Securing Unattended Trains

FRA 09-09 NPRM securing unattended trains.pdf

On September 09, 2014 (79 FR 53356), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the federal register to amend the brake system safety standards for freight and other non-passenger trains and equipment to strengthen the requirements relating to the securement of unattended equipment. This is in response to recent accidents like the one last year in Lac- Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada where additional requirements may be warranted when such equipment includes certain hazardous materials that can contribute to high-consequence events. Specifically, FRA would codify many of the requirements already included in its Emergency Order 28, “Establishing Additional Requirements for Attendance and Securement of Certain Freight Trains and Vehicles on Mainline Track or Mainline Siding Outside of a Yard or Terminal” published in the federal register (78 FR 48218) on August 07, 2014. FRA proposes to amend existing regulations to include additional securement requirements for unattended equipment, primarily for trains transporting poisonous by inhalation hazardous materials or large volumes of Division 2.1 (flammable gases), Class 3 (flammable or combustible liquids, including crude oil and ethanol), and Class 1.1 or 1.2 (explosives) hazardous materials. For these trains, FRA also proposes additional communication requirements relating to job briefings and securement verification. Finally, FRA proposes to require all locomotives left unattended outside of a yard to be equipped with an operative exterior locking mechanism. Attendance on trains would be required on equipment not capable of being secured in accordance with the proposed and existing requirements. Written comments must be received by November 10, 2014. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent possible without incurring additional expenses or delays. FRA anticipates being able to resolve this rulemaking without a public hearing. However, if prior to October 9, 2014, FRA receives a specific request for a public hearing, a hearing will be scheduled and FRA will publish a supplemental document in the Federal Register to inform interested parties of the date, time, and location of such hearing.