SPECIAL STUDY-SIGNALS AND OPERATING RULES AS CASUAL FACTORS IN TRAIN ACCIDENTS

RAILROAD SIGNAL SYSTEMS, EVEN THROUGH PERFORMING AS DESIGNED, DO NOT COMPENSATE FOR HUMAN FAILURE AND PREVENT ACCIDENTS. MANY COLLISIONS ATTRIBUTABLE TO NEGLIGENCE OF EMPLOYEES RESULT FROM LACK OF COMPLIANCE WITH OPERATING RULES WHICH DO NOT RELATE COMPATIBLY WITH THE SIGNAL SYSTEMS. A RELATIONSHIP IS DEVELOPED BETWEEN SIGNAL SYSTEMS, OPERATING RULES, AND THE HUMAN ELEMENT THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO BOTH. SPECIFIC CASES ARE CITED IN WHICH THE DISCREPANCIES ARE EXPOSED AND EXAMINED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE FOREGOING. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DIRECTED TO THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION THAT THEY TAKE STEPS UNDER THE INCREASED SCOPE OF AUTHORITY OF THE FEDERAL RAILROAD SAFETY ACT OF 1970, TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR FUTURE REQUIREMENTS IN SIGNAL SYSTEMS AND OPEATING RULES THAT WILL REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE PRESENT AMBIGUITIES AND LAX, ILL-DEFINED OPERATING RULES. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Rept No NtsB-RSS-71-3, 12 PP
• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1972-3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Human factors; Negligence; Prevention; Railroad signals; Regulations; Safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226308
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 16 1972 12:00AM