer to ensure speed restrictions are followed when there isn't an alerter in the operating unit. But I don't understand the reason the conductor has to communicate with the engineer when an alerter system is operating.

 

The 'alerter system' does not enforce speed restrictions.

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Truckie

Truckie

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Sorry, I'm a bit confused--do you mean the MTA does indemnify most employees, or it does not indemnify its employees? I always assumed if, let's say, a B/O got into an accident, it was the MTA that got sued and paid the other party, not the B/O himself or his auto insurance. 

 

You're talking about two different things, the MTA getting sued and the B/O personally getting sued as both can happen. 

 

I can't say they don't indemnify any employees but I know for a fact they do not indemnify those responsible for operating the trains.  As a result of the derailment the MTA / Metro North lawsuits will be dealt with my the MTA and Metro North.  For personal lawsuits against the engineer, there will be no one standing up for him from the company.  All legal fees and any settled suits or awards will come out of his own pocket.

 

To go one farther as to what happens, if a railroad employee (Metro North included) get's hurt on the job, they don't get workmen's comp as railroads do not have to pay into workers comp.  We are covered under the FELA (Federal Employees Liability Act).  This means that if I was to get hurt on the job I have to sue the carrier and prove they were negligent in causing injury.

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QM1to6Ave

QM1to6Ave

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You're talking about two different things, the MTA getting sued and the B/O personally getting sued as both can happen. 

 

I can't say they don't indemnify any employees but I know for a fact they do not indemnify those responsible for operating the trains.  As a result of the derailment the MTA / Metro North lawsuits will be dealt with my the MTA and Metro North.  For personal lawsuits against the engineer, there will be no one standing up for him from the company.  All legal fees and any settled suits or awards will come out of his own pocket.

 

To go one farther as to what happens, if a railroad employee (Metro North included) get's hurt on the job, they don't get workmen's comp as railroads do not have to pay into workers comp.  We are covered under the FELA (Federal Employees Liability Act).  This means that if I was to get hurt on the job I have to sue the carrier and prove they were negligent in causing injury.

Thank you very much for that explanation! This seems like a fairly big drawback to being an MTA (and especially MNRR) employee, especially the more physically demanding jobs. Although I guess in a perverse way it is a strong incentive to always be super safe and careful. 

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lirr42

lirr42

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I know that. Based on preliminary information, the engineer dozed off. The 'alerter system' would have woken him up. (At least I hope it would have woken him up.)

 

The point of the second crew member being up front is not to wake the engineer up, but to make sure that he is complying with the speed restrictions.  The engineer can be perfectly awake, swatting the alerter every 30 seconds, and still go way overspeed straight into the curve without the train doing anything. Now if a second crew member were there, they will be able to indicate to the engineer that speed should be reduced before going into the speed restriction. 

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Truckie

Truckie

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This seems like a fairly big drawback to being an MTA (and especially MNRR) employee, especially the more physically demanding jobs. Although I guess in a perverse way it is a strong incentive to always be super safe and careful. 

 

There are many incentives to be safe and careful.  One being is we're responsible for one of the most expensive commodities there is, that being mankind (and women). 

 

Sure, there are those that take for granted we do.  It's easy for them to complain that this one made this much money, etc.  What they don't realize is the price we pay.  Not having the luxury of workers compensation.  Being required to work on holidays, anniversaries and missing your child's graduation. 

 

Most that look from the outside in see us walking up and down the train punching tickets.  What they don't see are the hazards involved.  I knew conductors that got killed on the job.  Working around live third rail and around moving trains is dangerous business and if you get just a little complacent, things can go bad real quick.

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nostalgia

nostalgia

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The point of the second crew member being up front is not to wake the engineer up, but to make sure that he is complying with the speed restrictions.  The engineer can be perfectly awake, swatting the alerter every 30 seconds, and still go way overspeed straight into the curve without the train doing anything. Now if a second crew member were there, they will be able to indicate to the engineer that speed should be reduced before going into the speed restriction. 

But that only applies to cab cars. Nobody is walking up to the engine in "pull mode." The conductor has to call the engineer on the radio. Why

can't conductors call the engineer in push mode?

 

Changing the most favorable signal at CP11 to Approach or Approach Medium will cause the Automatic Speed Control to go off. If there isn't a 20 psi reduction in the brakes, the train will dump the air.

 

Most that look from the outside in see us walking up and down the train punching tickets.  What they don't see are the hazards involved.  I knew conductors that got killed on the job.  Working around live third rail and around moving trains is dangerous business and if you get just a little complacent, things can go bad real quick.

That reminds me of the expression "Habit will get you killed on the railroad."

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Burrstone

Burrstone

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Amazing, he may not have "broken" any laws but this guy falling asleep killed people but it isn't criminal, he was speeding, and on top of that he originally lied (that he applied the breaks and they didn't work) making officials waste time investigating his claim.  Sorry if I don't feel bad for him...

 

Maybe they can charge him with lying in an investigation....  If he lied to investigators, that is a crime...  

 

 

Figures he'd be let off because of the nature of the incident. Not much else to say other than Rockfeller should probably look into seeking advice as it would appear that this has left a lasting affect on him.

 

I wonder what he'll be able to do for a living, he was making a pretty paycheck with the (MTA) - those days are over.  He'll never get any safety sensitive type of a job as the employers insurance would never cover him.

 

I'm sure there will book and movie but honest to god I hope the victims families get every penny of that and the guy at the "wheel" who caused the tragedy doesn't profit off of it.

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