On January 12, 1997, the Union Pacific Railroad unit freight train 6025 west derailed on the Union Pacific Los Angeles Subdivision, milepost 238.7, near Kelso, California. While decending Cima Hill, the engineer inadvertently activated the multiple-unit engine shutdown switch, which shut down all the locomotive units' diesel engines and eliminated the units' dynamic braking capabilities. The train rapidly became a runaway, eventually reaching a speed of 72 mph, and derailed 68 of its 75 cars while exiting a siding near Kelso. No fatalities or injuries resulted. The safety issues discussed in this report are the placement of safety-critical locomotive cab controls, adequate train-speed safety margins for steep-grade railroads, and the criticality of dynamic braking systems. The report also discusses accurate car weight reporting, the power brake rulemaking process, and the use of air brake retainers.
National Transportation Safety Board Railroad Accident Report: Derailment of Union Pacific Railroad Unit Freight Train 6205 West Near Kelso, California, January 12, 1997
1998
52 pages
Report
No indication
English
Transportation Safety , Railroad Transportation , Rail transportation , Accident investigations , Derailment , Human factors , Control equipment , Braking systems , Recommendations , California , Multiple-unit engine shutdown switches , Freight train 6205 , Kelso(California) , Union Pacific Railroad