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Northeast Regional (86) vs Amtrak worker in Bowie, MD -- 1 fatality


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 24 April 2018 - 12:40 PM

Baltimore, MD Sun, 4/24/18:

 


 

Amtrak employee struck, killed on tracks near Bowie State

 

 

An Amtrak engineering worker was struck and killed by an Amtrak train near the Bowie State University MARC station Tuesday morning.

 

 

Details



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#2 KevinKorell

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Posted 24 April 2018 - 12:45 PM

WPMT-TV, Fox-43 in York, PA, 4/24/18:

 

 


 

NTSB sending investigators to crash in Maryland where worker was reportedly struck and killed by train

 

 

NTSB is sending investigators to the site of an accident involving an Amtrack train that reportedly struck and killed a track worker this morning.

 

There's no C in Amtrak. :angry:

 

Update



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#3 KevinKorell

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Posted 25 April 2018 - 12:15 AM

From Twitter posts by Amtrak Northeast, it was also learned that the consist representing #86 was taken out of service, with no make-up trip.  Passengers were accommodated by other trains up to New York and Boston. Also, the same consist represents #179 leaving Boston the same (Tuesday) evening; that was cancelled... as was Wednesday morning's #111 leaving New York, also the same equipment.



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#4 CNJRoss

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Posted 26 April 2018 - 06:03 AM

MARC Service Alert, 4/25/18:
 

A Message to Penn Line passengers regarding Tuesday's service disruption:

 

 

We regret the inconveniences that Penn Line passengers experienced on Tuesday. While this disruption occurred during the off-peak hours, the impact spread into the evening rush hour, especially for passengers traveling from Baltimore to Washington in the afternoon and those planning to ride Train 438 (the 5:20 BWI Express).

 

Just before 9:00am, an Amtrak train struck an individual near of Bowie State University station. We are sad to report that the individual struck was an Amtrak Engineering Department employee. MARC Train extends sympathies to our partners at Amtrak and asks that you to keep this employee and his family in your thoughts. The cause of this incident is under investigation by the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board).

 

One of three tracks through the scene was already out of service for the scheduled trackwork and with the investigation taking place on the affected track, MARC Train and Amtrak had only one track to operate trains on at significantly reduced speeds. Both tracks were released for service at regular speed around 3:00pm, in time for us to provide a mostly regular rush hour service. Some delays did continue, namely for southbound trains from Baltimore to Washington due to severe train congestion. We did have to cancel Train 438 (the 5:20pm express from Union Station to BWI) due to the equipment and crew being out of position because of the disruption. We recognize that this was the second day in a row that this train was cancelled and appreciate the frustration this caused.

 

We understand that this incident was lengthy and very disruptive, but we appreciate your patience and understanding given the tragic circumstances. Thank you for riding MARC Train.

 



#5 steve4031

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Posted 29 April 2018 - 07:21 PM

Jack Suslak was on one of the trains delayed by this mess.

#6 KevinKorell

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Posted 01 May 2018 - 12:38 AM

Bloomberg, 4/30/18:

 


 

Amtrak Didn't Heed Work-Zone Speed Advice Before Fatal Crash

(snip)

 

Last week, another Amtrak worker was hit and killed in a similar accident in Bowie, Maryland. The victim was an Amtrak watchman who was helping monitor safety during track work between Baltimore and Washington, when struck April 24 by Train 86.

 

 

Continue reading here. Reference also to the Chester, PA incident of Train 89 in 2016.



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#7 CNJRoss

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Posted 01 October 2021 - 01:51 PM

NTSB news release

 
 
RRD18FR006.jpg

​​ This photo illustration depicts the accident scene on April 24, 2018. The photo shows the three main tracks at the accident site looking north. The point where the roadway worker was struck by the train is marked with the red figure. Photo by Michael Hoepf, NTSB. NTSB graphic overlay by Christy Spangler.​

 

  NTSB Urges Railroads to Better Protect Rail Roadway Workers

 

9/30/2021

​​​

 

WASHINGTON (Sept. 30, 2021) — The National Transportation Safety Board Thursday again called on the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak to put an immediate end to the use of “train approach warning” as the sole method of on-track safety in areas covered by positive train control.

 

TAW is an older method of using designated watchmen to look out for approaching trains in a work zone. By using TAW instead of available protections provided by advanced positive train control systems, Amtrak circumvented important PTC safety features that could help prevent rail worker deaths.

 

The safety recommendations issued in Railroad Accident Report 21/02, are based on the April 24, 2018, accident where an Amtrak rail watchman was killed in Bowie Maryland. The NTSB determined that Amtrak’s insufficient site-specific safety work plan for the Bowie project did not adequately consider the challenges of multiple main tracks in a high-noise environment. The watchman was focused on the movement of a southbound MARC commuter train when he was struck from behind by a high-speed northbound Amtrak train.

PTC could have been used to enforce speed restrictions, which would have automatically reduced the speed of trains in the work zone. Alternatively, PTC could have been used to prevent trains from even entering the work zone. Amtrak’s decision to use TAW in a high-risk area allowed roadway workers to be exposed to the dangers of simultaneous bi-directional train movements at speeds up to 125 mph.

 

Railway worker fatalities are far too common. The latest Federal Railroad Administration data shows a total of 459 employee on-duty fatalities since 1997. In 2020, the NTSB investigated eight accidents involving railroad and transit worker fatalities. “Improve Rail Worker Safety” is an item on the NTSB’s 2021 – 2022 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements.

 

“More action needs to be taken to protect train crews, maintenance-of-way employees, and mechanical workers from getting killed or injured,” said NTSB board Member Thomas Chapman, who has focused on improving the safety of railway workers. “We have found from our investigations that many of these accidents are, tragically, preventable.”

 

The recommendation issued Thursday to the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak address safety issues including inadequate site safety risk assessment, unsafe train speeds in work zones, the failure to use positive train control to protect roadway workers and ineffective roadway worker protection.

 

NTSB Chair Jennifer L. Homendy said Thursday that railroads need not wait for FRA to act. In a letter sent to the leaders of the nation’s Class I Railroads and Amtrak, Homendy said the continued use of TAW circumvents the protections that would be provided by PTC in controlled track territory.

 

“In short, the decades of funding, research, equipment, and training you have put into the implementation of PTC is being undone by the continued use of TAW,” the Homendy letter said. “The continued use of TAW as a method of on-track safety is a deadly risk that your roadway workers cannot be asked to bear.”

 

Railroad Accident Report 21/02, is available online at https://go.usa.gov/xMmFs

Chair Homendy’s letter to the railroads is here: https://go.usa.gov/xMmFs

Chair Homendy also sent a letter to the Secretary of Transportation, which can be found here: https://go.usa.gov/xMmFs

The accident docket, which contains interviews, photos, and other factual material is available online at https://go.usa.gov/xMEQ2

Related material is available at https://go.usa.gov/xMm3H​

 

 

 

Related:  NTSB 2021-2022 Most Wanted -- Rail Worker Safety



#8 CNJRoss

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Posted 06 October 2021 - 08:55 AM

10/6/21

 

 

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

ADVOCACY UPDATE

 

 

Bowie, MD, Railroad Accident Reinforces Need to

Better Protect Rail Roadway Workers

 

 

Last week, we released Railroad Accident Report 21/02 about the April 24, 2018, accident involving an Amtrak rail watchman who was killed in Bowie, Maryland. The NTSB determined that Amtrak’s insufficient site-specific safety work plan for the Bowie project did not adequately consider the challenges of multiple main tracks in a high-noise environment. The watchman was focused on the movement of a southbound MARC commuter train when he was struck from behind by a high-speed northbound Amtrak train.

 

 

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What You Should Know...

 

Railway worker fatalities are far too common, and more action needs to be taken to protect train crews, maintenance-of-way employees, and mechanical workers from getting killed or injured. The latest Federal Railroad Administration data shows a total of 459 employee on-duty fatalities since 1997. In 2020, the NTSB investigated eight accidents involving railroad and transit worker fatalities. “Improve Rail Worker Safety” is an item on the NTSB’s 2021 – 2022 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements.

 

What We Can Do About It...

 

As a result of this accident, we issued safety recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Amtrak urging them to address safety issues including inadequate site safety risk assessment, unsafe train speeds in work zones, the failure to use positive train control to protect roadway workers and ineffective roadway worker protection. We called on the FRA and Amtrak to put an immediate end to the use of “train approach warning” as the sole method of on-track safety in areas covered by positive train control.

 

 






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