Tacoma Accident Shows Dangers of Remote Control Locomotives

Tacoma Accident Shows Dangers of Remote Control Locomotives

November 21, 2005

(Washington, D.C.) — Despite resolutions opposing the use of remote control engines in other parts of the state, Tacoma, Washington experienced a near-fatal rail accident November 13 when a remote controlled Union Pacific locomotive smashed into an inbound freight container train.

The accident in the rail yard near the Port of Tacoma on Puget Sound resulted in the puncturing the engine’s fuel tanks and causing two cars to derail. Nearly 300 gallons of diesel fuel were dumped at the scene.

“This accident could have been fatal had the engine hit a chlorine tank instead of the fuel tank,” said John Murphy, Director of the Teamsters Rail Conference. “We know that many of our rail members observe remote control rail engines that are kept in unsecured locations on a daily basis and that hazardous materials travel through their rail yards on most days.”

Earlier this year, the memberships of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWED) were surveyed for their observations of safety and security concerns. More than 4,000 respondents to the Safe Rails Secure America survey formed the basis for the report, “High Alert: Workers Warn of Security Gaps on Nation’s Railroads.”

“A majority of the respondents reported that trains carrying hazardous materials pass through their cities and near schools, government buildings and other likely terrorist targets,” Murphy said. “The Tacoma accident shows just how vulnerable our cities are to possible catastrophes. If the runaway engine had hit a tank car full of chlorine gas or another toxic chemical, the wind could have carried it into the city of Tacoma and possibly have contaminated Puget Sound.

“A locomotive engine operated by remote control without an engineer at the controls inside the cab strips away the security of having a trained locomotive engineer whose experience and judgment is irreplaceable by automation,” Murphy said. “No machine can ever replace the eyes and ears of a dedicated, unionized rail employee. Yet, rail corporations routinely ignore the safety concerns of our rail members.”

Since 2003, 18 labor federations have passed resolutions opposing remote control locomotive operations across the country, as have various state and county labor bodies. Additionally, 61 communities have passed remote control locomotive safety resolutions. Boston, Cleveland, St. Louis and Detroit are among the cities that passed such resolutions.

For a complete list of cities and counties that have passed resolutions opposing the use of remote controlled locomotives, please visit the BLET’s web site at: www.ble.org.

For a copy of the Teamsters Rail Conference’s report, “High Alert,” please click on this link to a PDF file: http://www.teamster.org/divisions/rail/pdfs/railsecuritybook.pdf.