NTSB Safety: Seat Belts, Windows, etc.

There could go one of train travel's "pluses" - the freedom to move about:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/busi ... train.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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The National Transportation Safety Board has long recommended a variety of measures to improve passenger safety, including installing lap-shoulder seatbelts, requiring riders to buckle up and improving window safety and overhead baggage restraints.

“Current safety standards for locomotive cabs and rail passenger cars are inadequate,” the N.T.S.B. said in February when it unveiled its “most wanted” list of safety improvements for trains. “Protecting passengers and crews from injury requires keeping rail car windows intact and maintaining their structural integrity during an accident, and includes occupant restraint systems, such as seatbelts, to mitigate the severity of passenger injuries.”

But regulators of Amtrak, Greyhound and a host of national and regional transportation carriers have generally not adopted the recommendations..

When on a train (last was METRA Apr 3), I'm habitually "reaching for....". Any other mode I go on requires their use.

For gosh sakes a very big over reach.

I particularly like the last sentence of the quote--as far as I know the NTSB still has no power to regulate, only to recommend. I trust that their recommendations on seatbelts will be given all the consideration they deserve by the appropriate regulatory authorities and then forgotten.

You see them on some buses, but no one is going to stop you if you choose not to buckle up. If they put seat belts on trains, I doubt anyone is going to police people in buckling up.

ExCon90 wrote:I particularly like the last sentence of the quote--as far as I know the NTSB still has no power to regulate, only to recommend. I trust that their recommendations on seatbelts will be given all the consideration they deserve by the appropriate regulatory authorities and then forgotten.

No doubt. NTSB has recommended seat belts for decades. That's only proper: during the course of an investigation they evaluate how it was passengers were injured or killed, beyond the proximate cause of the accident. Obviously seat belts would prevent injury or death in some cases, and they would be negligent in their duties if they didn't report that. Whether that's worth the trade-off in passenger comfort is beyond their remit, and they have no power to enforce this or any other requirement.

For me, the question is why is the New York Times pushing a non-story like this? Take the heat off Boeing for a little while?

Did Amtrak ever address this NTSB suggestion? (Autotrain sun kink derailment in 2002)

The deluxe bedrooms in Amtrak Superliner sleeper cars contain a folding armchair
that is not secured to the floor or other attachment point. During the derailment, several
armchairs became wedged in the doorways of deluxe bedrooms in cars that were on their
sides. Two passengers reported that they were injured when they were struck by armchairs
or when they were thrust out of armchairs and against some hard surface.

I'd think making sure all seats were reasonably immovable would be the first concern before adding seatbelts.

And when I'm in the sleeper, snug in my bed, I should be restrained... how? Thanks for the concern, NTSB, but in the absence of turbulence, I prefer being "free to move about the cabin!"

WhartonAndNorthern wrote:Did Amtrak ever address this NTSB suggestion? (Autotrain sun kink derailment in 2002)

The deluxe bedrooms in Amtrak Superliner sleeper cars contain a folding armchair
that is not secured to the floor or other attachment point.

I'd think making sure all seats were reasonably immovable would be the first concern before adding seatbelts.

Amtrak did take the Board's advice. Movable chairs are gone from any Amtrak equipment. In the case of Superliner Bedrooms, the chair has been replaced with a miniature "jump seat".

Tom M wrote:Thanks for the concern, NTSB, but in the absence of turbulence, I prefer being "free to move about the cabin!"

Not I; only time I "move about the cabin" is seat to potty. Otherwise, I'm bolted up. Further, I always wear laced shoes in flight. Reason: what if there is a "survivable" incident such as a runway excursion. The Attendants have got the chutes down and they're yelling to run away from the aircraft. Somehow, I'd like to have footwear that will stay on and not get slipped off from the impact. Do I ever cringe when I see people boarding a flight - wearing FLIP FLOPS.

I think we should require passengers to six-point strap themselves to a gurney and be wheeled aboard the train. The gurney is then stripped of wheels and impact-bolted at least at all four corners, to a 6" steel frame. All hydration and bowell movements can be accomplished via IV or tube. All straps and bolts can be then wired in to PTC and the entire national rail network comes to an immediate stop if one person is disconnected at the wrong time. Each train car will have giant windows that allow at least four victims (I mean we're all victims these days) to be removed at one time in case of accident. Each train car will be able to withstand the impact of mars crashing into jupiter as well, in case PTC fails, which it never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever will do because it's positive! Yay I feel so safe!

Mr. Dunville, let us not give any carrier, air or rail, "ideas".

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ne ... 59821.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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squeeze as many passengers as possible onto aircraft, but a new seat design could up the ante even more.

A forward-thinking manufacturer has unveiled an updated prototype of its stand-up seat, the Skyrider 3.0.

I have misgivings about allowing untrained passengers to strap themselves to the gurney--that should be done by skilled professionals. Whether their certification should be state or federal may require study.

The best way to prevent railroad accidents is for trains not to move. I know that Amtrak and its host railroads are working diligently to achieve this goal but they are still failing. i have seen some trains moving faster than i can walk. Perhaps i should notify the NTSB.

JoeG wrote:The best way to prevent railroad accidents is for trains not to move. I know that Amtrak and its host railroads are working diligently to achieve this goal but they are still failing. i have seen some trains moving faster than i can walk. Perhaps i should notify the NTSB.

Reminds me of when I was working and management was always coming up with new safety rules to prove they were doing something. When one particularly ridiculous one came up the Supervising Dispatcher told me no sacrifice was too great for safety. I said if that was the case all trains should be operating restricted-not exceeding 15MPH-speed because that would prove to be much safer than 65. That was the end of that conversation.

The quest for perfect absence of risk is self-defeating and doomed to failure--like trying to turn lead into gold.