e Certain Railroad Employee US. Department of Transportation Fatalities Investigated by Federal Railroad Administration the Federal Railroad Administration Calendar Year1 9 8 6 Office of Safety DOT/FRA/RRS August 1988 TABLE OF CONTENTS P a g e IN T R O D U C TIO N ........................................................................................................ i CAUSE D IG E S T ........................................................................................................ i i SUMMARY OF ACCIDENTS INVESTIGATED ..................................................... i v A C C ID E N T IN V E S T IG A T IO N REPORTS .......................................................... V b A INTRODUCTION This report represents the Federal Railroad Adm inistration's findings in its investigation of 45 railroad employee fa ta litie s suffered during 1986. Not included are the employee fa ta litie s that occurred as a result of train derailments, collisions, or rail-highway crossing accidents; these are reported in the 1986 Summary of Accidents Investigated by the Federal Railroad Adm inistration. * The purpose of this report is to direct public attention to hazards that exist in the day-to-day operation of railroads, to guide the overall Federal program to promote the safety of railroad employees, and to supply ra il management, ra il labor, and a ll other interested parties with inform ation and analysis for use in training and other action to prevent sim ilar a c c i d e n t s . J . W. W a ls h Associate Adm inistrator f o r S a f e t y CAUSE DIGEST REPORT NUMBER PAGE 1. Accidents related to switching and train operations a. Derailing equipment 1 1 b. Improperly lined switch 2 3 c. Crossing track in front of or going 5 10 between trains and/or equipment 6 12 37 94 d. Failure to clear for approaching train 11 23 16 38 22 54 26 67 e. Loss of secure handhold/or footing 15 35 27 69 30 76 f. Use of switches 17 41 g. Fall from bridge 24 61 h. Electrocution 29 74 2. Accidents related to maintenance-of-way inspections and operations a. Loss of a secure handhold and/or footing3 5 b. Falling from structure 10 21 23 57 c . F i r e 7 14 36 91 d. C ollision between h i-ra il and train 13 28 e. Failure to provide blocking protection 14 32 f. Turning rail 18 43 g. Shifting load 21 51 l i CAUSE DIGEST REPORT NUMBER PAGE h . Failure to clear for approaching train 25 64 41 1 0 5 44 114 i . Struck by ballast regulator 31 79 j • Shot by sniper 33 85 k . Lightning striking wayside phone 34 87 1 . Trench cave-in 43 1 1 0 m. Electrocution 19 45 Accidents related to inspection, servicing a n d maintenance of motive power, passenger, a n d fre ig h t equipment a . Electrocution 9 18 b . Loss of a secure handhold and/or footing12 26 c . Use of a mobile repair vehicle 20 48 38 98 d . Falling freight car body 28 71 e . Going between equipment 39 100 f . Falling plug-type car door 45 1 1 7 g . Close clearance 32 82 h . Use of h i-ra il crane 40 10 2 Automobile, highway, and truck accidents a . Rail-highway crossing accident 4 7 8 16 b . Automobile accident 35 89 42 108 i i i SUMMARY OF ACCIDENTS INVESTIGATED INVOLVING ONE OR MORE FATALITIES R AILR O AD A C C ID E N T S ATSF 3 BO 1 BN 5 CBL 1 CR 10 CSSR 2 CSX 2 DWP 1 IC G 2 LI 1 MKT 1 MNCW 1 MP 1 NJTR 1 PATH 1 SBD 1 SOU 2 SP 2 UP 7 IV Accident Investigation Reports P a g e 1. Union Pacific Railroad Company T h o r t o n , I D ........................................................................................................ 1 2. Seaboard System Railroad, Incorporated L a k e l a n d , F L ........................................................................................................ 4 . 3. M issouri P acific Railroad Company M e r c e d e s , T X ........................................................................................................ 5 4. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Company O k la h o m a C i t y , OK ...................................................................................... 7 5. Burlington Northern Railroad Company Inverness, M.............................................................................. T 10 6. Long Island Rail Road B a b y l o n , N Y ........................................................................................................ 12 7. Southern P acific Transportation Company W h e a t la n d , C A .................................................................................................. 14 8. New Jersey Transit R ail Operations H a r r i s o n , N J ........................................................................................................ 16 9. Southern P acific Transportation Company H o u s t o n , T X ........................................................................................................ 18 10. Illin o is Central Gulf Railroad Company W am ac, I L ................................................................... 21 11. The Baltim ore and Ohio Railroad Company C o n n e l l s v i l l e , P A ...................................................................................... 23 12. Consolidated R ail Corporation C l e v e l a n d , O H .................................................................................................. 26 13. Union Pacific Railroad C r i c k e t , A R ........................................................................................................ 28 14. Burlington Northern G a l e s b u r g , I L .................................................................................................. 3 2 15. Union P acific Railroad Company D u r a n d , K S ........................................................................................................ 3 5 16. Consolidated R ail Corporation C a m d e n , N J ........................................................................................................ 38 17. Illin o is Central Gulf Railroad Company C a r r i e r M i l l s , I L ...................................................................................... 4 1 v 18. Southern Railway Company I r o n d a l e , A L ........................................................................................................ 4 3 19. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company C l o v i s , NM .............................................................................................................. 4 5 20. Burlington Northern Railroad J a m e s to w n , N D .................................................................................................. 48 21. Consolidated R ail Corporation E a s t B r u n s w i c k , N J ...................................................................................... 5 1 22. Consolidated R ail Corporation E l y r i a , O H .............................................................................................................. 54 23. Consolidated R ail Corporation P i t t s b u r g h , P A .................................................................................................. 57 24. Southern Railway Company L u n c h b u r g h , V A .................................................................................................. 6 1 25. Consolidated R ail Corporation National Railroad Passenger Corporation R o m e , N Y .............................................................................................................. 6 4 26. Consolidated R ail Corporation National Railroad Passenger Corporation C h e e k t o w a g a , N Y ............................................................................................ 6 7 27. Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railway R a n i e r , M N......................................................................... .............................. 6 9 28. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company B a r s t o w , C A ........................................................................................................ 7 1 29. Union P acific Railroad Company C r o c k e t t , T X .................................................................................................. 7 4 30. Connemaugh and Black Lick Railroad J o h n s t o w n , P A ........................................................................................................ 76 31. Metro North Commuter Railroad F o r d h a m , N Y .............................................................................................................. 7 9 32. Union P acific Railroad Company N o r t h P l a t t e , N B ............................................................................................ 8 2 33. Port Authority Trans Hudson K e a r n y , N J . ........................................................................................................ 8 5 34. CSX Transportation, Inc. C o o l i n g , G A .............................................................................................................. 8 7 vi 35. Union Pacific Railroad Company C r o w l e y , L A ................................................................................ 89 36. Consolidated Rail Corporation A s t a b u l a , OH .......................................................................... 91 37. Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Houston, TX............................................................................... 94 38. Chessie System Railroads C i n c i n n a t i , OH .................................................................... 98 39. CSX, Transportation, Inc. E r w i n , T N ...................................................................