OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14456065

COLLISION,LOCOMOTIVE,TRAIN,COMMUNICATION

1984-03-20T00:00:00

Event: COLLISION,LOCOMOTIVE,TRAIN,COMMUNICATION
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14456065
Report ID: 854910

Event description

COLLISION OF WORK TRAINS

Investigation abstract

A 2,300 HORSEPOWER GENERAL MOTORS ENGINE, WEIGHING 125 TONS (REFERRED TO AS THE ERE TOLD THAT THE CREW ON THE HILL WAS WAITING FOR THEM AND TO GO UP AS SOON AS THEY COULD. THE DUMPER ENGINE CREW, ON THE HILL, WAS TOLD NOT TO WAIT BUT TO BRI NG DOWN AS MANY CARS AS THEY COULD HANDLE ALONE. THE COMMUNICATIONS SETUP IS SUC H THAT THE ENGINES CANNOT COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH EACH OTHER, BUT MUST GO THRO UGH A THIRD PARTY, USUALLY A FOREMAN. DUMPER ENGINE) WAS PUSHING FOUR ORE CARS LOADED WITH ORE CONCENTRATE DOWN AN 8% GRADE. THE CARS WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 115 TONS APIECE. AS THE DUMPER ENGINE WAS ROUNDING A CURVE IN THE TRACKS IT COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER GENERAL MOTORS ENGINE (R EFERRED TO AS THE HOT METAL ENGINE) WHICH WAS COMING UP THE HILL. THE HOT METAL ENGINE DID NOT HAVE ANY CARS ATTACHED. THE HOT METAL ENGINE CREW HAD BEEN INSTRU CTED BY THE FOREMAN TO GO UP THE HILL AND ASSIST THE DUMPER ENGINE IN BRINGING E IGHT CARS OF CONCENTRATE DOWN TO THE SURFACE DEPARTMENT. THE HOT ENGINE CREW WAS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING ANOTHER JOB AND COULD NOT LEAVE RIGHT THEN. THEY W

Victims (2)

#1 Hospitalized Age 37 M

Nature of injury
12

Part of body
16

Event type
6

Source
38

Occupation code
825

Human factor
17

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1
#2 Hospitalized Age 50 M

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
19

Event type
6

Source
38

Occupation code
824

Human factor
17

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1

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