Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

Dear Brothers:  

The attached information is being provided for your information and files.  

Fraternally yours,
 

Dennis R. Pierce
General Chairman

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

December 3, 2003

D. M. Hahs, President
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
1370 Ontario Street
Cleveland Ohio 44113  

Dear Sir and Brother:  

This has further reference to my copy of Brother Larry Sykes’, GC-NS, letter to you under date of September 11, 2003 reporting a remote control incident at Mingo Junction , Ohio , August 27. 2003.

In this regard, FRA has completed their investigation and enclosed is a copy of their findings, which is self-explanatory. 

With kindest regards. I remain Fraternally yours,

/s/ Raymond A. Holmes,
Vice President and
National Legislative Representative
National Legislative Representative

Enc

cc: Larry Sykes, GC/NS (w/encls.)
     P.  T. Sorrow, Vice President (w/encls.)

US Department                                                                                            1120 Vermont Ave. N.W.
of Transportation                                                                                           Washington DC 20590

Federal Railroad 
Administration

NOV 28 2003

 Mr. Raymond A. Holmes
Vice President and National
Legislative. Representative
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
25 Louisiana Avenue, N.W., Suite 409
Washington , D.C. 20001  

Dear Mr. Holmes:

Thank you for your letter to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) reporting a remote control locomotive (RCL) incident on Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) at Mingo Junction , Ohio , on August 27, 2003 . You indicated that an RCL assignment left the yard and operated approximately seven miles traveling over several public highway-rail. grade crossings on its way to Weirton , West Virginia . You requested that FRA investigate this movement.  

As you know on February 14, 2001 , FRA issued a Notice of Safety Advisory 2001-01. The advisory recommends what FRA believes to be the best operating practices for RCL “yard” operations. The advisory was written considering yard operations only, with incidental movements onto the main track, i.e., headroom when switching, crossing over main) track to get to a yard on the other side of the main track, gaining access to an industrial lead in the immediate vicinity of the yard. hauling a. handful of cars. It soon became apparent that some railroads intended to use this technology to conduct heavy-haul yard transfers and local freight switching on main tracks. Two issues immediately concerned FRA with these intentions: 1) the current RCL technology may not be capable of conducting these movements safely; and 2) the remote control operator training programs on file with FRA may not include the type of training necessary for these types of operations. Therefore, FRA requested that the railroads not implement any new main track or out-of -yard operations until we have had a chance to evaluate them--the railroads agreed.

 We became aware of the movement you described shortly after it occurred. An FRA inspector visited Mingo Junction and discussed the RCL operations with local. NS supervision. The operations were subsequently discontinued FRA will continue to monitor the situation at Mingo Junction.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We appreciate the assistance and support FRA receives from your organization. I look forward to working with you on other safety issues of importance to you and your members.  

Sincerely,

/s/  George Gavalla

Associate Administrator
for Safety