WASHINGTON — A BNSF Railway employee was killed when he fell from the front of a locomotive he was operating using remote control, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report on a Feb. 9, 2022, accident at a Denver rail yard.
The incident at BNSF’s Globeville Yard in downtown Denver was originally described by Denver police as involving a train and a pedestrian [see “BNSF employee killed …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 10, 2022].
The report issued Tuesday indicates two remote operators were working with a train with two locomotives and 21 cars; when the foreman transferred control to his helper, the helper used his remote control to bring the train forward so he could board the locomotive. After he climbed the locomotive stairs, the train began to move and he fell. A safety feature in the remote control initiated an emergency brake application.
The preliminary report indicates the ongoing investigation will focus on operating rules, the mechanical condition of the train, and oversight of BNSF operational and testing program.
Share this article
