FRA advises railroads to address train-length safety concerns

The Federal Railroad Administration yesterday issued a safety advisory that addresses accident mitigation and freight-train length.

FRA issued the advisory to make sure railroads and rail employees are aware of the potential complexities associated with operating longer trains and that they take appropriate measures to address those complexities, the advisory states.

Freight trains have been getting longer in recent years. While research into the impact of train length — including brake system performance — is ongoing, it’s known that the in-train forces that longer trains experience are generally stronger and more complex than those in shorter train consists, FRA officials said in the advisory.

The advisory recommends railroads review their operating rules and existing locomotive engineer certification programs to address train length, take appropriate action to prevent the loss of communications between end-of-train devices and mitigate the impacts of long trains on blocked crossings.

Meanwhile, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and FRA issued a frequently-asked-questions document in response to requests for clarification from rail carriers and shippers about implementing the phaseout of DOT-111 specification tank cars from ethanol service. The FAQ can be read here.