In an August 28 national news story, the Associated Press reported on a simple solution to improving the safety of remote control train operations: two-person train crews.
The article examines the NTSB’s findings in a 2023 remote control fatality at Wallbridge Yard in Toledo, Ohio, where a CSX worker, a carman, was run over and killed by a pair of remote-control locomotives. In addition to citing a co-worker of the carman who believes the loss of life could have been avoided with proper staffing, the article quotes National Vice President Randy Fannon, who heads the BLT’s Safety Task Force. Fannon said, “This tragic incident in Ohio involving a remotely operated train, blindly controlled from behind, would not have happened if there had been a locomotive engineer in the cab.”
Railroads are aggressively expanding their remote operations, routinely running remote trains not just inside rail yards but also between them. Many now run through residential and commercial neighborhoods. In July, a remote control train derailed in a residential neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, resulting in significant damage to a garage at a nearby home and spilling diesel fuel into local sewer systems.
Making matters worse, some Class I railroads are increasing the length of trains operated by remote control. Union Pacific, for example, now operates remote trains of up to 160 cars, or 1.5 miles long, which is about three times longer than FRA recommendations. It’s a risky cost-cutting move by the railroads, trading safety for profits, as remote control operators are generally lower paid and receive less training than certified locomotive engineers.
The AP also reported on August 28 that the Federal Railroad Administration is scrutinizing the use of remote control operations after the 2023 fatality in Toledo and several other recent incidents.
The BLET has led the way in warning the public about the dangers posed by remote control locomotives. Since the Houston Chronicle published National President Eddie Hall’s column about Union Pacific’s use of remotes in April of 2023, major national news stories quoting BLET leaders have appeared in the Associated Press, NBC News and the New York Times. BLET also exposed UP’s plans to expand use of remote control operations in Las Vegas.