NTSB calls for collision avoidance tech on rail maintenance vehicles

The National Transportation Safety Board this week called on railroads to equip roadway maintenance machines with collision avoidance technology that can detect people or objects before a crash.

The recommendation stems from the NTSB’s investigation of the Aug. 4, 2023, accident in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, where a Middlesex Corp. maintenance machine struck and killed a worker. Investigators found that the machine operator had no safety devices beyond a wide-angle mirror to look for hazards, according to an NTSB press release.

Investigators also found communication and oversight failures in the investigation. The Housatonic Railroad Co. roadway worker-in-charge was unaware of the full scope of work, leading to an inadequate safety briefing and the absence of a second qualified supervisor.

The NTSB concluded that stronger supervision and communication would likely have reduced risk. As a result of the investigation, the NTSB issued six new safety recommendations addressing unsafe machine operation, the need for collision avoidance technology and stronger Federal Railroad Administration oversight of railroads with poor safety performance.

Recommendations were issued to the FRA, all Class Is, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association, the Housatonic Railroad Co. and Middlesex Corp.

The NTSB’s final report — including findings, probable cause and safety recommendations — is available here. along with the full investigation docket.