RESPONDING TO RAILROAD EMERGENCIES: UNDERSTANDING THE RAILROAD SYSTEM

摘要

Although railroad emergency incidents are rare, responses to such events are important for any fire department. Trains carry everything—United States Army tanks for the war on terrorism, steel and plastic raw materials for manufacturing facilities, automobiles and other finished products, farm produce, and more. Today, intermodal shipping is the fastest growing segment of rail transportation. Intermodal shipments, formerly called piggyback trains, include trailers and containers that are carried on flatcars. Finished goods such as televisions, computers, and clothing made internationally are shipped in through international ports. As emergency responders, we always think of the worst-case scenarios: "Plan for the worst and hope for the best." However, for railroads, "Safety and accident prevention are embedded in all of our operations," explains Skip Elliott, assistant vice president for public safety and environment with CSX Transportation. Rail companies make money by moving trains loaded with goods or products; accidents and injuries cost money and can delay or completely stop operations for an entire rail line. "Accidents are just too expensive for us to live with. It is much better business and better for everyone to run a safe railroad," Elliot concludes.