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Wednesday, August 27, 1997

Federal inspectors launch probe of Union Pacific

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID / Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sixty federal and state railroad inspectors launched an intensive investigation of the Union Pacific Railroad following a series of deadly accidents, the Federal Railroad Administration announced today.

Seven people have died in three Union Pacific crashes in the past three months and five other employees of the railroad were killed in other accidents since January, the agency said.

The probe got under way Saturday and involves around-the-clock inspections of the Union Pacific system, the FRA said.

The investigation is expected to last from seven to 10 days, concentrating in Chicago; Denver; Fort Worth, Texas; Houston; Los Angeles; Kansas City, Mo.; Omaha, Neb.; Pocatello, Idaho; Portland, Ore., and San Antonio.

Among the recent accidents:

--A crew reportedly failed to set the brakes properly on an unmanned train in Fort Worth on Aug. 20. The train rolled nine miles and slammed into a westbound freight train, killing two locomotive engineers.

--A freight train carrying hazardous materials failed to stop at a crossing in Rossville, Kan., on July 2 and smashed into another train, killing one crew member and injuring the conductor. Twenty cars from both trains derailed and more than 1,000 people were forced from their homes for more than six hours.

--On June 22, two Union Pacific freight trains collided head-on in the middle of the night in Devine, Texas, and exploded in a huge fireball. Four people were killed.

"The FRA's investigations of the recent collisions on the Union Pacific Railroad have led us to believe there are critical safety deficiencies present at some locations and immediate action across the UP system is necessary," said FRA Administrator Jolene Molitoris.

"We have nothing to hide and look forward to them coming," Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said.

A union representing railroad engineers applauded the probe.

"We think it's wonderful they are doing this for the interest of the public and their employees," said Ed Dubroski, first vice president of the 33,000-member Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

The railroad employs more than 53,000 people and operates on more than 36,000 miles of track in the western two-thirds of the United States. It was created by the $5.4 billion merger of Southern Pacific and the Union Pacific railroads last year.

The FRA said its inspectors will ride on trains throughout the system to check on safe operating practices, will oversee dispatching operations in Omaha and Denver and will interview crews, railroad officials and union representatives.