214 Railroad Crashes and Incidents Flashcards
The primary responsibility of JSO personnel at a Class “A” accident is to care for _______________ until medical assistance arrives, secure the scene, and provide assistance to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) and the investigating agencies.
injured persons
Major railroad crashes and derailments which involve fire, the release of hazardous materials, a serious injury or death, significant property damage, credible evidence of malfunction or failure of an active warning device, evacuations, or receives media attention (Class “A” accidents) will be investigated by ____________________
the FDOT, the FRA, and/or the NTSB.
An investigator(s) from the FDOT, FRA, and/or NTSB will determine the cause of the crash, and if criminal interference or negligence is a factor, the JSO will conduct a _______________. CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and the Florida East Coast Railway have their own police agents who may also conduct criminal investigations of such incidents. [
criminal investigation
Who will respond and investigate the following types of incidents:
Any incident involving the death of any railroad employee;
All train v. train collisions;
All derailments resulting in any death or in serious injury to any railroad passenger or several persons in railroad crossing collisions;
Any railroad hazardous materials incident, which imperils a community due to fire, explosion, release of noxious fumes, and incidents involving an evacuation, especially if it poses an imminent safety hazard to persons in the surrounding locale;
Train accidents resulting in damages to track or equipment exceeding $1 million;
Accidents that arouse public interest; and
Collisions or derailments involving credible evidence of a malfunction or failure of an active warning device which is alleged to have contributed to or caused the accident.
The FRA and NTSB
________________ will respond to any derailment involving 10 or more cars, any crash at a crossing involving three or more fatalities, or any incident which appears to be part of a pattern or trend.
the FDOT investigator
The first officer on the scene of a major railroad crash or derailment shall:
Care for any injured persons
Secure the scene
The wreckage, contents, and strewn items from the train must not be moved or disturbed except to:
Remove injured or trapped persons;
Protect the wreckage from further damage;
Protect the public from injury.
If any item is moved or disturbed, sketches, notes, and/or photographs must be made showing the original position:
If possible, bodies should not be moved until FDOT, FRA, or NTSB officials are on the scene;
If a Crime Scene Unit (CSU) detective is present during extractions/rescue efforts, photographs or videotape should be made while those efforts are being conducted so that investigators will be able to reconstruct the scene as it existed prior to contamination; and
Remember that the crash may be the result of some criminal act and should be treated as any other crime scene until such determination can be made.
Ensure ______________ are asked to remain at the scene to be interviewed by the detectives and the FDOT, FRA, and/or NTSB investigators
all witnesses
Officer should maintain site security and coordinate with the investigators at the scene unless relieved by
_____________________________
higher authority or advised that it is no longer necessary
Who is responsible for removal of the wreckage once the investigation is complete.
The railroads
Assess the situation to determine what additional resources are required, and request the following
Additional police units
The Aviation Unit, to determine the extent of the affected area and/or to search for ejected persons
The Marine Unit, if a train has derailed over a waterway
JFRD units
The JFRD Hazardous Materials Team
The responding supervisor shall
For any crash involving serious injury, death, or release of hazardous materials, notify the watch commander
Summon other resources as needed for site security, crowd control, and traffic control
Coordinate with JFRD and FDOT personnel in the establishment of a command post and an inner and outer perimeter, ensuring that endangered or non-essential persons are evacuated from within
Ensure that the railroad has been notified by a member of the train crew or, if they are unable, advise the Investigative PECO
Ensure that the FDOT Rail Operations Administrator and the FRA have been notified by the PECO as soon as possible so they may respond to the scene. Either they or the railroad will contact the NTSB, as indicated
Coordinate with JFRD and FDOT personnel in the establishment of a command post and an inner and outer perimeter, ensuring that endangered or non-essential persons are evacuated from within. After command post has been estblished
The supervisor will notify the PECO of the location of the command post
Responding units will be instructed to report to the command post for assignments and briefing, unless directed to do otherwise
Railroad crashes other than those outlined above, such as those involving motor vehicles, pedestrians, and other conveyances, will normally be investigated solely by the ______________
JSO
Railroad crashes will be reported as follows:
If a train collides with a motor vehicle and the motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway at the time of the collision, a Long Form Crash Report will be completed in SmartCop;
If a train collides with a motor vehicle on private property not open to the public (i.e., Blount Island, Talleyrand Ave. terminal area, or on a private rail spur inside a fenced warehouse compound), an Incident Report will be completed entitled “Accidental Death”, “Accidental Injury”, or “Damage to Property”, as appropriate
If a train collides with an all-terrain vehicle, a Long Form Crash Report will be completed in SmartCop regardless of the location if a fatality or an injury requiring medical treatment is involved
If a train collides with another train and there are no injuries, fatalities, or damage to property other than that owned or operated by the railroad, the NTSB, FRA, and FDOT will be called by the railroad. A JSO investigation is not required unless the engineer is impaired, in which case the FDOT Rail Operations Administrator will notify JSO to respond.
In the case of fatalities or life-threatening injuries, the following investigative units will be notified:
In cases involving motor vehicles, pedestrians, and other conveyances that require the completion of a Long Form Crash Report in SmartCop, Traffic Homicide will respond; and
In all other cases, Homicide will respond
Where appropriate, the engineer’s certificate number shall be listed on all reports in the space for driver’s license. Engineers are not required to carry a driver’s license, but are required to be certified and carry their certificate at __________ when operating a train. If an engineer refuses or fails to produce this certificate upon demand, the ___________________________shall be called to the scene
all times
FDOT Rail Operations Administrator
What four railroads operate in Duval County
CSX Transportation, Inc.,
Norfolk Southern Railway,
Florida East Coast Railway,
Talleyrand Terminal Railroad Co.
Amtrak trains operate exclusively on ______ lines.
CSX
Some trains in Duval County may be travelling as fast as 80 miles per hour and braking distances for trains are much greater than those for automobiles For example, a freight train with 150 cars going 60 miles per hour will continue to travel for __________ after brakes are applied.
1 1/2 miles
Incidents that require a train to stop should be relayed to the ____________________as soon as possible to avoid complications
railroad dispatcher
A flare placed between the rails is a signal for a train to reduce to a ____________, day or night.
cautionary speed
Intoxicated Servant of a Common Carrier makes it unlawful and a ________________ misdemeanor for any person to operate a train, railroad switch, or signal while intoxicated.
second-degree
If officers encounter an engineer operating a train while intoxicated or using drugs, in addition to making an arrest, they should notify
the FDOT Rail Operations Administrator
A supervisor shall be notified any time an arrest of a train engineer or crewmember is indicated. The supervisor will decide whether a Notice to Appear Citation (NTA) shall be issued or if the subject is to be physically arrested.
A supervisor
If the subject is to be physically arrested, _________________ will have the subject and train accompanied to a depot or station, or will contact the rail line operator via the Investigative PECO to arrange the release of the train to railroad authorities at the scene.
the supervisor
Train engineers and crew members who commit minor violations of the law will not be taken into custody, but will be issued an NTA. A physical arrest is only indicated for ________________________________
“serious” misdemeanors or felonies.
Except at official crossings, railroad tracks are private property and, where properly posted, persons fishing from trestles, walking along railroad tracks, etc., are guilty of a first degree misdemeanor for __________________
Trespass on Property other than Structure of Conveyance
Any unauthorized person who intentionally interferes with any railroad train, track, switch, or signal is guilty of a ___________________
third degree felony
Any person who rides or attempts to ride on a train without permission is guilty of a ______________________ for Riding or Attempting to Ride on a Railroad Train with the Intent to Ride for Free, or Trespass in Conveyance
second-degree misdemeanor
If officers make an arrest of an on-duty railroad employee or of any person for an offense against a railroad, train, or rail cargo, __________________for the rail line should be notified
the railroad police agency
“No railroad locomotive, car, train, or other vehicle shall be operated so as to close or obstruct a street or crossing in the City for a longer time than five minutes in a period of fifteen minutes, except in cases of emergency. This provision shall not apply to trains in continuous motion but shall apply to trains or cars engaged in switching. Violation of this section by the owner or person in charge of a railroad train or car shall constitute a Class ‘C’ offense.”
Obstructing crossings – Five minutes duration
Officers encountering trains under these circumstances may issue an NTA Citation for “Obstructing Crossings – Five Minutes Duration.”
citations are issued to the railroad company instead of the individual operating the train,
Use of the lead locomotive number is preferred for the citation, but if it cannot be determined, the AAR number, any train car number, and the direction of travel of the train (if known) at a specific time will assist in determining responsibility for the violation
all copies of the citation (except the pink copy, which is retained in the officer’s citation book) will be turned over to a supervisor for approval and forwarded to the review desk
Once reviewed, the citations are forwarded to County Court for further processing
A train may have an undesired application of brakes if an air-line breaks. If so, it will be _______________the train until it is repaired
impossible to move
