Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311071039 - Bay Area Rapid Transit District

Inspection Information - Office: American Canyon District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:29 a.m on October 14, 2008, Employee #1, Structures Inspector, was in the process of inspecting the area around the C2 track in the vicinity mile marker 18.3 in Concord on a Simple Approval; a Simple Approval was used for experienced workers and requires them to be responsible for their own safety. The C2 track was the only track in service at this time and railway traffic was coordinated to run in both directions on this track. Another Structures Inspector, Employee #2, accompanied Employee #1 and was inspecting the area around the C1 track at the opposite end of the same work area. The C1 track was deenergized and maintenance personnel were working along C1 track on a high rail maintenance vehicle. The Pittsburg/Bay Point train normally runs on the C1 track when traveling northbound toward the Pittsburg/Bay Point station. The Train Operator (Employee #3) who was operating Train 381 received instruction from the Operations Control Center (OCC) to depart the Pleasant Hill station and cross over to the C2 track at approximately 9:26 a.m. Train 381 departed the Pleasant Hill station at approximately 9:27 a.m. and crossed over to the C2 track at approximately 9:28 a.m. proceeding northbound while operating in Automatic Train Operation (ATO); trains operating in ATO have their speed, stopping, and door operation controlled automatically by the system. The Speed Code assigned to Train 381 at the time of the accident was 70 miles per hour and this is the approximate speed the train was traveling when the accident occurred. While heading northbound (reverse track) on C2 track at approximately 9:29 a.m. in the vicinity of mile marker 18.3, Employee #3 heard a noise that sounded like the train had struck something. Employee #3 stopped the train and then informed dispatch as he thought the train might have struck a tree fouling the track. Maintenance personnel (Employee #4 and #5) were already working in the vicinity and responded to the call of a possible impact and began searching the area for clues of a tree impact. This crew discovered the body of Employee #1 just north of milepost 18.3 lying on his back wayside just west of the C2 track with his head in the southbound direction. EMS and Bart police were immediately notified and dispatched to the scene. Personnel from CCFD, BART PD and American Medical Response (AMR) arrived on site and pronounced Employee #1 dead at approximately 9:58 a.m. The Contra Costa County Coroner was then notified of the incident by the Fire Department. The body of employee #1 was transported to the Coroners office. Effective controls for safeguarding personnel during railcar movement were not instituted. The walkway next to the C2 track in the area of milepost 18.3 was not maintained free of dangerous obstructions. The shrubbery in this area obstructed the pathway along the C-2 track and created an imminent hazard for any personnel working at or near this track while trains were operating. The Simple Approval does not require train operators to be notified of maintenance personnel performing work at or near their track ways, nor does the Simple Approval require maintenance personnel to be notified of trains actively entering their work areas.

Keywords: WALKING SURFACE, RAILROAD TRACK, STRUCK BY, TRAIN, RAILROAD