The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) has taken steps to improve its safety procedures following the 12 September collision between a Metrolink train and a UP freight train in the Los Angeles suburbs, which killed 25 people and injured 135.
The SCRRA board of directors voted unanimously to approve an improvement programme that includes putting a second driver in the cab of some trains, the creation of a safety peer review panel, the evaluation of advanced train control technologies, a review of the agency's operating contract with Veolia Transportation, and an evaluation and updating of SCRRA's emergency preparedness and response plans.
SCRRA CEO David Solow was also directed to seek funding for safety enhancements and the implementation of a positive train control system. This will draw on the work of the North American Joint Positive Train Control Programme, which is funded by the Federal Railroad Administration and other sources.
SCRRA Chairman Ron Roberts said that the Metrolink board had taken definitive action to continue to be a leader in rail safety in the US.
"From our soon-to-arrive passenger cars with crash energy management technology to our Sealed Corridor Initiative, Metrolink has consistently been on the leading edge of rail safety," he said. "We intend to lead the industry into the next phase of rail safety development."
Many of the recommendations are, however, stopgaps, or cannot be implemented in the short term. Metrolink for instance only employs ten to 15 spare drivers on any given day, including some to cover for employees who are sick or on vacation. The amount of trains containing more than one driver is therefore expected to be low.
By Daniel Garrun
