WALBRIDGE, Ohio – A CSX Transportation carman killed early Sunday morning when he was struck by moving equipment in Walbridge Yard.
CSX identified the carman as Fred Anderson, 56, who had worked for the railroad for 19 years. He is survived by his wife and an adult son, CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs wrote in a message to employees.
The accident – the third fatal incident in a CSX yard since June – occurred at around 3:40 a.m. in the yard near Toledo.
“We will work closely with authorities to review every detail of this incident and understand how similar instances can be prevented from occurring in the future,” Hinrichs wrote. “This heartbreaking event serves as a reminder of the importance of always prioritizing safety in all we do. Each one of us plays a vital role in ensuring the well-being of our ONE CSX family. Let’s honor Fred’s memory by continuing to strengthen our efforts to create a safe and supporting work environment.”
“Our understanding is that this fatality [involved] a remote-control locomotive. If so, this would mark the third Carman fatality involving remote-control locomotives,” Transportation Transportation Communications Union & Brotherhood of Railway Carmen National President Artie Maratea said in a statement. “Railroading is a dangerous environment, and there’s long been a culture of watching out for each other. But when headcounts have been cut to the bone, who’s left to watch your back?”
The union called for a review of the use of remote control locomotives.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident.
In June a CSX conductor trainee died after falling from a moving railcar in Baltimore. A conductor trainee died in Cumberland, Md., in August after being pinned between a freight car and a locomotive during a shove move in the yard.
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