[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 20 (Thursday, January 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 4569]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2300]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Notice of Safety Bulletin

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Safety Bulletin.

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SUMMARY: The FRA is issuing Safety Bulletin 97-1 addressing recommended 
safety practices for certain locomotives equipped with emergency MU 
fuel line cut-off devices located inside the locomotive control 
compartment at a location which enables the cut-off device to be 
activated unintentionally.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Taylor, Staff Director, Operating 
Practices Division, Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance, FRA, 400 
Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590 (telephone 202-632-3346).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Preliminary investigatory findings following the derailment of a 
run-away Union Pacific Railroad (UP) freight train on January 12, 1997, 
at Hayden, California, indicate that the emergency multiple-unit (MU) 
fuel line cut-off device (cut-off device) located inside the locomotive 
control compartment was unintentionally activated by the locomotive 
engineer. The engineer was apparently unaware of the activation. 
Activation of the cut-off device shuts down all MU'ed locomotives 
within a number of seconds. In this case, all three locomotives in the 
train were shut down. As a result, the engineer lost all of the dynamic 
brake retarding effect being used to control the speed of the train 
down a 2.2 percent grade. The engineer initiated an emergency 
application of the train's air brakes, but the train continued out of 
control and derailed at a siding turnout.
    The cut-off device on this locomotive is located below waist level 
on the face of the control stand superstructure on the engineer's left 
side. Although the plastic guard surrounding the cut-off device was 
found broken, a test conducted on a similar locomotive indicated that 
even with the guard in place it was possible to operate the cut-off 
device simply by brushing it with a person's knee. The locomotive's 
manufacturer, General Motor's Corporation, Electro-Motive Division, 
(EMD), indicates that at least 365 SD-60M series locomotives 
manufactured for UP are equipped with cut-off devices similarly 
located. Information available to FRA indicates that these locomotives 
are identified as UP6000 thru UP6365. There may be other locomotives 
with similar designs on other railroads.

Recommendation

    In light of the potential dangers involved in loss of dynamic 
braking due to inadvertent activation of the emergency MU fuel-line 
cut-off device on some locomotives, FRA strongly recommends that the 
following safety precautions be taken:
    1. All railroads must inspect all locomotives to determine if the 
emergency MU fuel line cut-off device is located in such a position in 
the locomotive cab that it can be inadvertently activated by the 
engineer. If the device is located in such a position, the corrective 
action in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 must be initiated.
    2. Relocate the cut-off device to a location where the device can 
not be unintentionally activated, or
    Protect the cut-off device in a housing that prevents unintentional 
activation.
    3. Until the improvements listed above are made, these locomotives 
must not be operated in the controlling or lead position.
    FRA recognizes that there may be operational conditions under which 
these locomotives, while in the trailing position, must be occupied by 
employees. Under these circumstances, the engineer's seat must remain 
unoccupied to the greatest extent possible. If such trailing locomotive 
is to be occupied, the conductor must brief all occupants as to the 
location of the cut-off device and the need to avoid all contact with 
it.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on January 17, 1997.
Bruce Fine,
Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 97-2300 Filed 1-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P