NTSB Acting Chairman praises rail safety act.
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Press Release Summary:
Praising Congress and President for passage of Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008, NTSB Acting Chairman, Mark V. Rosenker said law will help bring about safety improvements long sought by NTSB. Positive Train Control system will be mandated for Class 1 railroads and passenger railroads for installation by end of 2015. Also, railroads will have to limit shifts to 12 hours and give workers at least 10 consecutive hours off in 24-hour period.
Original Press Release:
NTSB Acting Chairman Praises Rail Safety Act Signed By President
Washington, DC - National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker today praised Congress and the President for passage of the Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (HR 2095), saying that it will help bring about safety improvements long sought by the Safety Board.
"For 30 years, the NTSB has been calling for development and installation of an automatic system that would protect passengers, crew members and communities from
the dangers of collisions or over-speed derailments, " Rosenker said. "Such a system, called Positive Train Control (PTC), will now be mandated for Class 1 railroads
and passenger railroads for installation by the end of 2015. An implementation plan is due in 18 months. We continue to see accidents every year - such as last month's
commuter rail collision near Los Angeles - that could be prevented with such a system.
"The new law also addresses many train crew fatigue issues that the Safety Board has examined over many years, including hours of service, so-called 'limbo time' and work schedules." Railroads would have to limit shifts to 12 hours and give workers at least 10 consecutive hours off in a 24-hour period.
Another element of the law addresses the need for train crews to have emergency escape breathing apparatus in locomotives when freight trains are carrying hazardous
materials that could pose a threat of inhalation damage, and strengthens track inspection requirements.
In addition, the new law has designated the NTSB as the primary agency for coordination of federal resources to assist families of passengers involved in rail passenger accidents. The provisions of this legislation mirror those responsibilities assumed by the Board in 1996 following the passage of the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act.
"I congratulate everyone in the legislative and executive branches of our federal government who had a hand in passage of this landmark legislation," Roseker said. "I urge everyone to begin implementing these improvements as soon as possible so that we can begin to remove some of these items from our Most Wanted list in the not-too-distant future."
