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To be fair we should count all of the RCO accidents that were covered up. I know what the BNSF procedure is after an accident. I know a 20 car pileup happened in the yard that fouled the main and was estimated by the company to cost about $300,000. That was a low figure because instead of the two cars that were estimated to be scrapped, all of the cars involved were scrapped. The RCO crew was sent home at the end of the shift without being interviewed about the accident and without taking a post-accident drug test, this is not normal BNSF post accident procedure.. Even with the uncounted accidents, the yard accidents as a percentage of all railroad accidents has been on the increase since 2001. In 2001 there were no RCOs on the class one railroads. Starting in 2002 RCOs were phased over the course of the year to have 128 RCO jobs on the BNSF by the end of December 2002. The RCO jobs has continued to increase through 2003. I would have to believe that this would be representative of the other class one railroads. This is a letter to Mr. Rutter of the FRA from RRESQ. The statistics quoted from the letter are from the FRA web site and derived from the accident reports the carriers DO send to the FRA. Dear Mr. Rutter: The arrogance of both the FRA and the Union Pacific Railroad to ignore the public outcry for stiffer regulation on remote controlled locomotives and the death of a young man on December 12 who was forced to work an RCO job exhausted and alone...will not go unchecked. Both UP and the FRA continue to spout statistics about a 40% reduction in Yard accidents with the implementation of Remote Controlled Locomotives. However the FRA website seems to contradict those statements and reports a different set of statistics. 2001 - Number of Yard Accidents: 501 - 55.92% of all train accidents. 2002 - Number of Yard Accidents: 468 - 56.80% of all train accidents 2003 (available only through September) Number of Yard Accidents: 349 - 58.36% of all train accidents UP is "right on track" statistically to incur another 116-120 yard incidents by the end of 2003. That would meet or exceed the statistics for 2002 and 2001. And as we all know...these are only "reported" accidents. So by your own statistics the overall percentage of accidents occurring in the train yard is OBVIOUSLY on the rise. How do you explain this? Where is this 40% reduction in yard incidents due to the implementation of Remote Control? The death of Jody Herstine was completely unnecessary and for the FRA to publicly assert that a single man operation involving this magnitude of equipment is safe....is nothing less than irresponsible. We expect alot more of your leadership Mr. Rutter, and we are expecting it quickly. We look forward to your immediate response. Citizens Demanding Safer Regulation of America's Railroads!!!! Thank you for your continued support, RRESQ
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