DOT puts Northwest railroad on notice for safety violations

DOT puts Northwest railroad on notice for safety violations    The Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad, a short-line owned by Boca Raton, Fla.-based Rail America, has agreed to improve its track maintenance and inspection following a series of derailments, the Federal Railroad Administration said.
   The compliance agreement was reached after federal inspectors found recurring violations of safety laws and at least seven derailments in 2004 and 2005 caused by poor track quality.
   Inspectors identified several problems at the Central Oregon and Pacific, including defective crossties, poor rail joint conditions, wide gauge where the rails have spread too far, poor training of track inspectors and poor safety oversight.
   The agreement requires the railroad to develop and implement a detailed track maintenance and inspection plan. The plan must specify all measures to be taken to eliminate track defects and outline the number and type of inspections that will be conducted in order to eliminate wide gage and defective rails. It also will develop and implement a program to train employees on how to make inspections for compliance with the federal track safety regulations and ensure they are fully qualified to assess the railroad's compliance.
   During the two-year agreement, FRA will conduct periodic inspections to review whether the railroad is fulfilling its obligations. If at any time the Department of Transportation agency determines that the Central Oregon and Pacific is not meeting its responsibilities, the railroad will be subject to a more stringent compliance order that would hold top railroad officials personally responsible for the railroad's failure to adhere to the agreement.
   The Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad operates more than 470 miles of track in Oregon and California.