Brothers and Sisters,
We are asking you to take action to protect safety. Norfolk Southern has asked the Federal Railroad Administration for permission to remove cab signals on portions of the following subdivisions: Lancaster, Harrisburg Road, Harrisburg Terminal, Abrams, Altoona, Pittsburgh East, and Conway West. As those of you working the territory know, NS previously removed wayside signals in these areas. Without an underlying physical signal system to rely on, removing the cab signals — and operating on PTC alone — would degrade safety.
We are asking you to copy and paste the comments below into the comment portal.
1. Go to: blet.link/47WIy87
2. Click “Submit a Public Comment” (Big green button on the right-hand side of the page under the header)
3. Copy and paste the below suggested comment. Feel free to add your own thoughts.
Fill out the required fields that are marked with a red asterisk – Indicate that you are an individual if you are willing to include your name publicly. You may also submit the comment anonymously. You do not need to provide your address, email, or phone.
4. Click the checkbox that you understand your comment will be posted publicly and click submit.
Comments are due by Monday, November 9th. Please submit your comments by that time. BLET members, family, and friends are welcome to submit comments. If you have any questions, please reach out to Chris Smith, Director of Regulatory Affairs, [email protected].
SUGGESTED COMMENT:
I am writing in opposition to Norfolk Southern’s request for authority to discontinue portions of its existing cab signal system. This application warrants the highest level of scrutiny. Norfolk Southern is not seeking approval for an additional safety measure; rather, it is seeking permission to remove an established and proven layer of safety that has protected railroad employees, railroad operations, and the public for decades. The FRA must determine if removing the cab signals would provide a greater or equivalent level of railroad safety. Based upon the information presented in the application, Norfolk Southern has failed to meet that burden, and the FRA must deny this application.
Numerous employees have encountered unsafe conditions on this territory. This is directly caused by removing the wayside signals that communicate to the PTC and Energy Management System and provide advance warning to reduce speed as necessary. Without this indication of upcoming speed changes, the PTC enforces speed reductions rapidly without providing the engineer with adequate warning of signal indications. The system’s safety has already been compromised by the removal of wayside signals. The cab signal system is not perfect, but it would be irresponsible to abandon one of the remaining safety systems without providing a safer alternative, such as re-introducing wayside signals.
The increased reliance on reactive enforcement has led to harsher train handling, more frequent air brake use, increased operational stress, and a greater likelihood of unnecessary emergency responses. These operational realities demonstrate why caution should be exercised before eliminating yet another source of information and protection.
I urge the FRA to deny this application and protect the workers and communities on this line.
Thank you for your consideration.
Photo by Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659