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.
quote:”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 (helper?) could board the locomotive. After he…..(helper) climbed the locomotive stairs, the train began to move and he…… (helper) fell…… A safety feature in the remote control initiated an emergency brake application.
Question: when foreman yields R/C to helper does he STILL have ability to control simultaneously the trains movement? i.e. did foreman move train to make boarding easier? I have always heard engineers (on the radio) say, “here we go” before throttle up. Regardless, sad for loss. People have no idea how dangerous this occupation is.
No, there is NO DUAL movement capability. If one has control he is the only one in control until he passes it back to another operator. Then the pass has to be acknowledged by the receiver by pressing an ‘accept’ button with acknowledgment back to the controlman PASSING it back that it has been received and completed.
Dano, Retired CSX remote operator (hated the concept and how it worked too by the way!)
Conductors are conductors and Train Engineers are Train Engineers and the two shall never mix hence the sin of “Cross Crafting” and according to the law of God and Nature the wages of sin is death. Conductors are rep by TCU and Engineers are rep by BLET under different bargaining agreements.
Dunno, I am R/C quality. I don’t 7nderstand these lack of athletic ability accidents? I have switched cars staggering drunk, long ago, and I have never been hurt. Lost a 37 yr. seniority pn the BN who got killed by a train getting off caboose to tie up. The hell??
My experience of working in rubber and plastic mills is that those who have worked long time and are now supervisors know how to cut corners to improve productivity and push the envelope. After a while you can only temp the devil so long and you will get hurt or worse
I am saddened by the death of a BNSF employee in Denver.
Ed Burns
Retired NP BN BNSF from Minneapolis.