Authors: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Date of Publication:  1981

Sponsoring Agency:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Performing Organization:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Report No: NTSB-SIR-81-1

Abstract:

Since 1976, the Safety Board has investigated nine accidents involving trains which derailed due to the failure of overheated journal bearings that had been identified by a trackside infrared hot box detector prior to the accident. None of these accidents were declared major accidents since there were no fatalities and only one personal injury. The property damage was extensive ranging from $190,000 to $1,080,000 and averaging $533,000 per accident.

The Safety Board noted that three of these nine accidents occurred in the first 5 months of 1981; the occurrence of these accidents counters the general trend of a declining number of railroad accidents due to overheated journal bearings. The Board initiated this special investigation to explore the reasons for the declining rate of railroad accidents caused by overheated journal bearings and to identify areas where improved control and handling of hot box detector data may result in a further reduction of these accidents.