National V^9 Transportation Safety Board
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PB85-916304 NATIONAL V^9 TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD ^ WASHINGTON, D.C. 20594 RAILROAD ACCIDENT REPORT HEAD-ON COLLISION OF BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD FREIGHT TRAINS EXTRA 6714 WEST AND EXTRA 7820 EAST WIGGINS, COLORADO APRIL 13, 1984 AND READ-END COLLISION OF BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD FREIGHT TRAINS EXTRA 7843 EAST AND EXTRA ATSF 8112 EAST NEAR NEWCASTLE, WYOMING APRIL 22, 1984 NTSB/RAR- 85/04. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 1. Report No. 2.Government Accession No 3.Recipient's Catalog No. NTSB/RAR-85/04 PB85-916304 k. Title and Subt i tie Kanroaa Accident ueport — 5.Report Date Head-On Collision of Burlington Northern Railroad Freight April 1, 1985 Trains Extra 6714 West and Extra 7820 East at Wiggins, 6.Performing Organization Colorado, April 13, 1984 Code Rear-End Collision of Burlington Northern Railroad Freight 8.Performing Organization Trains Extra 7843 East and Extra ATSF 8112 East Near Report No. Newcastle, Wyoming, April 22, 1984. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10.Work Unit No. 3913B National Transportation Safety Board 11.Contract or Grant No. Bureau of Accident Investigation Washington, D.C. 20594 13-Type of Report and Period Covered 12.Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Railroad Accident Reports April 13, 1984. April 22, 1984. NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Washington, D. C. 20594 JUL 8 1985 ^.Sponsoring Agency Code 15-Supplementary Notes 16.Abstract About 3:58 a.m., mountain standard time, on April 13, 1984, Burlington Northern Railroad Company freight trains Extra 6714 West and Extra 7820 East collided head-on on the single main track about 1,027 feet west of the west turnout of the passing track at Wiggins, Colorado. Seven locomotive units derailed and were destroyed in the collision and burning diesel fuel was released from ruptured fuel tanks; 40 cars derailed, 26 of which were destroyed. Five train crewmembers were killed and two were injured. Total damage was estimated to be $3,891,428. About 4:56 a.m, mountain standard time, on April 22, 1984, eastbound Burlington Northern freight train Extra 7843 East struck the rear of Burlington Northern freight train Extra ATSF 8112 East on the main track at Pedro passing siding near Newcastle, Wyoming. During the collision and subsequent derailment sequence several cars of freight train Extra 5533 East, which were standing unattended in the Pedro passing track, were also struck and derailed. As a result, 5 locomotives units, a caboose, and 21 cars derailed. The locomotive units, caboose, and 13 cars were either destroyed or heavily damaged. Two train crewmembers were killed, and two were injured. Total damage was estimated to be $1,358,993. 17.Key Words 18.Distribution Statement Head-on collision, rear-end collision, This document is available single main track, etc, freight, fatal, employee on through the National Technical duty, meets, alerter, aspects, drug/intoxicant/impair Information Service, ment, fatigue, supervision, rules compliance, training, Springfield, Virginia, 22161 implement regulations. 19.Security Classification 20.Security Classification 21 .No. of Pages 22.Price (of this report) (of this page) UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED 134 NTSB Form 1765.2 (Rev. 9/74) -2- The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Wiggins accident was the engineer and other head-end crewmembers of Extra 6714 West falling asleep and failing to comply with restrictive signal aspects. Contributing to the failure of the engineer and fireman was their consumption of alcohol and fatigue resulting from their voluntary lack of sleep during their off-duty time, aggravated by irregular work/rest cycles. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Newcastle accident was the failure of the engineer and head brakeman of Extra 7843 East to operate their train in compliance with restrictive signal aspects because they were asleep or, in the case of the engineer, otherwise impaired. Contributing to their failure was the use of marijuana by the engineer, as well as the fatigue of the engineer and head brakeman due to their voluntary lack of sleep and unpredictable working hours. Contributing to both accidents were (1) the conductors1 failure in both instances to protect their trains in compliance with Operating rules 34 and 804(B); and (2) Burlington Northern's failure to supervise properly its train operations. ii CONTENTS SYNOPSIS 1 INVESTIGATIONS 2 The Wiggins Accident . 2 Injuries to Persons 3 Train Information 5 Damage 5 Crewmember Information 7 Method of Operation 10 Medical and Pathological Information 14 Survival Aspects 15 Tests and Research 15 Other Information 16 The Newcastle Accident • 17 Injuries to Persons 22 Train Information 23 Damage • 23 Crewmember Information 24 Method of Operation 25 Track Information 27 Survival Aspects • 28 Medical and Pathological Information 28 Tests and Research 31 General Information * • • 32 First-Line Supervision . • * 32 Division Management 35 BN's Safety and Rules Program 35 BN Management 37 Employee Rehabilitation 37 Alerter Devices 39 ANALYSIS 40 Common Factors in the Accidents 40 Operation of the Trains in the Wiggins Accident 41 Operation of Trains in the Newcastle Accident • 42 Safety Backup Devices • 43 Crewmember Rest and Performance 46 Crewmember Use of Alcohol and Drugs 50 Supervision of BN Train Operations 59 BN's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 62 CONCLUSIONS 63 Findings • * 63 Wiggins Accident * 63 Newcastle Accident 63 General Findings 65 Probable Cause 06 iii RECOMMENDATIONS 67 APPENDIXES 71 Appendix A—Investigations and Hearing 71 Appendix B—Train Personnel Information 72 Wiggins Accident 72 Newcastle Accident 73 Appendix C—Excerpts from Burlington Northern Operating Rules, October 1, 1980 74 Appendix D—Train Crewmember Duty and Rest Records 82 Wiggins Accident 82 Newcastle Accident 87 Appendix E—Train Crewmember Toxicological Test Results 92 Wiggins Accident 92 Newcastle Accident . 99 Appendix F—NTSB Response to FRA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 125 Appendix G~Excerpts from Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations CH. II - Federal Railroad Administration 130 iv NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 20594 RAILROAD ACCIDENT REPORT Adopted: April 1, 1985 HEAD-ON COLLISION OF BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD FREIGHT TRAINS EXTRA 6714 WEST AND EXTRA 7820 EAST WIGGINS, COLORADO APRIL 13, 1984 AND REAR-END COLLISION OF BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD FREIGHT TRAINS EXTRA 7843 EAST AND EXTRA ATSF 8112 EAST NEAR NEWCASTLE, WYOMING APRIL 22, 1984 SYNOPSIS About 3:58 a.m., mountain standard time, on April 13, 1984, Burlington Northern Railroad Company freight trains Extra 6714 West and Extra 7820 East collided head-on on the single main track about 1,027 feet west of the west turnout of the passing track at Wiggins, Colorado. Seven locomotive units derailed and were destroyed in the collision and burning diesel fuel was released from ruptured fuel tanks; 40 cars derailed, 26 of which were destroyed. Five train crewmembers were killed and two were injured. Total damage was estimated to be $3,891,428. About 4:56 a.m, mountain standard time, on April 22, 1984, eastbound Burlington Northern freight train Extra 7843 East struck the rear of Burlington Northern freight train Extra ATSF 8112 East on the main track at Pedro passing siding near Newcastle, Wyoming. During the collision and subsequent derailment sequence several cars of freight train Extra 5533 East, which were standing unattended in the Pedro passing track, were also struck and derailed. As a result, 5 locomotives units, a caboose, and 21 cars derailed. The locomotive units, caboose, and 13 cars were either destroyed or heavily damaged. Two train crewmembers were killed, and two were injured. Total damage was estimated to be $1,358,993. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Wiggins accident was the engineer and other head-end crewmembers of Extra 6714 West falling asleep and failing to comply with restrictive signal aspects. Contributing to the failure of the engineer and fireman was their consumption of alcohol and fatigue resulting from their voluntary lack of sleep during their off-duty time, aggravated by irregular work/rest cycles. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Newcastle accident was the failure of the engineer and head brakeman of Extra 7843 East to operate their train in compliance with restrictive signal aspects because they were -2- asleep or, in the ease of the engineer, otherwise impaired. Contributing to their failure was the use of marijuana by the engineer, as well as the fatigue of the engineer and head brakeman due to their voluntary lack of sleep and unpredictable working hours. Contributing to both accidents were (1) the conductors' failure in both instances to protect their trains in compliance with operating rules 34 and 804(B); and (2) Burlington Northern's failure to supervise properly its train operations. INVESTIGATIONS The Wiggins Accident Burlington Northern (BN) eastbound freight train Extra 7820 East (Train 100), consisting of 5 locomotive units, 77 cars, and a caboose, departed Denver, Colorado, for Akron about 2:23 a.m., April 13, 1984. The engineer, fireman, and the head brakeman were on the lead locomotive unit, the conductor and rear brakeman were on the caboose, and an off-duty BN train dispatcher was riding as an authorized passenger on the second locomotive unit. The fireman, who was a promoted and fully qualified engineer, was operating the train from the time it left Denver. About 1 hou> after the train left Denver, crewmembers on the locomotive noticed sparking along the side of the train and stopped to investigate the source. The head-end of the train came to a stop between mileposts (MP) 483 and 484, about 4 1/2 miles west of the passing track at Wiggins, Colorado. The head brakeman went back to investigate the source of the sparking and found that the 13th head car had a loose tie-down chain and the 24th head car had loose metal banding which had been dragging and causing the sparks.