EBR Metro Council passes resolution to ban operations
Ben Lemoine October 26, 2002
WBRZ Reporter, Baton Rouge LA
Train cars in the Foss Street train yard near Memorial stadium are run by remote control. And in the past seven months, there have been two derailments, causing concern for local residents.
Remote control operations were implemented in the U.S. in January. Since then, many railroad engineers have been concerned about the safety of the operations. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers member Rodney Stutes says a whole crew is replaced when the remote control system is installed. He blames that for a derailment on August 10th.
"Had there been a person on the end of it, [the derailment] would not have been the case," says Stutes.
Luckily the tank car was empty, but it was enough for the East Baton Rouge Metro Council to take action. Members passed a resolution banning the remote controls until the Federal Railroad Administration develops comprehensive regulations for systems.
The resolution states: "Remote control locomotives cannot be used to transport or switch cars containing hazardous materials."
But hazardous materials are transported through the Baton Rouge train yard every day. And while union members say it's a disaster waiting to happen, railroad officials maintain that this is the safest form of operation.
Kansas City Southern explains in a news release: "Remote control eliminates communication failures and visibility problems that can occur in conventional switching with an engineer in the locomotive's cab."
KCS officials also believe employees are just angry about losing positions. But since remote control was implemented in January, there have been at least 12 derailments nationwide.
"All the railroads, for the most part, are just blatantly throwing this technology out there without due consideration of the safety of the community," says Stutes.
Stutes says he'll still have a job no matter what. He just wants it to be a safe one.
