WALBRIDGE, Ohio — The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report of an investigation into a Walbridge trainyard death in mid-September.
Frederick M. Anderson, 56, of Waterville, was struck by a CSX train that was traveling south on an active rail track near Latcha and Cummings roads in Lake Township in the early morning hours of Sept. 17. He died at the scene.
According to NTSB's investigation, Anderson, who is referred to as the "accident carman" in the report, was hit by a pair of remote-controlled CSX trains at 3:24 a.m. on the Walbridge Yard lead track.
"At the time of the accident, [Anderson] was walking from a parked truck across multiple tracks to line and lock a switch to prepare for railcar inspections. As he began crossing the lead track to access the switch, he was struck by the locomotives, which were traveling south about 10 mph. Visibility conditions at the time of the accident were dark and clear, but the area was illuminated with overhead lighting," the report states.
The two trains were under the control of one remote operator and were being used to perform switching work.
"At the time of the accident, the remote control operator was positioned on the lower ladder on the west side of the trailing locomotive," the report states.
Anderson was one of two CSX mechanical department crew members involved in the accident, according to NTSB.
NTSB said it reviewed yard surveillance video as part of the investigation. Anderson and the other crew member parked a truck "east of the lead track and several yard tracks." Anderson then walked "west toward the switch on yard track 5," into the path of the trains.
The other crew member with Anderson, "who was unaware that an accident had occurred, exited the truck’s passenger door and crossed the lead track to place a blue signal on yard track 5. As the second carman returned to the truck, he saw [Anderson] lying near the lead track. The second carman then radioed to stop all train movement in the yard and request help."
The investigation is ongoing, according to NTSB. Further investigation will focus on safety procedure training and awareness for CSX carmen.
"As a result of this accident, CSX issued a safety alert to all employees emphasizing safety briefings, situational awareness, and knowledge of emergency action plans," the report states.
Anderson died in the early morning hours of Sept. 17. On the afternoon of the same day, the Transportation Communications Union, of which Anderson was a member, released a statement on his death in which they discussed Anderson’s work as a carman for the railroad.
“Our understanding is that this fatality was involving a remote-control locomotive. If so, this would mark the third Carman fatality involving remote-control locomotives. Railroading is a dangerous environment, and there’s long been a culture of watching out for each other. But when headcounts have been cut to the bone, who’s left to watch your back?”
“Enough is enough. A full-scale review of the use and practices around remote-control locomotives is long overdue. CSX – and every railroad – must evaluate their use of these supposed technological advancements to ensure they are actually making our members safer, and not merely replacing people to continue lining the pockets of Wall Street.”
The union says they are assisting CSX and authorities with the investigation.
"BRC [Brotherhood of Railway Carmen Division} members show up for work every day, work safely and expect to be able to return home to their families at the end of the day. This tracic loss reminds us that we must continue the fight to ensure that worker safety is a top priority. Myself and the entire BRC offer our deepest condolences to the family of Brother Anderson," said BRC General President Don Grissom.