[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60169-60170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24266]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Safety Advisory 2012-04; Worn Rail Conditions

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

ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory.

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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2012-04 to remind track owners, 
railroads, and their track inspectors of the importance of complying 
with the applicable rail management programs and engineering procedures 
that address rail with severe rail head wear and rolling contact 
fatigue (RCF) conditions. FRA is issuing this notice in response to a 
July 11, 2012, derailment in Ohio that a preliminary investigation 
indicates was likely caused by the failure of multiple defects 
involving detail fractures in rail exhibiting significant vertical head 
loss (rail head wear) and gage-side-oriented RCF. This notice contains 
recommendations to track owners to ensure that their employees and 
other entities performing track inspections comply with the 
requirements of the applicable engineering procedures that address 
critical rail head wear, particularly if the track under inspection 
exhibits significant RCF or a sudden increase in localized rail 
failure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlo M. Patrick, Staff Director, Rail 
and Infrastructure Integrity Division, Office of Railroad Safety, FRA, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, telephone (202) 493-
6399; or Elisabeth Galotto, Trial Attorney, Office of Chief Counsel, 
FRA, 1200 New Jersey

[[Page 60170]]

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, telephone (202) 493-0270.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    A recent accident has highlighted the need for additional action by 
track owners and other entities and individuals responsible for 
compliance with the Track Safety Standards (49 CFR part 213). The 
following discussion provides a brief summary of the circumstances 
surrounding a recent train derailment, which appears to have involved a 
rail with severe rail head wear. Information regarding this incident is 
based on FRA's preliminary investigation and findings to date. The 
probable causes and contributing factors, if any, have not yet been 
determined by FRA. Therefore, nothing in this safety advisory is 
intended to attribute a cause to this incident or place responsibility 
for this incident on the acts or omissions of any person or entity.
    On July 11, 2012, an eastbound Norfolk Southern Railway Company 
(NS) freight train, traveling at 23 mph, derailed in Columbus, OH. Of 
the 13 cars that derailed, 3 contained hazardous materials. Two of the 
cars, which contained ethanol, a flammable liquid, were compromised, 
causing a fire near the Columbus Fairgrounds. Residents and businesses 
within a 1-mile radius of the accident were evacuated. In addition to 
the damages to the track and to equipment in the train, CSX 
Transportation, Inc.'s Columbus Line (which runs parallel to the NS 
track in this area) was shut down due to heat from the fire.
    FRA's preliminary investigation indicates that the derailment may 
have occurred because of accelerated defect development in the rail. 
During the derailment investigation process, FRA discovered that five 
rail failures had occurred on various portions of the track subsequent 
to the last nondestructive rail inspection at this location. FRA 
believes that this accelerated defect development was possibly 
influenced by the significant rail head wear, and attributed to the 
presence of the RCF.
    Given this accident, FRA recommends that each entity responsible 
for the inspection and maintenance of track review, reemphasize, and 
adhere to the requirements of the track owner's (1) engineering 
instructions concerning rail wear limits that address inspecting track 
to identify internal rail flaws; and (2) programs for the management of 
rail that exhibits severe rail head wear and RCF. As the discussion 
above indicates, this is especially critical for track over which large 
quantities of hazardous materials or passengers are transported due to 
the potential catastrophic impacts that can result from a derailment of 
these types of trains.
    Rail head wear occurs primarily on the gage-side face when the rail 
is located on the high side of a curve, due to the exertion of wheel 
flange forces. Vertical rail head wear occurs on the rail head running 
surface from wheel/rail interaction during cyclical loading. The 
development of internal rail defects is an inevitable consequence of 
the accumulation and effects of fatigue under repeated loading. In 
practice, the growth rate of rail defects is considered highly variable 
and unpredictable. Moreover, heavy axle loading on worn rail can lead 
to the accelerated development of rail surface fatigue, and this may 
prevent detection of an underlying rail flaw by test equipment during 
the rail inspection process.
    Under 49 CFR 213.237(a), FRA requires all Class 4 and 5 track, as 
well as Class 3 track over which passenger trains operate, to be tested 
for internal rail defects at least once after every accumulation of 40 
mgt of traffic or once a year, whichever is shorter. Class 3 track, 
over which passenger trains do not operate, is required to be tested at 
least once after every accumulation of 30 mgt of traffic or once a 
year, whichever is longer. However, as a result of the unpredictability 
of defect development, many railroads test for internal rail defects 
using a performance-based method that focuses on the rate of defect 
development, which typically results in testing for internal defects at 
a frequency shorter than required by FRA regulation. Yet, a 
nondestructive test system is typically designed to perform optimally 
on an ideal test specimen surface. Conditions, such as extreme cyclical 
loading, can result in rail head wear and RCF and thus affect the 
integrity of these rail flaw inspections.
    Recommended Action: In light of the above, FRA recommends that each 
track owner:
    1. Review with its employees the circumstances of the derailment 
identified above and ensure that the employees report any incidents 
where a sudden increase of rail failure occurs in a localized area.
    2. Discuss with its employees the requirements of its own 
engineering instructions and ensure that the employees can identify 
locations that exhibit excessive rail head wear and RCF.
    3. Review its current engineering instructions to ensure that the 
procedures are consistent with the industry standard for rail 
replacement.
    4. Ensure that its employees responsible for the rail inspection 
process have been adequately trained and are capable of performing 
proper inspection procedures.
    5. Consider and use, as appropriate, recently developed rail 
inspection technology that is more capable of identifying transverse-
oriented defects under RCF.
    6. Review recent rail inspection records to identify any incidents 
involving sudden or accelerated broken rail for future inspection or 
replacement focus.
    7. Apply appropriate slow orders at locations that exhibit rail 
head wear approaching the limits specified in its own respective 
engineering instructions until the rail is replaced.
    8. Develop an internal software program on rail management that 
will assist in the identification of sudden or accelerated rail failure 
incidents, if such a program is not already in place.
    FRA encourages railroad industry members and other track owners to 
take actions that are consistent with the preceding recommendations and 
to take other actions to help ensure the safety of the Nation's 
railroads, its employees, and the general public. FRA may modify this 
Safety Advisory 2012-04, issue additional safety advisories, or take 
other appropriate actions it deems necessary under its rail safety 
authority to ensure the highest level of safety on the Nation's 
railroads.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 26, 2012.
Jo Strang,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-24266 Filed 10-1-12; 8:45 am]
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