Background
Heavy rail service reported 315 passenger injuries resulting from derailments since 2006. These heavy rail derailments have proved the most severe in terms of injuries. Five derailments resulted in injury totals of five or more, including one 257-injury event. Derailments caused by equipment failure or poor maintenance account for 290 of the reported derailment injuries. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in an effort to address underlying causes to rail transit derailments needed a track inspection refresher training program to be developed and delivered.
Approach
Following an FTA kickoff meeting, we requested materials from 36 rail transit agencies, documenting their practices to inspect and maintain track and ensure the safety of maintenance employees and contractors on the right-of-way. This material along with standards and recommended practices published by AREMA, FRA, APTA, and other known authorities were assembled and reviewed to develop a “recommended best practice for track inspection”. Next we coordinated with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) through a “Maintenance Oversight Workshop” to finalize the training materials and determine who from CTA would attend the training.
Results
The effort culminated in the delivery of a pilot track inspection refresher training course comprised of industry best practices that was delivered to approximately 85 track inspectors and track engineers in two, two-day courses. CTA used the training to build on annual re-certification of its track inspectors. Additionally, the effort targeted and practical technical assistance and training that can be implemented by the rail transit agencies and supported by the SSO agencies.