NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-035

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-035.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PIPELINE CORPORATION: COOPERATE WITH THE CSXT & ANY OTHER RAILROADS IN YOUR OPERATIONAL AREAS TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM TO NOTIFY THE RAILROAD WHEN PIPELINE ACCIDENTS ENDANGER RAILROAD OPERATIONS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Issued Date: 1995-05-30

Adopted Date: 1995-05-16

Overall Date Closed: 2001-06-05

Synopsis: ON 11/30/93, A 184-FOOT-LONG VEHICLE OPERATED BY ROUNTREE TRANSPORT & RIGGING (ROUNTREE), INC., WAS EN ROUTE TO DELIVER AN 82-TON TURBINE TO A KISSIMMEE UTILITY AUTHORITY (KUA) ELECTRICITY GENERATING PLANT UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEAR INTERCESSION CITY, FLORIDA. THE PRIVATE ACCESS ROAD TO THE PLANT FACILITY CROSSES OVER A SINGLE RAILROAD TRACK OWNED BY CSX TRANSPORTATION, INC, (CSXT). BECAUSE OF THE CONFIGURATION OF THE TRUCK & THE PROFILE OF THE ROADWAY, THE CARGO DECK OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO BOTTOM OUT ON THE ROADWAY SURFACE AS IT MOVED ACROSS THE TRACKS. THE ROUNTREE CREW PROCEEDED TO ADJUST THE HEIGHT OF CARGO DECK TO GAIN GREATER CLEARANCE WHILE THE VEHICLE STRADDLED THE TRACKS. THEY HAD FINISHED RAISING THE CARGO DECK & WERE PREPARING TO MOVE THE VEHICLE WHEN THE LIGHTS & BELLS AT THE GRADE CROSSING ACTIVATED. SECONDS LATER, NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION (AMTRAK) TRAIN NUMBER 88, THE SILVER METEOR, CARRYING 89 PASSENGERS, STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE CARGO DECK & THE TURBINE. THE LOCOMOTIVE & THE FIRST FOUR CARS OF THE EIGHT-CAR CONSIST DERAILED, CARRYING THE TURBINE & PARTS OF THE ROUNTREE VEHICLE WITH THEM.

Ntsbnumber: DCA94MH002

Report Number: HAR-95-01

Addressee Name: Central Florida Pipeline Corporation

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2001-06-05

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-08-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD, IN REVIEWING THE EVENTS OF 11/30/93 & 1/12/94, IN WHICH TRAIN DERAILMENT ENDANGERED CFPL FACILITIES, RECOGNIZED THE URGENT NEED FOR CFPL TO BE PROMPTLY NOTIFIED SO THAT IT CAN ACT IMMEDIATELY TO PROTECT RESPONSE PERSONNEL & THE PUBLIC. THE BOARD CONCURS WITH THE STATEMENT IN YOUR 2/9/94, LETTER TO MR. CHARLES BATTEN, THE BOARD'S PIPELINE GROUP CHAIRMAN: IN THE INTEREST OF AVOIDING A SITUATION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC & ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY, PIPELINE COMPANIES SHOULD BE NOTIFIED BY RAILROADS EARLY ON IN THE PLANNING SITES REGARDING ANY ACTIVITY ( I.E., CONSTRUCTION, CROSSING WITH HEAVY EQUIPMENT, APPROVED THIRD PART ACTIVITY) THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT THE PIPELINES. PIPELINE COMPANIES MUST BE AWARE OF SUCH PLANS & BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEFINE ANY REQUIREMENTS IT MAY HAVE &/OR RESTRICT ANY UNSAFE ACTION. SPECIFICALLY, IN THE CASE OF TRAIN DERAILMENTS NEAR PIPELINES, PIPELINE COMPANIES SHOULD BE NOTIIED IMMEDIATELY & CLOSE COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES AT THE SCENE ARE ESSENTIAL. HOWEVER, THE BOARD ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT PIPELINE EMERGENIES ADJACENT TO RAIL LINES CAN ENDANGER RAILROAD OPERATIONS & THEIR EMPLOYEES. THE BOARD THEREFORE BELIEVES THAT, IN LIKE MANNER, THE PIPELINE OPERATOR SHOULD NOTIFY THE RAILROAD OPERATOR PROMPTLY & COORDINATE RESPOSNE ACTIVITIES. P-95-35 WAS ISSUED BECAUSE THE BOARD BELIEVE THAT THE RAILROAD OPERATOR SHOULD BE NOTIFIED DIRECTLY IF CFPL FACILITIES ENDANGER RAILROAD OPERATIONS. THE BOARD COMMENDS YOUR EXCEPTIONAL EFFORTS AT THE DERAILMENT SITE TO GAIN COOPERATION FROM CSXT EMPLOYEES & CONTRACTORS DURING THE CLEANUP ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, THESE EFFORTS WERE LESS THAN SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE CFPL & CSXT HAVE NO JOINT PLAN TO FOLLOW WHEN AN EMERGENCY ON EITHER SYSTEM THREATENS THE SAFETY OF TH OTHER. THE BOARD CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE JOINT PREPAREDNESS DEVELOPMENT BY RAILROAD & PIPELINE OPERATORS, THE BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DIRECTED TOWARD ACHIEVING THAT SAFETY OBJECTIVE. THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED NO DOCUMENTATION ON ANY PROCEDURE WORKED OUT BETWEEN CFPL GATX & CSXT FOR NOTIFICATION OR COOPERATION IN RESPONE TO EMERGENCIES OF MUTUAL CONCERN. IF SUCH A DOCUMENT EXISTS, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW IT. PENDING BOARD REVIEW OF CFPL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN REVISIONS THAT INCORPORATE PROCEDURES FOR NOTIFYING RAILROAD OPERATORS WHEN CFPL FACILITES ENDANGER RAIL OPERATIONS, P-95-35 IS CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 2001-06-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: On September 11, 1997, based on information provided in the CSXT letter of June 6, 1997, Safety Recommendation R-95-31 was classified “Closed--Acceptable Alternate Action.” CSXT developed notification procedures with local law enforcement authorities that included a requirement to notify affected pipeline operators; this approach was considered an acceptable alternative to the intent of the recommendation. Accordingly, because the CFPL worked with the CSXT as requested, Safety Recommendation P-95-35 is also classified “Closed--Acceptable Alternate Action.”

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-06-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence