CLEVELAND, April 25 — A collision between a Union Pacific freight train and a remote controlled switch engine yesterday near Des Moines, Iowa, is the third such accident involving remote control technology in the past month.
Yesterday, a remote control switch engine ran into the side of a UP freight train that was leaving Des Moines, causing three rear cars of the freight train to derail. The collision also caused significant damage to the switch engine and some minor damage to the tracks.
The accident occurred in a switching area where the speed limit is less than 10 mph, and no injuries were reported. However, BLE sources at the scene estimate that damage was serious enough that the incident would have to be reported to the Federal Railroad Administration. Reportable incidents, as defined by FRA, are collisions, derailments or other incidents that cause a minimum of $6,600 in damage.
In Montgomery, Ala., on April 16, a ground-service employee allegedly lost radio contact with the remote control switch engine he was operating. BLE sources say the remote control unit, which was in the process of adding approximately 20 cars to a CSX freight, smashed into the rear of the train, derailing several cars and causing significant damage to the cars and tracks.
In March, a remote control engine at a power plant in Michigan, Ind., plowed through the plant and smashed into a manned locomotive. The engineer of the manned train narrowly avoided potential injury or death by jumping to safety.
The remote control engine was pushing six coal cars when it approached the coal drop-off area at about 30 mph. Normally, a train in that area would travel at less than 1 mph. Newspaper reports indicate the remotely controlled train did not respond to radio controls and smashed through the shed and coal rotary dumper before hitting the second train.
These accidents reinforce the assertion of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers that more precaution and enforceable government regulations are necessary to the safe implementation of remote control technology.
“We are thankful that no one has been hurt or killed,” BLE International President Don M. Hahs said. “These incidents are part of the reason we felt it necessary to file suit against the Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration. The railroads are in such a hurry to implement remote control operations that safety is being compromised.”
President Hahs said that instead of adopting mandatory regulations to ensure safety in remote control operations, FRA chose to issue non-mandatory “guidelines.”