The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary findings regarding a fatal incident in October at CSX’s (NASDAQ: CSX) Acca rail yard in Richmond, Virginia.
The cause of the incident is still pending.
According to the findings, which NTSB said are subject to change as it continues its investigation, the CSX employee was riding alone on the outside platform of CSX train Y39311 and operating the train by remote control. The train consisted of one locomotive and 18 railcars.
At 2:17 a.m., the CSX employee was operating the train in reverse and was in the process of shoving, or moving, the railcars down the yard lead when the train struck the northeast corner of one of three railcars that were positioned in track 12, NTSB said. The train appeared to be traveling at 4 mph, and it was dark and rainy when the accident occurred. The outside temperature was 65 degrees.
NTSB hasn’t disclosed whether the employee died at the scene, nor has it given any details about what standard operating procedures would at the time of the incident.
As the investigation continues, NTSB said it would be focusing on CSX operating rules, special safety rules regarding remote control operations at the Acca rail yard and the elevation of yard tracks, as well as on the training and oversight of train crews.
Also party to the investigation are CSX, the Federal Railroad Administration and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, also known as SMART-TD. SMART-TD disclosed that the employee was Ryan Sandy, 37.
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