Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety Headquarters Assigned Accident Investigation Report HQ-2007-14, Missouri and Northern Arkansas RR Co. Inc. (MNA), Bergman, Arkansas, April 6, 2007

摘要

A northbound MNA freight train collided with a standing southbound MNA freight train at the north switch of Bergman siding on April 6, 2007 at 4:02 a.m. The accident occurred at Bergman, AR at MNA Milepost 416.85 on the MNA Aurora subdivision. Two locomotives of the northbound train were derailed and four cars of the standing train were derailed. Total estimated monetary damages were $657,828. There were no injuries. At the time of the accident it was clear, with a temperature of 35F. Both locomotives of the striking train derailed but remained upright. There were no cars derailed or damaged in the striking train. Four cars of the struck train derailed with three of those cars overturning. There was no hazardous material involvement. The collision was wholly human factor caused. The primary cause of the accident was H404 - Train order, track warrant, track bulletin, or timetable authority, failure to comply; by the crew of the striking train CNWNA02. The striking train exceeded the limits of Track Warrant Control Authority by failing to comply with Track Warrant instructions - 'not in effect until after arrival of'. The striking train failed to ascertain that the struck train was clear of the main track prior to moving into the limits of a warrant conveying authority after arrival of the struck train. A contributing cause of the accident was H401 Failure to stop train in clear; by the crew of the struck train CONL05. This crew violated GCOR rule 6.28.2 Stopping Clear in Siding - When possible, a train entering a siding must not stop until the entire train is clear of the main track. This train arrived 1 hour and 58 minutes prior to the accident and could have cleared the main track prior to the arrival of the striking train.