| Two UTU members killed |
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| Two UTU members, Michael Wilcox and Saxton Haselwood, have been killed in separate incidents. Wilcox, a BNSF conductor and member of Local 113 in Winslow, Ariz., was killed Saturday night, Feb. 7, when hit by a train on BNSF trackage near Holbrook, Ariz. Wilcox was 43 and had a wife and three children. He had been railroading about 10 years. “This guy was a good friend of mine,” General Chairperson William Young III said. “He was a good family man and a real good guy. But, the truly sad part was that the engineer who hit him was his best friend.” Haselwood, a Union Pacific conductor and member of Local 1227 in Wichita, Kan., was killed early the morning of Sunday, Feb. 8, at UP’s Herington Yard outside Herington, Kan. Haselwood, unmarried, was 26 and has been railroading just two years. “He was a no-trouble kid who did his job,” UP General Chairperson Richard Draskovich said. “He was a good worker who will be missed.” Both accidents remain under investigation. From the UTU Site |
The FRA Region 7 Administrator spoke specifically of this yesterday. The FRA has taken notice of an uptick in fatalities. While an Emergency Order may not be in the offing, some rules changes likely will be coming out such as requiring train crew members of a standing train to be accounted for clear before a passing train can proceed on a parallel track at anything more favorable than restricted speed. Just getting a verbal confirmation from each crew member of the standing train that they are aware of the approaching train would in that rules change no longer be sufficient.
RWM
I know railroad rules were written with blood, and I don’t want to make light of these tragic accidents, but will more rules make it any easier to not make a mis-step out on the line? I don’t want to cast blame as it is all too easy to do something before really thinking it through, but didn’t they possibly violate the simplest of railroading’s rules, expect a car or locomotive on any track in any direction at any time? If they were not in the wrong place at the worst possible time, would these tragic events have still happened?
I am not throwing stones, I know how easy it is to lose “situational awareness” while thinking 10 switching moves ahead or whatever may occupy your thoughts. It’s hard to constantly think about all the possibilities for danger at every footstep while taking care of business.
I see no reason for a rule change. This seems to just be a lack of awareness by the train men. Things like this could always happen udner those circumstances, and no amount of rules will ever change that.
Curious how you come to all three of your conclusions about accidents that haven’t even been fully investigated yet:
- Cause of accidents was lack of awareness
- Things like this could always happen
- Rules changes will not prevent reoccurance
RWM
In as much as we have no idea of the true inner thoughts of others, even those we believe we know a well as ourselves…these incidents and as similar incident that occurred on a local carrier lead me to believe that these incidents are not ‘simple inattention’ and in fact may be deliberate actions taken by the deceased.
Many of us have experienced set backs in our lives, set backs that affected us in ways that were known only to ourselves, known in ways that we refused to communicate with those around us and in ways that we may not even acknowledge to ourselves.
We are in trying economic times for a variety of reasons and in a variety of ways. Some may view a on duty occurrences as being a way of enhancing their families financial security. None of us will ever know.
Both these events are still under investigation–I’ll withhold judgement-----------
We do not need to jump the gun here-------------------------
I will jump the gun then… what we was givin tonight says that the man was told 3 times that a train was comming including the cab driver. the man walked in front of the train after he was told and replyed that he understood that the train was comming. Nothing else could be done by anyone, and there cant be any new rules, we never move a train. and we are required to watch trains by, if they do something like everyone on the engines they make us break other rules.
I am sorry for my brothers family that lost their lives we at my terminal stress to each other to keep your head in the game at all times.
Rodney
The story we got said that cell-phone use played a role in the Council Bluffs incident.
It was a shock initially to see this story about two fatalities, but then I realized that both had been covered separately when they happened earlier, though not necessarily here.
I tend to agree with the people who say that new rules would be more of a problem than a help in cases like these–an effort to legislate common sense. It sounds like the one guy just wasn’t listening to folks who were warning him about the train. As for the rule regarding inspection of passing trains, where one crew member is required to go to the opposite side when possible, I would think that the person remaining in (or by) the cab should be able to see him until the train approaches, observe his behavior, etc., and warn him if he seems to be too close to the tracks (a simple toot on the horn does wonders!). Once the approaching train cuts off his view, he’s on his own, with whatever common sense he possesses. One can only hope that’s enough.
Just so it’s clear, I am not advocating what the FRA should do, and frankly that’s not a negotiating table I want to sit at for several reasons. I’m reporting what the FRA said it might do.
RWM
The problem with many rule/regulation changes is that they are frequently done in a knee-jerk reaction to an event or series of events without a risk or trend analysis to determine the true causal factors or whether the incidents might have been prevented exercising the existing rules. There is also a point where too many rules over complicates the task loading in such a way that it jeapordizes job performance or even safety. Often in cases where a loss of situational awareness plays a role, a more robust training program and mentorship can be more effective than regulation, particularly with new personnel, who some time get so bogged down in doing it by the book that they lose sight of the big picutre and hurt.
Dan
Hmmm. Not just regulation, statutes too. Can you say “Chatsworth”??? A whole new safety world was created last fall…
LC
Hmmm. Not just regulation, statutes too. Can you say “Chatsworth”??? A whole new safety world was created last fall…
LC