The FRA recently performed an Inspection Blitz at Bailey Yd. in North Platte, NE.
The results should be embarassing. The story in the North Platte Bulletin is here
So many interesting items. I liked the part where various managers asked the FRA inspectors to leave the property.
Jeff
duplicate
Also we have the FRA accident report that 9 cars of a derailed train had flatt wheels that should have been replaced or turned to true if possible.
FRA safety advisory urges railroads to properly identify, repair high-impact wheels - Trains
In the past, FRA has “appeared” without properly identifying themselves when setting foot on the property. Before condemning the local adult supervision, a little more investigating and questioning needs to be done. Walking around on railroad property like you own the place without the proper protection and failing to follow procedure can get somebody killed. FRA may have been in the wrong and the UP supervisor(s) may have been doing the right thing.
Ah, yes, the “I am the law” syndrome…
I wasn’t there, no clue as to what actually transpired. That said, I’ve worked on many properties and when the Feds show up they are wearing exceptionally bright safety vests emblazoned with exceptionally conspicuous FRA shields and hard hats to match.
It’s hardly just FRA. State officials can be every bit as bad (Wisconsin RR Commissioner and California Forestry from the past come to mind). Be there for the right reason and properly protected for safety purposes and there should not be issues.
Again, a little more investigation by the newsworker in the linked article would have been interesting to see.
I hate doing accident surveys. It usually means somebody’s failed and that somebody may have become an undesired statistic in the fatality or injury column.
I was not aware that anyone could actually assert “we haven’t been able to get to them yet” as a justification for operating locomotives that fail FRA operability criteria…
Engineers, in accordance with multiple rules, are required to make a ‘Calendar Day’ inspection of the locomotives they operate. In making the inspection, if they discover a FRA defect they have the authority to ‘shop’ the locomotive until the defect(s) are repaired.
OH BOY, having an engineer order a locomotive to be shopped when the train he to be on is ready to go would make the yardmaster, trainmaster and other managers REALLY HAPPY. I can imagine how loud they would scream because a hotshot train has to be held up while another engine is found to replace the bad order one. If it happens to be a UPS or J. B. Hunt train the railroad would have to pay a VERY hefty penalty because the train is not on time.
It happens. Some minor defects allow an engine to be used, but not as a leader. Unless it can be fixed, which is getting harder when you cut off mechanical people, a little rearranging is in order.
I’ve always had FRA people in the field identify themselves, especially before safety vests were common. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of those out west thought FRA inspectors were like the one in the movie “Unstoppable.”
Jeff
I will second Jeff’s statements. Engineers DO SHOP engines for observed FRA defects. One thing everyone tends to overlook - Engineers are laying their lives on the line in operating defective locomotives, not just their job. The items that a locomotive can be shopped for are SERIOUS defects, in and of their own right.
One thing my carrier did was attempt to put their newest most reliable engines on their HOT trains in an effort to preempt engines having FRA defects that can cause the engine to be legitmately shopped by engineers.
Sadly on here, it’s once again “blame the messenger” or inspectors. My impression as someone living near (so hearing) the UP mainline has been one of many UP locomotives needing serious engine work (less so with visiting NW ones) and many freight cars with wheels well out of true. Hearing is believing. Laying off mechanical workers in the shop (deferred or never maintenance) is a recipe for serious problems. All part of a cost-cutting, maximize short-term profits philosophy.
I have to say I am becomming more and more a fan of CP management over UP managemant and am even rebalancing my stock portfolio slowly in that direction. I find the new CP marketing proposals highly innovative and aggressive. UP once upon a time used to be that way but it started to fade after they merged with SP. I think CP might end up buying some UP lines sooner or later. Pehaps even force a sale via the Feds with the argument that CP could do better and it would be for the public good…we’ll see.
The thing to remember about FRA and similar governmental inspectors - The MUST find failures or they will be out of a job in short order.
Source?
What if they are not finding failures because they are doing their job?
What is the evidence in this flat wheel case that indicates that the FRA did not find a legitimate problem?
Having undergone “white glove inspections” in the military - if they want to find something, they will.
Very often, if things are looking good over all, inspectors will overlook minor items (a few spots of oil on the walkway, perhaps), but if they feel they have a reason, they’ll get pretty tight.
While regular visits are hardly out of the ordinary, and if there is a friendly tenor to the visit on both sides, many potential violations may result in “recommendations” instead of write-ups. Most inspectors aren’t out to shut down the railroad.
Things are gonna break, leak, and otherwise malfunction. They understand that.
I am one of those guys (not at the FRA), but I’m the “doing the inspecting” side of the coin.
If we don’t find a problem, we move on. There’s no need to nitpick or create a problem. There’s plenty of other problems we already know about to go work on. There’s no need to find problems to create job security when you can just go down your list to the next place you think there could be an issue.