Happened on this Date (Jan 4)

[jis]

A horrendous accident took place in Chase MD that changed railroading, well actually the entire transportation industry, in the US forever... The changes in safety regulations were made applicable to everything under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Transportation!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_...DhJ-LtD9jbCLBlx1SZ7NC3fKjWaOKG9Mlw3lx69oi64mw

Those interested can read the full accident report from NTSB at

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/RAR8801.aspx

The result of this was what used to be Rule G at most railroads getting elevated into a federal regulation in a much more stringent form, bringing in random drug test and such. And to some extent what we see as the PTC regulations are possibly a culmination of what started with this accident.

But we must remember that no amount of safety automation will work if they are disabled because someone who is on a hash trip is inconvenienced by warning chimes, and management, for whatever reason, is unable to or incapable of maintaining discipline in the crew.

 

[JRR]

A horrendous accident took place in Chase MD that changed railroading, well actually the entire transportation industry, in the US forever... The changes in safety regulations were made applicable to everything under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Transportation!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_...DhJ-LtD9jbCLBlx1SZ7NC3fKjWaOKG9Mlw3lx69oi64mw

Those interested can read the full accident report from NTSB at

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/RAR8801.aspx

The result of this was what used to be Rule G at most railroads getting elevated into a federal regulation in a much more stringent form, bringing in random drug test and such. And to some extent what we see as the PTC regulations are possibly a culmination of what started with this accident.

But we must remember that no amount of safety automation will work if they are disabled because someone who is on a hash trip is inconvenienced by warning chimes, and management, for whatever reason, is unable to or incapable of maintaining discipline in the crew.

Yep, remember that. I was working in Baltimore then (living in Bel Air). Previously lived on Wilson Point not far from Chase.

 

[jis]

Now it is 35 years back. But I thought I'd bump this thread to remind people of the accident that changed American railroading forever...

 

[BlackDiamond]

I remember that incident. We were still living near Philly at the time and I was watching the Mummers parade on TV a Philly New Year tradition, and the horrific news came on.

I think that crash was the impetus for the installation of the ACSES system on the NEC?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I remember that incident. We were still living near Philly at the time and I was watching the Mummers parade on TV a Philly New Year tradition, and the horrific news came on.

I think that crash was the impetus for the installation of the ACSES system on the NEC?

?? Mummers is Jan 1. The accident happened on Jan 4. Were you watching a rerun of the mummers?

 

[BlackDiamond]

?? Mummers is Jan 1. The accident happened on Jan 4. Were you watching a rerun of the mummers?

For some reason this one was on the 4th, maybe postponed due to weather?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

For some reason this one was on the 4th, maybe postponed due to weather?

I googled it and didn’t see anything about it being moved that year. Maybe you can find something,

 

[Ryan]

I’ll bet we can solve this.

Edit: Yep! New York Times to the rescue. PHILDAEDPHIA HAILS MUMMERS, A BIT LATE (Published 1987)