WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board has handed down a number of recommendations.
The NTSB made the following recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration:
— Establish uniform signal aspects that railroads must use to authorize a train to enter an occupied block, and prohibitthe use of these aspects for any other signal indication.
— Study the different signal systems for trains, identify ways to communicate more uniformly the meaning of signal aspectsacross all railroad territories, and require the railroadsto implement as many uniform signal meanings as possible.
— Require that emergency exits on new and remanufactured locomotive cabs provide for rapid egress by cab occupantsand rapid entry by emergency responders.
The NTSB made the following recommendations to Amtrak:
— Identify engineers and engineer trainees who have not consistently demonstrated competency in interpreting signals and provide them with enhanced training, supervision,testing, and evaluation necessary to determine that signal proficiency has been achieved and maintained.
— Use the circumstances of the November 30, 2007, accident in Chicago during crew resource management training to reemphasize the necessity of any qualified person on the leading locomotive or car to immediately communicate any disagreement on a called signal and to immediately take action necessary to ensure that the train is operated safely.
The NTSB made the following recommendation to the Association of American Railroads, American Short Line and Regional Association, American Public Transportation Association, United Transportation Union, and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen:
— Use the circumstances of the November 30, 2007, accident in Chicago during crew resource management training to reemphasize the necessity of any qualified person on the leading locomotive or car to immediately communicate any disagreement on a called signal and to immediately take action necessary to ensure that the train is operated safely.
