60th community passes remote control safety resolution
CLEVELAND, July 19 -- Erie County, N.Y., has become the 60th community to pass a resolution in opposition to remote control locomotives.
The resolution was passed unanimously on July 15, 2004.
The resolution was spearheaded by BLET Division 421 in Buffalo, N.Y. Division 421 Local Chairman Jim Louis thanked everyone who helped with the resolution.
In addition to Erie County, 17 counties have passed remote control resolutions. They are: Douglas County, Wisc.; West Baton Rouge Parish (County), La.; Point Coupee Parish (County), La.; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Huron County, Ohio; Erie County, Ohio; Whitley County, Ky.; Unicoi County, Tennessee; Contra Costa County, Calif.; Knox County, Tenn.; Clinton County, Iowa; Roanoke County, Va.; Harris County, Texas; Greenup, Ky.; San Francisco, Calif.; Champaign County, Ill.; and Beaver County, Utah.
Forty-two U.S. cities have passed remote control resolutions: Baton Rouge, La.; Detroit, Mich.; Shreveport, La.; Marysville, Mich.; Boston, Mass.; Cleveland, Ohio; Pine Bluff, Ark.; North Little Rock, Ark.; Beardstown, Ill.; Bakersfield, Calif.; Woodbridge, N.J.; Maple Heights, Ohio; Alliance, Neb.; Evansville, Ind.; Dupo, Ill.; Durand, Mich; Flat Rock, Mich.; Woodhaven, Mich; Flint, Mich.; Sparks, Nev.; Commerce, Calif.; Clinton, Iowa; Montebello, Calif.; Saginaw, Mich.; Mankato, Minn.; Wamac, Ill.; St. Louis, Mo.; River Rouge, Mich.; Melvindale, Mich.; Redford Township, Mich.; Irvington, Ill.; Berwyn, Ill.; Allen Park, Mich.; Central City, Ill.; Carteret, N.J.; Toledo, Ohio; San Francisco, Calif.; Houston, Texas; Janesville, Wisc.; South Salt Lake City, Utah; Fort Madison, Iowa.; and Milford, Utah.
The Erie County resolution is copied below.
A RESOLUTION TO BE SUBMITTED BY LEGISLATOR HOLT
RE: PUBLIC SAFETY AND REMOTE-CONTROLLED LOCOMOTIVES
WHEREAS, given the many rail lines, switching yards and rail facilities in Erie County, many of which are near residential neighborhoods, the safe and efficient operation of railroad locomotives is of the utmost importance and concern to our community, and
WHEREAS, many railroads have begun ordering their engineers, conductors and brakemen to operate locomotives in reverse and in many other instances have begun employing remote-controlled locomotives, and
WHEREAS, the operators of remote-controlled locomotives have only two weeks of training whereas rail engineers have one year of training prior to becoming full engineers, and
WHEREAS, remote-controlled locomotives have been involved in numerous episodes involving the derailment of rail cars, with the federal regulatory agency, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) noting that at July 2003, there had been at least 60 accidents involving remote-controlled locomotives in switching yards in the U.S., and
WHEREAS, in February 2004, at a CSX switching yard in Cheektowaga, a remote-controlled locomotive derailed eight rail cars, including three containing liquid propane, and
WHEREAS, in February 2003, a CSX trainman was killed near Syracuse in a switching yard while remote-controlled cars were being moved by his partner, and
WHEREAS, at least 59 city governments across the United States, including Baton Rouge, La.; Detroit, Mich.; Shreveport, La.; Boston, Mass.; Cleveland, Ohio; North Little Rock, Ark.; Bakersfield, Calif.; Woodbridge, N.J.; Maple Heights, Ohio; Evansville, Ind.; Flint, Mich.; Sparks, Nev.; Commerce, Calif.; Clinton, Iowa; Montebello, Calif.; Saginaw, Mich.; Mankato, Minn.; St. Louis, Mo.; Central City, Ill.; Carteret, N.J.; Toledo, Ohio; San Francisco, Calif.; Houston, Texas; Janesville, Wisc.; South Salt Lake City, Utah; and Fort Madison, Iowa, and seventeen counties including Douglas County, Wisc.; West Baton Rouge Parish (County), La.; Point Coupee Parish (County), La.; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Huron County, Ohio; Erie County, Ohio; Whitley County, Ky.; Unicoi County, Tennessee; Contra Costa County, Calif.; Knox County, Tenn.; Clinton County, Iowa; Roanoke County, Va.; Harris County, Texas; Greenup, Ky.; San Francisco, Calif.; Champaign County, Ill.; and Beaver County, Utah have approved local resolutions opposing the use of remote-controlled locomotives in their jurisdictions, citing safety issues, and
WHEREAS, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which represents employees federally licensed to move and operate locomotives in the United States, opposes the use of remote-controlled locomotives, citing safety and other concerns, and
WHEREAS, the New York State Assembly has introduced A.5701, a bill to amend the railroad law, to prohibit the operation of railroad locomotives in reverse (in certain situations) and to govern and regulate the use of remote-controlled locomotives to protect the public’s safety and well-being, as well as that of engineers, conductors, brakemen, and trainmen,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Erie County Legislature does hereby join the other county legislative bodies and city legislative bodies across the United States, in calling for restrictions on reverse-operated locomotives and remote-controlled locomotives, as specified in A.5701, and be it further
RESOLVED, that this Honorable Body hereby expresses its support for A.5701, calls on the State Assembly to pass such legislation, the State Senate to approve companion legislation, and the Governor to sign said legislation into law, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the FRA is hereby urged to ban the use of remote-controlled locomotives in local switching yards until appropriate safety concerns are addressed in consultation with engineers, conductors, brakemen and trainmen, including the following:
· Any railroad operating a remotely-controlled locomotive must notify the Erie County Department of Emergency Services before implementing such operations,
· Remotely-controlled locomotives should not transport, move, or switch cars with hazardous materials, wastes, and/or liquids on or near tracks occupied by cars with hazardous materials,
· Remotely-controlled locomotives should not operate over or under a public or private rail crossing or bridge without an appropriate person in the cab with the appropriate federal training and skills to operate and stop the locomotive,
· Trains that consist of one or more remotely-operated locomotives should be equipped with a clearly-marked external device outside of the operating compartment that is capable of stopping the locomotive and train in the case of an emergency,
· Trains that consist of one or more remotely-operated locomotives should be equipped with devices that secure the operating cab and its controls against terrorists, vandals and any other unauthorized persons, and
· An effective track-related mechanical device should be developed and installed to stop a remotely-controlled train or locomotive in the event of a runaway train
And be it further
RESOLVED, that certified copies of this resolution be transmitted to Betty Monro, Acting Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (1120 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20590), Don M. Hahs, National President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and International President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (1370 Ontario Street Mezzanine, Cleveland, OH 44113), the local congressional delegation, Governor George Pataki, the local delegation of the New York State Legislature.
GEORGE A. HOLT, JR.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Monday, July 19, 2004
bentley@ble.org
