U.S. Transportation Secretary Announces Proposed Regulations to Prevent Railroad Crew Distractions While Operating Trains

In an age when more and more devices are becoming available and adopted for daily use in this “connected” world, the DOT takes a harder line on rail safety by proposing a rule “to prohibit the improper use of distracting electronic devices by on-duty railroad operating employees.”

I can appreciate the reason and the intent of the new federal proposal, but keep in mind that there was already a company policy against texting and still the Metrolink engineer chose to disregard it and text away.

Is this a case of over reacting? Shouldn’t we be focusing on in-cab controls and line safety devices to protect rail travelers and the public? Next time, God forbid, it might not be a cellphone but some other distraction that we failed to rule against.

Let me know your opinions.

From a United States Department of Transportation press release:

DOT-98-10                                                                             
Monday, May 17, 2010          
Contact:  Mark Paustenbach                                       
Tel:  (202) 493-6024

U.S. Transportation Secretary Announces Proposed Regulations to
Prevent Railroad Crew Distractions While Operating Trains

U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today continued his campaign to stop distracted driving by announcing a proposed rule to prohibit the improper use of distracting electronic devices by on-duty railroad operating employees.  If adopted, the rules would explicitly restrict and in some cases prohibit the use of cell phones and other hand held devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) by safety critical employees, including locomotive engineers, conductors, switchmen, and other train employees. 

“Operating a passenger or freight train demands the full and undivided attention of crewmembers at all times.  Lives depend on it,” said Secretary LaHood.  “We want to make sure that railroad employees know not to use hand held devices on the job because doing so jeopardizes safety.”

The proposed rule announced today is the latest in a series of actions taken by the Department to combat distracted driving.  During a seminal September 2009 Distracted Driving Summit, Secretary LaHood announced the Department’s plans to vigorously pursue regulatory and other steps to reduce the risks posed by distracted driving. 

The rule would prohibit the use of an electronic device—whether personal or railroad-supplied— if it interferes with that employee’s or another employee’s performance of safety-related duties.  Railroad operating employees would be permitted to use cell phones or similar electronic devices under highly limited circumstances.

The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) provides certain exceptions for watches, calculator use, medical devices, railroad radios, cameras used to document bona fide safety hazards or violations of rail safety laws and various emergency situations.  The regulations would also authorize the Federal Railroad Administration to review a railroad’s training program on the use of electronic devices and require that records be kept documenting employees receiving recurrent training at specified intervals.  The NPRM seeks comment on whether violations of the rule should be used as a basis for revoking a locomotive engineer’s certification to operate a locomotive under other FRA regulations.
“There should be no confusion about when and where cell phones, video games or PDAs may be used by train crews,” said FRA Deputy Administrator Karen Rae.

FRA is proposing to codify a modified version of its 2008 Emergency Order No. 26 (EO 26), which sets forth stringent restrictions on the use of electronic devices by railroad operating employees.  FRA issued EO 26 less than three weeks after a September 12, 2008 collision between a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific Railroad freight train in Chatsworth, California, killing 25 people. 

Preliminary investigative findings revealed that the engineer operating the Metrolink train was text messaging at the time of the collision.  While longstanding railroad operating rules and EO 26 have restricted the use of electronic devices, FRA has determined that Federal regulations are necessary to more effectively prevent the inappropriate and unauthorized use of these devices on the job.  A final rule would supplant EO 26.
The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, may 18.  Comments on the proposed rule may be submitted throughwww.regulations.gov (Docket# No. FRA-2009-0118).  The deadline for submitting comments on the proposal is June 17.  Click here to view the NPRM.

(Apparently Just Amtrak's) 2010 National Train Day at Los Angeles Union Station

Anticipation

May 8, 2010, a date that I eagerly anticipated, had finally arrived! It was National Train Day (for 2010) and I was off to the festivities and fun to be had at the event held at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.

This was going to be my first National Train Day event and I was excited as a kid at Christmas about the possibilities that someone who loves all things rail might encounter at an event such as this. After making sure I had all my requisite gear safely secured in or on my backpack, I headed off to the Upland Metrolink station to catch a westbound commuter that would deliver me directly to Union Station in just under one hour’s time.

Venue

I arrived  at Union Station, as planned, in time to get some shots of the former Santa Fe 3751, as she departed eastbound, over the same line I had just come west on, with an excursion train for the San Bernardino Railroad Days and Bicentennial Celebration.

A beautiful day greeted those who attended the Los Angeles National Train Day events at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.

The main waiting room inside Union Station in Los Angeles is gorgeous. Shortly this area with be packed with attendees of the National Train Day event.

Event Photos

The former ticketing area and main foyer, normally closed to the public, hosts the “main stage” for the event. Here you can see the members of the USC Marching Band help open the festivities. This area is also frequently used in movies and TV shows.

Members of the USC Marching Band play to a cheering crowd on the National Train Day main stage in Los Angeles Union Station.

After a series of rail industry speakers, Huell Howser, a statewide renown television reporter and documenter, took the stage and shared his view of trains and California. In typical Huell fashion, he closed his remarks stating that “…trains are California’s GOLD! ”

A genuinely nice guy, Huell spent time greeting and taking photos with many, many attendees.

Static Displays

The now infamous Amtrak 457, an EMD F59PHI, has been wrapped in a special livery to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Pacific Surfliner service which provides passenger service between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, and points in-between, under a partnership between Amtrak and Caltrans. It wears the slogan “Ten easy going years, 25 millon riders.” QUESTION: What is a millon?

One of Metrolink’s new crash energy management-enabled Hyundai Rotem passenger rail cars was parked on Track 12 for display. Too bad the public wasn’t invited inside to see the new car and get an explanation of advancements in rail technologies.

Union Pacific and Pacific Harbor Line loaned 3 Generator-Set (or Genset) switchers for public display. Once again, too bad the public was not given an opportunity to see inside the cab or the hood to get a full appreciation of the latest rail motive power technology available.

Disappointment

Perhaps it was due to the awesome spectacle of seeing the 3751 seething and raring to go at the Track 8 platform or her steam and smoke-filled departure, or maybe it was because I am rail advocate, I don’t know for sure, but the rest of my day the National Train Day celebration in Los Angeles left me disappointed. Let me explain.

I feel that here was a real opportunity to win the hearts and minds of the public in order to garner future support of rail initiatives and projects from those that count the most - the voters.  I know that rail transport has been and will continue to be a very effective and efficient form of transportation for America, but not everyone has that appreciation.  Many see rail transport as an antiquated and less sophisticated form of mass transit.

Considering this was “National Train Day,” in my mind, it meant just that - a day to appreciate rails and railroading en masse. Rather, I left Union Station feeling that I just saw a big Amtrak commercial. I know that the event was conceived and managed by Amtrak, (a government entity), but there should have been more, much more.

Another disappointment was the missed opportunity to bring rail safety to the forefront of the public’s view of railroading. Tucked into the darkest corner of the atrium, where the “tables” that represented various communities and rail interests were positioned, was the table for Operation Lifesaver. Really? Something as important as an organization such as Operation Lifesaver is and it isn’t even up front and center? Their mission is crucial and here were thousands of people, and a whole lot of kids, that may or may not have gotten their message unless they intentionally wandered into the far corner of the venue.

I appreciate the two freight companies that loaned equipment for display, but, again, where were was the booth for Union Pacific and BNSF to pass out key-chains and press the flesh with the public? Where were the answers to the concerns the public has over “monster trains” and hazardous cargoes passing through their communities going to come from? Another missed opportunity.

Perhaps I am just accustomed to attending military airshows where the public can walk onto and through several different types of aircraft and actually talk to the folks that fly that particular aircraft to gain an appreciation or the job, have their questions answered, or to give folks the opportunity to just say “thanks for your service.”

If “we” aren’t there to answer the questions and provide the real data, then folks are left with listening to the media and each other, and, in most cases, the answers or suppositions are wrong or misinformed.

Perhaps, I am confused. Maybe I missed the memo that defined “National Train Day” as Amtrak’s newest campaign to garner ridership.

Let me know if you agree or disagree with my sentiments.