Following the derailment at East Falls Church, Wiedefeld ordered a new round of inspections for all interlockings conducted by rail maintenance supervisors with track engineers participating.
DC Metro GM/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld today announced that additional weekend closures may be included in the SafeTrack schedule to address issues identified following the East Falls Church derailment, and provided an update on steps taken to improve Metro’s track inspection program.
“Safety trumps service, now more than ever at Metro. The SafeTrack program is intended to make our tracks safe and reliable, and I have reinstructed the team to ensure we are addressing every issue out there, including interlockings,” Wiedefeld said. “I will continue to notify our riders of any service changes as quickly as possible, but we are not backing off of safety over service.”
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Following the derailment at East Falls Church, Wiedefeld ordered a new round of inspections for all interlockings conducted by rail maintenance supervisors with track engineers participating. Those inspections have identified several interlockings that require work. As a result, SafeTrack Surge #7 now includes a complete shutdown this weekend between Grosvenor and Shady Grove Stations so the interlocking at Twinbrook can be repaired. The track maintenance team is reviewing the remaining SafeTrack schedule and will consider additional weekend shutdowns during Surges 8 -15 to address conditions identified by the latest inspections.
In addition, Metro is taking several steps to improve track safety, specifically in the areas of inspection and training of personnel:
Awarded contract in July 2016 for engineering consultants to conduct a complete asset inventory – essentially examine the entire rail system and have an outside expert review all track conditions.
Awarded contract in August 2016 for outside experts will rewrite the track inspection manual.
Contract to be awarded soon for a complete overhaul of the track inspection training program. Over the next 10 months the curriculum will be rewritten, Metro trainers will receive instruction, and then Metro’s program will be audited by the experts.
Next month, while this larger training overhaul is underway, expert trainers from the University of Tennessee’s Center of Transportation Research will visit Metro to conduct two weeks of intensive training for track inspectors to improve their ability to identify and categorize track defects. The University of Tennessee has 25 years of experience in railroad training and its courses meet Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) standards.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
During a safety blitz, Metra employees will visit one of the railroad’s 243 stations during the morning rush hour, distributing educational materials on train and grade-crossing safety, answering questions, and listening to riders’ safety concerns.
Operated in partnership with Tech Valley Security, trained CDTA Ambassadors will be on select routes and will rotate throughout CDTA’s route network. Their presence is intended to provide customers with an approachable, visible resource focused on assistance and engagement.
Customers have always been able to report concerns through the CATS Customer Service line or the “Report a Problem to CATS” feature in the CATS-Pass mobile app; however, CATS has also integrated a Text-a-Tip line, giving riders multiple, easy-to-use channels to get support.
The audit found multiple safety compliance failures at the Charlotte agency, citing elevated assault risks and ordering corrective action within 30 days.
While their comprehensive analysis of bus stops focused on Massachusetts, the researchers are excited about the generalizability of the findings and application to other locations.
The new filters include substantially more activated carbon than traditional HVAC filters, which is especially helpful in providing a better transit riding experience for vulnerable populations, particularly children, seniors, and people with chronic illnesses, according to the CTA.
