RAB/98-10

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Railroad Accident Brief Report

CHI 96 FR 014

COLLISION/DERAILMENT

GATEWAY WESTERN RAILWAY

PLEASANT HILL, ILLINOIS

MAY 12, 1996

Gateway Western Railway (GWWR) train Extra 2942 East, consisting of 5

locomotive units and 51 loaded intermodal cars, collided into the side of the rear

car of the standing GWWR train Extra 2037 West, which had entered a siding to

permit the eastbound train to pass. The Extra GWWR 2037 West train consisted

of 4 locomotive units, 44 loaded and 47 empty freight cars. The accident

occurred at about 5:50 a.m., central daylight time, on May 12, 1996 at milepost

(MP) 264.2 of the GWWR No. 2 Subdivision, about 2 miles east of Pleasant Hill,

Illinois.

The 5 locomotive units, the 9 head cars of the Extra 2942 East, and the

rear car of the Extra GWWR 2037 West derailed in the collision. A fire started at

the seventh car of Extra 2942 East, which contained a liquid compound cleaner,

and spread forward igniting about 2,500 gallons of diesel fuel.

Both crewmembers of the Extra 2942 East sustained minor injuries.

Damages were estimated by GWWR to be $1,261,850.

The three-person crew of the Extra 2037 West arrived at the GWWR

Pleasant Hill siding at about 4:30 a.m., and received a track warrant instructing

the train to enter the siding, clear the main track and await the passage of the

Extra 2942 East. The conductor decided to wait on the main track until he

overheard a radio transmission coming from the Extra 2942 East, which would

indicate the approach of the eastbound train. The conductor heard the

approaching train about 5:30 a.m., and instructed the conductor trainee to get off

of the locomotive and stay at the east end of the siding until such time as the rear

of the westbound train had cleared the main track by “3 or 4 car lengths from the

clearance point.” The conductor also instructed the trainee to then align the

switch for the main track and report the train in the clear. The trainee was

instructed to board the rear car and ride until such time as the train was pulled

down to the west end of the siding, and the engineer would then shove back to

shorten the trainee’s walk to the head-end of the train. This instruction set the

stage for this accident. The company rules required that a member of the crew
2

must provide protection for the rear of the train while it was being shoved

(pushed in a reverse direction).

The crew of the Extra 2942 East approached Pleasant Hill siding with the

proper authority to proceed east if the Extra 2037 West had passed and was in

the clear. The crew of the eastbound train was informed by a radio transmission

from the Extra 2037 West that they were in the clear and that the switch was

lined for their passage. Particularly, in nonsignaled territory, the traincrew rely on

the information they receive to be correct.

PROBABLE CAUSE

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable

cause of this accident was the failure of the conductor and engineer of Extra

2037 West to provide adequate protection for the rear end of the train and ensure

that the rear end of the train did not obstruct the main track.

Adopted: August 18, 1998