[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 114 (Friday, June 13, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33992-33993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13796]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[Safety Advisory 14-2]


Verification of Rail Vehicle Safe Stopping Distances in Terminal 
Stations

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory.

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SUMMARY: Today the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is issuing 
Safety Advisory 14-2 to provide guidance to rail fixed guideway public 
transportation agencies of the need to assess the adequacy of safe 
stopping distances for rail transit trains in terminal stations. This 
safety advisory recommends specific and immediate action for rail 
transit agencies not overseen by the Federal Railroad Administration 
(FRA), and provides supporting technical resources. FTA is issuing this 
guidance in response to preliminary investigative findings from the 
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the collision and 
derailment that occurred at the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) on 
March 24, 2014.
    Further, FTA is directing each State Safety Oversight (SSO) agency 
designated to implement FTA's SSO program specified at 49 CFR part 659 
and 49 U.S.C. 5329(e) to coordinate with every rail transit agency 
within its jurisdiction to review and approve, as necessary, corrective 
action plans to be implemented to address Safety Advisory 14-2, 
``Verification of Rail Vehicle Safe Stopping Distances in Terminal 
Stations'' by August 12, 2014. Additionally, FTA directs SSO agencies 
to provide a summary of actions taken by each rail transit agency in 
the next Annual SSO Program Report.
    FTA's Safety Advisory 14-2, ``Verification of Rail Vehicle Safe 
Stopping Distances in Terminal Stations,'' is available in its entirety 
on the agency's public Web site (http://www.fta.dot.gov/tso_15922.html).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For program matters, Thomas Littleton, 
Associate Administrator for Transit Safety and Oversight, telephone 
(202) 366-1783 or [email protected]. For legal matters, Scott 
Biehl, Senior Counsel, telephone (202) 366-0826 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On Monday, March 24, 2014, about 2:49 a.m., 
central daylight time, a CTA Blue Line train derailed after colliding 
with

[[Page 33993]]

an end-of-track bumper post at the Chicago-O'Hare International Airport 
Station. The lead car derailed and struck a station escalator used by 
the public to access the airport terminals. The train operator and 32 
train passengers were transported to hospitals. The damage to the 
equipment and the station was estimated to be $9.1 million.
    On April 7, 2014, the NTSB issued ``Preliminary Railroad Report 
DCA14FR007,'' which describes initial findings from the ongoing 
investigation into this collision and derailment. The NTSB determined 
that seconds before the derailment, the train was traveling about 26 
mph as it crossed a fixed trip stop that activated the train emergency 
braking system. Due to the train speed, the distance from the fixed 
trip stop to the track bumper post was too short to stop the train, and 
it collided with the bumper post.
    This accident confirms the critical importance of ensuring the 
appropriate configuration of the systems, technology and procedures 
designed to guarantee safe stopping for a train in emergency braking at 
a terminal station. Results of analysis from the accident scene 
indicate a discrepancy between the original safe braking design for 
Chicago-O'Hare International Airport Station and its sufficiency during 
the actual emergency event. This discrepancy resulted in a lack of 
stopping space available for the passenger train, which entered the 
station at authorized speed but failed to slow as required.
    Based on this information, FTA is issuing Safety Advisory 14-2 to 
urge each rail transit agency to ensure that enough space is available 
for trains in emergency braking to stop in terminal stations before 
collision with bumper posts or other end-of-the-line equipment.
    Over time, changes made to authorized train speeds, the design or 
layout of the terminal station, or the placement of signals and trip 
stops can affect the minimum safe stopping distance required for trains 
in emergency braking. To protect rail transit passengers and employees, 
FTA's advisory recommends each rail transit agency to immediately 
review the performance of its automatic signals and trip stops under 
the actual operating speeds and conditions present for each terminal 
station.
    If insufficient stopping space is identified, FTA's advisory 
requests the rail transit agency to undertake an analysis to evaluate 
and resolve the deficiency. Speed restrictions, re-configuring 
automatic signals and trip stops, modifying the placement and 
performance of bumping posts and installations, and recalculating safe 
braking rates are all steps that rail transit agencies can take to 
address this critical safety concern.
    Further, FTA is directing the SSO agencies to confirm actions taken 
to address Safety Advisory 14-2 and approve any required corrective 
actions to be implemented by rail transit agencies by August 12, 2014. 
FTA is also directing SSO agencies to provide a summary of actions 
taken by each rail transit agency in their jurisdiction when providing 
their annual report to FTA's Office of Safety and Oversight.
    NTSB's initial investigative findings necessitated issuing this 
safety advisory. FTA is calling for immediate action from the rail 
transit agencies and subsequent follow-up verification from the SSO 
agencies to execute the recommendations in Safety Advisory 14-2.
    FTA's issuance of Safety Advisory 14-2 is in accordance with the 
Federal Transit Administrator's authority to ``investigate public 
transportation accidents and incidents and provide guidance to 
recipients regarding prevention of accident and incidents.'' 49 U.S.C. 
5329(f)(5). The requests for information and data from the SSOAs and 
the rail transit agencies within their jurisdiction are based on FTA's 
authority to request program information pertinent to rail transit 
safety under the State Safety Oversight rule, 49 CFR 659.39(d).

    Issued in Washington, DC, this 6th day of June 2014.
Dorval R. Carter, Jr.,
Chief Counsel, Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-13796 Filed 6-12-14; 8:45 am]
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