(The Department of Transportation issued the following news release on May 10.)
WASHINGTON — A new rescue training simulator that can rotate a full-sized commuter rail car up to 180 degrees to teach emergency responders how to save passengers from rollover train accidents was unveiled today by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) at a demonstration in the Washington, D.C. area.
The device, known as the Passenger Rail Vehicle Emergency Evacuation Simulator, or “Rollover Rig,” can be used to simulate various passenger train derailment scenarios so first responders are able to safely practice effective passenger rail rescue techniques. In addition, it provides researchers the ability to test new passenger rail evacuation strategies and safety components such as emergency lighting, doors, and windows.
“When a passenger rail car is off the tracks and on its side, getting the people out safely and in a timely manner is of utmost importance,” FRA Deputy Administrator Cliff Eby stated. “This innovative simulator will help us develop better emergency evacuation practices and equipment for the benefit of millions of Americans who ride the rails each and every day.”
The FRA developed the Emergency Evacuation Simulator at a cost of $450,000. The commuter rail car was donated by New Jersey Transit. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has agreed to house, operate, and maintain the simulator at its emergency response training facility located in Landover, Md. ENSCO, Inc. of Falls Church, Va., designed and built the equipment.
The Rollover Rig is one of many projects and initiatives in the FRA’s comprehensive program to improve passenger rail safety, Eby said. Other activities include: strengthening the structural composition of rail cars; designing interior features that reduce passenger injuries; and reducing hazards along rail corridors where passenger trains operate.
In March, the FRA ran a commuter train into a standing locomotive in a successful test of new Crash Energy Management technology intended to keep the train from derailing after impact and to prevent the passenger seating area from being crushed, Eby added. The FRA also intends to propose additional passenger rail equipment safety standards to strengthen existing regulations by the end of 2006.