Metrolink peer review report - Ventura County Star

METROLINK COMMUTER RAIL SAFETY PEER REVIEW PANEL
Final Report – January 5, 2009
APPENDIX D: DEFINITION OF TERMS
Appendix D: Definition of Terms
Ad Hoc Subcommittee A subcommittee created by the SCRRA Board of Directors to conduct the Metrolink
Safety Peer Review in response to the September 12, 2008 Chatsworth incident.
American Public
Transportation
Association (APTA)
Amtrak’s Event Review
Program
Automatic Train Stop
(ATS)
APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member
organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design,
construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions;
and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA is a data
collection/dissemination resource, a Standards Development Organization and an
education and advocacy organization for the public transportation industry. APTA
members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the
United States and Canada.
A program that Amtrak has instituted to do a review of an event that includes all
aspects of the event. This program also includes follow-up on changes that are
necessitated by the event.
Technology that works by making an electrical interconnection between the signal
system governing train movement, a train occupancy detector and the train’s air
brakes to stop the train in the instance of a missed signal.
Banner Testing The process by which a qualified supervisor sets up a main line or yard test to
determine engineer compliance with stop signal and restricted speed. Set up may
require shunting by signal department employees and coordination with the OCC.
Behavior Based Safety
(BBS) Training
Although similar to Efficiency Testing 9 , in which employees are observed for
adherence to operating rules and regulations, one of the differences in BBS training is
the focus on changing any at risk safety behavior with positive feedback behavioral
techniques.
Big Four Contractors The collective term referring to SCRRA’s major operating contractors including;
Maintenance of Way, Signal and Communications, Vehicle Maintenance, and
Transportation.
California Public
Utilities Commission
(CPUC)
Centralized Traffic
Control (CTC)
The CPUC is the government agency within the state of California that regulates the
operating railroads and transit agencies. The CPUC functions as safety oversight for
grade crossings, grade separations, operating safety plans and other safety issues
related to railroad/transit operations.
The railroad signaling system consisting of centralized train dispatchers that control
the switches in the operating railroad territory and the signals that railroad engineers
must obey for the safe operations of the railroad.
9 Efficiency Testing is mandated by Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) law 49 CFR 217. Testing is conducted on safety critical
positions to confirm compliance to operating rules and federal regulations
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