Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1763960.015 - Railserve, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Omaha Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 8:15 p.m. on July 22, 2024, an employee working as a railroad switch operator/helper for a railroad support service was relocating grain megahoppers in South yard. The employee was working with two coworkers moving the hoppers with utilizing an Archer Daniels Midland - Columbus locomotive 2479 model number 8227211 (SN: 68F-84). Coworker #1 was the crew lead riding the cut car. Coworker #2 was operating the locomotive, and the employee was working as a helper riding on the engine. Coworker #1 called a command over the radio for Coworker #2 to drag to the JF switch so the employee could detrain and activate the switch when the cars were cut. Coworker #2 misheard the command as JK switch and drug the train of approximately 25 to 30 grain megahopper cars south toward switch JK. The employee detrained at some point during the initial dragging movement. Coworker #2 informed Coworker #1 that the train was drug too far south and needed to be shoved back one car for the cut. Coworker #2 stopped the train, shoved back one car, and Coworker #1 detrained to cut the cars. Once cars were cut, Coworker #2 continued to drag the train southward. Coworker #1 discovered the employee on the east side of the railroad tracks, face down in the ballast. The employee was conscious, at which time Coworker #1 and Coworker #2 reported the incident to on-site management who notified fire and emergency services. The employee died from blunt force trauma to the head, chest and abdomen.

Keywords: Abdomen, Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Chest, Communication, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Head, Miscommunication, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Railroad, Railroad Car, Railroad Track, Struck By, Train