Watchdogs question training of rail workers

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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From Carl Prine and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

"Federal watchdogs are becoming increasingly concerned about who’s training the trainmen.

"In 2003, the Federal Railroad Administration mandated security training for railroad workers. Throughout the next two years, FRA inspectors handed out 1,066 warnings to 76 railroads to shore up hazmat security and safety training.

“Thirteen railways were cited more than once, including five of the largest freight carriers – Canada National, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and CSX for operations in San Francisco, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Buffalo, Columbus and other major metropolitan areas.”

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_487292.html

Dave

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Not a lot of news there - although I’m wondering which railroad has locomotives that “steam away…”

Prine is doing a series of stories on a subject, and it sounds like he has an agenda, right, wrong, or indifferent.

Not significantly different than the series of articles Newsday did on Long Island firefighters - a publication known to be hostile to FF’s. They did manage to get laws passed that increase scrutiny of fire districts (and cost the taxpayer money).

I’m of two minds here - Prine might be doing everyone a favor by forcing things to happen, or, things are already happening but he’s not giving credit for what’s been accomplished, the glass part full or part empty…

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I knew somebody was going to comment on “steam away.” [:)]

Prine’s agenda may be the Pulitzer for Investigative reporting.

Dave

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It serves as an example that Prine doesn’t know much about railroads - other than his chosen cause for this series of reports.

As I mentioned in the other thread - what about trucks? I’m sure he could have a field day at a truck stop!

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Truck stops,buisness’es that make " haz mat", how about places that make component parts? Something harmless until it reacts to other components. Why are we not flippingout over that?

How about military bases? DOnt laugh they are not that secure ( and thats even before the war) case in point look up Richard Marcinko’s book Rouge Warrior and go to the chapters on Red Cell. Nuff said.

Want to make the country safer?Wake up and realize that the people we are fighting are religious zealots.How do you deal with them? Well class look Shinto pre WW II ( for those of you not wanting to look it up it was Japanese, it was about war and nothing more.)

Here is where I hijack this thread and just lay out some facts. War is hell, you want to win you kill more of them then they kill of you. You bomb,destroy kill and DO WHAT IT TAKES to win. Not win the hearts and minds. you do that after they give up unconditionally.Look to WWII we didnt NOT bomb civilians,same as WW I Spanish American war Civil War etc etc. The job of any countries military is to kill people and break things. You want to be safe? Wake up and let the American military do what needs to be done. Stop making it a social experiment and for the love of Pete Dont make them sing Christmas carols for a news piece in a MUSLIM RUN COUNTRY!! ( look up Somalia one of the heart touching moments was when they set up that shot to show how great things were going gag) You want safe railroads? Safe cities? no threat of terrorism? Then quit talking about it and do something. Kill those that want to kill you first! You dont negotiate with animals and you damn sure dont turn your back on a person who wants to die for his cause, he will be happy to take YOU with him. Thus endth the sermon. Those that dont remember history are doomed to repeat it ( can we say Dec 7th people? or even better WTC 1993).

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[#ditto]

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[?] Refresh my memory on this one.

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The 1993 attack on the World Trade Center involved a panel truck-bomb that went off in the basement parking garage. Much inconvenience, but actually only minor damage. (The plotters expected to bring the tower down, but it didn’t cooperate.)

The idiot who rented the truck actually went back to the rental office and tried to get his deposit back…!

I end with the Mercenary’s Creed. “Do unto the other guy what he wants to do unto you - but do it first.”

Chuck (MSgt, USAF, retired)

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Structural damage was minor, but didn’t five people lose their lives?

Again, all this worry about training and how we are going to respond to a terrorist incident is reactionary. Why not go out and be proactive? Instead of training fire fighters to respond to terrorism why not go out and kill the terrorists so we don’t have to worry about it? And if their kids want to be like daddy then kill them too. This is a war, not playtime. You don’t win a war by being nice. What if the Brits said, “Well, Hitler isn’t going anywhere so I guess we’ll have to train our fire fighters to respond to 500 lb. bombs and airborne ME-109’s in addition to your average house fire.”

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Just what are rail workers supposed to be trained to do in response to the very real terrorist threat?

Use common sense? If you see something suspicious report it? They do that anyway.

The Army uses Military Police to guard highway convoys and railways. The MP’s have machine guns and things like automatic grenade launchers.

Unless we’re going to put the conductor in a gun turret, just what are the rail crews supposed to do besides what they’d normally do?

Sometimes, a journalist throwing a fit may do some good. Usually, it seems, he/she is just jumping up and down and calling attention to him/her self.

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I can recall reading posts in previous threads on this forum about some of the security measures that have to be taken for certain chemicals. Do you suppose that it is possible that the railroads match the security level to the danger of the chemical being transported?

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HEHEHEHE I could live with the gun turret 40 mm grenade launcher would be great! But I dont think BNSF is going to let me play like dat! and SOL AMEN BROTHER!

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OK, this sounds really sinical from a “SO CALLED INSTRUCTOR”;

This excerpt was taken from the Tribune Article: “The railroads don’t want an informed workforce,” said Brenda Cantrell, an instructor at the National Labor College’s George Meany Center in Maryland. “They want the trains to move on time. They don’t want a rail worker to say, ‘No. I refuse to carry your cargo until you put a safety placard on the chlorine car. You are putting people at risk.’”

If the instructor has this attitude, why should she still be in the position to Teach, Train, and Mentor the next generation of Railroaders? I really doubt that any person that has been put in a position of responsibility would not stand up and make an on the spot correction. Knowing that the consequences of their actions may be viewed as CRIMINALLY NEGLEGENT.

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First of all, (correct me if I am wrong, not a railroader by profession) but don’t companies have to identify the contents of the railcars through the use of NFPA colored-diamond placards? These cards don’t identify the specific name, but they do identify reactivity, health risks, and flammability. In fact, I am almost sure of it. I think any bulk chemical transfer has to have these placards in place to agree with federal regulations. I would question what the instructor teaches because she obviously doesn’t know the first thing about the government mandated program. Semi trucks have to use the same system. Some even questioned the use of this because a terrorist could ascertain what is in the car by looking at the NFPA diamond.

Still seems to me like this is a reporter with a whole lot of useless time on his hands. Another good question would be what the placard would do to prevent a leak in the case of a collision. It doesn’t make an

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It certainly should not be up to the railroad to ensure that the placards are affixed. If the shipper isn’t doing that, then it is a shipper training issue, not a railroader training issue.