(Source: National Transportation Safety Board press release, September 24, 2013)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board today released the preliminary agenda for the investigative hearing on two recent Metro-North train accidents: the May 17, 2013 derailment and collision involving two Metro-North commuter trains in Bridgeport, Conn. and the May 28, 2013 accident in West Haven, Conn. in which a rail worker was struck and killed by a Metro-North passenger train.
Representatives from Metro-North, government and industry will serve as witnesses and will address issues related to track inspection and maintenance, railroad passenger car crashworthiness standards, operational protection of on-track work zones and organizational safety culture.
Below is the preliminary agenda and witness list:
Day 1, October 22, 2013
Acting Chairman’s Opening Statement
Panel 1 – Track Maintenance and Inspection
Witnesses:
Gary Carr, Federal Railroad Administration
Kenneth Rusk, Federal Railroad Administration
Robert Florom, Transportation Technology Center, Inc.
Rick Inclima, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees
Robert Puciloski, Metro-North Railroad
Bruce Wigod, New Jersey Transit
Panel 2 – Railroad Passenger Car Crashworthiness
Witnesses:
Devin Rouse, Federal Railroad Administration
Jeff Gordon, Federal Railroad Administration
David Tyrell, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
Yoichiro Araki, Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc.
Dwight Sowden, Metro-North Railroad
Dr. Clifford Woodbury, LTK Engineering
Day 2, October 23, 2013
Panel 3 – Operational Protection of On-Track Work Areas
Witnesses:
Les Fiorenzo, Federal Railroad Administration
Rick Inclima, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees
Stephen Neville, Metro-North Railroad
Kai Petersen, Association of Commuter Railroad Employees
Robert Puciloski, Metro-North Railroad
Panel 4 – Organizational Safety Culture
Witnesses:
Howard Permut, Metro-North Railroad
Ann Kirsch, Metro-North Railroad
Kirk Thomas, Association of Commuter Railroad Employees
Chris Silvera, Teamsters Local 808
Dr. Richard Hartley, B&W Pantex, LLC
Les Fiorenzo, Federal Railroad Administration
Acting Chairman’s Closing Statement
The public docket, which includes investigative exhibits, will open at the start of the hearing, at 9 a.m. In addition, it will be available electronically via the NTSB website.
The hearing, being held in the NTSB Board Room and Conference Center in Washington, DC, is open to the public. The proceedings will also be webcast live.
Directions to the conference site are available at www.ntsb.gov/about/conference_center.html.