Railway/Metro PDF 2020

"Railway/Metro"  Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Railroad Emergency Response Manual Approved by the COG Fire Chiefs Committee Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Second Edition...

"Railway/Metro"  Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Railroad Emergency Response Manual Approved by the COG Fire Chiefs Committee Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Second Edition May 2020 MWCOG Railroad Emergency Response Manual 2nd Edition – May 2020 APPENDIX A: RAILROAD EMERGENCY ACTION CHECKLIST CHAPTER 1 – RAILROAD FACILITIES AND TRACK ROADWAY A. OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS It should be remembered that unlike the National Highway System, the Nations rail network is private property. This is significant, as it carries with it several considerations that may not apply to highway and other transportation modes. While Emergency Response assets have a duty to act during emergency operations involving public safety, once the immediate emergency has been mitigated, Emergency Response personnel become invited guests of the Railroad, and may legally be asked to leave at any time after that point. This represents a change in Fire and Rescue operational standards, since Emergency responders do not automatically retain control of the scene once the event has been stabilized. Since the Nation’s Railroads are self-Insured, they will have their own procedures for emergency response to incidents not involving threats to life and public property. Incident Commanders are well advised to have a Railroad representative or trained Heavy Rail Safety Liaison to advise them on how Railroad procedures and Emergency Operations procedures can work in concert for a successful mitigation of the incident. Emergency Response Commanders can avail themselves of assets during Rail Incident Mitigation that are not available to them on other incidents. Railroads maintain contracts with Hazardous Materials clean up companies, heavy equipment operators and other hazard-mitigation companies. Many times, these entities can bring specialized resources to bear on the event that can greatly assist in the event resolution. Since these assets may be some distance, early recognition and request is strongly advised. Again, Railroad representatives or Fire & Rescue Rail Safety Liaisons can assist command with these requests. B. TRAIN STATIONS In the National Capital Region (NCR), train stations are found in a variety of designs and sizes. Some of these structures are huge transportation complexes, such as Union Station, while others are small single room structures designed to protect commuters from the inclement weather. Station construction types range from masonry to wood frame structures with canopies. These structures are owned by the major railroads and by state, local and federal agencies in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Some train stations are staffed while others are unattended and utilize vending machines for ticketing. Some stations are only steel canopy and are not considered to be a structure. Commuter railroads will try to halt trains at the closest station during an emergency. Responders should preplan these locations and structures. Rail station parking facilities located near the railroad tracks may be used as triage and equipment staging areas. Additionally, train stations have become targets for a terrorist attack as these structures are assembly areas for commuters. Terrorists tend to select these locations to produce the greatest harmful effect. Therefore, it would also be prudent for responders to evaluate railroad stations for their structural integrity, pre­ determine the effects of a possible blast and damage that would be achieved on these structures. 4 MWCOG Railroad Emergency Response Manual 2nd Edition – May 2020 Picture 1-1: Damage to both the commuter train and station in Madrid Spain. The attack occurred on March 11, 2004 - 202 people were killed and hundreds of patrons were injured. Should these fire fighters be standing underneath the canopy structure? C. RAILROAD ROADWAY COMPONENTS In the Washington Metropolitan area, both commuter rail and freight service are provided by several large railroad entities that own and operate a network of tracks that traverse through outlying counties and converge in the District of Columbia. CSX Corporation owns and operates rail lines in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Some of these train tracks may be referred to in old maps as Conrail, Chessie or B&O Railroad who are all predecessor railroads of the current CSX Corporation. There are three major CSX rail lines in Maryland that span the National Capital Region. The first is the mainline track of CSX that enters Montgomery County at the Northwest corner proceeding through Rockville and Silver Spring into Washington D.C. and designated by CSX as the “Metropolitan Subdivision.” This section of track may also be identified as the “Brunswick Line” by the MARC Commuter Services. However, since this designation is for the most part used within MARC it may not help CSX representatives with determining your exact location on the railroad during an emergency. The second mainline track in the region originates in Baltimore and parallels highway Route One in Prince George’s County and terminates in Washington D.C. This trackage is identified as the “Capital Subdivision” or called by MARC the “Camden Line.” The last major rail line is identified as “Old Main Line.” This line traverses through Frederick County. The CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroad also own and operate separate rail lines in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William Counties in Virginia. Virginia Railway Express (VRE) provides commuter service similar to the MARC System. The CSX “RF&P Subdivision Line” travels Northward away from Richmond, Virginia passing 5 MWCOG Railroad Emergency Response Manual 2nd Edition – May 2020 Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and enters the District of Columbia from the South. The Virginia Railway Express identifies this line as the “Fredericksburg Line.” The Norfolk Southern “Piedmont Division” separates from the CSX lines in Alexandria and then continues southwest through Manassas and travels to other destinations southward. This line is labeled the “Manassas Line.” Additionally, Amtrak owns and operates rail lines that extend from Boston, Massachusetts through New York, Baltimore and New Carrollton, Maryland and then terminate at Union Station in Washington D.C. This rail line is principally used for passenger service and is designated as the “Northeast Corridor” by Amtrak and called the “Penn Line” by MARC. This rail line facilitates the movement of Amtrak’s high- speed trains and offers intercity passenger rail service along the east coast. Many of these railroad tracks have additional branch or spur lines that join main line tracks and are labeled with different names or identifiers. They are not listed here because of their relative large number. Nevertheless, they are equally important and should be learned. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) also operates their own rail subway system adjacent to CSX railroad tracks in high train traffic areas called the “common corridor.” Picture 1-2: The railroad tracks of several organizations are often intertwined with each other. Responders must notify all the adjacent railroad operators to ensure that trains are halted. Pictured here are CSX tracks in the foreground and Amtrak tracks in the background. Metro Subway trains are up above on the aerial structure. It is important to understand that many of these rail lines are frequently located side by side with neither railroad entity knowing what commodity or type of train is traveling on the adjacent track. All railroads control their own particular Roadway. The term “roadway” is defined as the section of property between tunnel walls, fence lines and bridges in which the railroad utilizes for the movement of commerce and 6 MWCOG Railroad Emergency Response Manual 2nd Edition – May 2020 people which generally consist of approximately 50 feet outward measured from the center of the outward most tracks. This term is used frequently in the railroad industry. Trains from various railroads may operate on tracks owned by another railroad but the movement of trains on a given track is always controlled by the individual railroad that owns and operates the track. For example, Amtrak often operates on its own line or it can operate on both CSX and Norfolk Southern tracks. If there is an incident involving an Amtrak train or MARC train on a CSX track, CSX must stop the other trains not the local carrier. It should always be remembered that trains can operate on any track, in any direction, at any time. Before an incident occurs, fire and rescue personnel should meet with railroad representatives to gain a complete understanding of which railroad entities own and operate the tracks in their response area. This information is critical for responder safety. All railroads have a method of determining a given location on a particular rail line. Markers, called “mileposts”, are spaced at one-mile intervals along the roadway and indicate the distance from a selected starting point. In the NCR many mileposts are missing. Maps produced by the railroad industry showing their rail lines will display milepost measurements as one of their map features. Mileposts may be constructed with either a square or round metal sign attached to a pole or a concrete obelisk, shaped like a miniature Washington Monument. Milepost distances are also stenciled on bridges and other railroad structures. AT&T Telephone cable signs are posted at regular intervals along Amtrak’s roadway. At the bottom of these signs are other milepost markings. These markings are not official railroad measurements, but they are close enough to be used in an emergency. AT&T and MCI cable identification signs that are posted along the roadway of major CSX sections of track do NOT have correct milepost distances on them and are of little or no value. Learn where mileposts are located along the roadway as these markers will be the incident address to which units will be dispatched. 7 MWCOG Railroad Emergency Response Manual 2nd Edition – May 2020 Picture 1-3: CSX Milepost indicating a section of track, identified as the Metropolitan Subdivision. This section of track originates in Washington DC’s Union Station and extends north and westward. The mile post marker pictured here is positioned on the Frederick and Montgomery County boundary. This marker indicates 37 miles from Union Station. Picture 1-4: A Norfolk Southern Milepost indicating the section of track that begins in Alexandria at Milepost 8 and extends to locations southward. Milepost 12 is where a large amount of rail activity begins. Note the cable identification sign next to the milepost. On Norfolk Southern roadway these identifiers provide little information for responders to use. 8 MWCOG Railroad Emergency Response Manual 2nd Edition – May 2020 Picture 1-5: This Amtrak Milepost is situated on the “Northeast Corridor” in Prince George’s County near the Washington DC boundary line. On this track a stone obelisk is used. The mileage demarcation for this line starts in Philadelphia. Please be aware that the mileposts shown above are selected for presentation purposes only and not representative of what responders may find in the right of way. In the field, milepost may be missing or difficult to read due to vandalism and the lack of maintenance by the railroad. Track switches are located at various locations on the railroad. These switches or “crossovers” provide a means to move a train from one track to another. Some switches operate remotely by railroad controllers as far away as Jacksonville, Florida. These remote switches operate either electrically or electro- pneumatically by a distant command signal and hence, may open or close at any moment without warning. When switch operation occurs, they close with several hundred pounds of force and present a significant risk of a body part becoming crushed between the rail switch points. Emergency responders should keep feet, hands, tools and equipment clear of all switches. Because of the hazards associated with switches and other unforeseen consequences, only railroad personnel are to operate control devices. Switches may also have heaters attached to them to maintain their operability in the freezing rain and snow conditions. Portable heaters are powered by kerosene. Permanent heaters utilize electricity, natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). A 1000-gallon LPG tank supplies each LPG switch heater. Some sections of track with many switches may have up to six 1000-gallon LPG tanks. The natural gas, LPG, kerosene heaters have small flames that impinge on rails. These open flames can be mistaken for hostile fires. The natural-gas lines and LPG tanks are installed above the ground along the tracks exposing them to possible rupture. The open flames also provide an ignition source for fuel spills. Railroad electric signal wires extend under or above the ground and are energized up to 6,900 volts. Signal power lines operate switches, signals, bridges, at- grade crossing gates and other equipment. These signal lines are controlled by the railroad that owns and operates the tracks and local power companies have no control over them. Another hazard associated with the railroad industry can be found in the method railroad employees signal trains to stop. Highway flares are called “fusees” in the railroad industry. Fusees can be waved horizontally or laid by the tracks to signal trains. Emergency responders should use caution when utilizing fusees as their open flames could ignite combustibles. D. AMTRAK’S ELECTRIFIED TERRITORY Amtrak’s electrified territory utilizes overhead catenary lines that carry 12,000 volts of AC electrical power to propel trains. THE CURRENT IN THESE LINES CAN ARC UP TO THREE FEET, WHICH WILL ELECTROCUTE ANYONE WITHIN THREE FEET OF CATENARY LINES. CONSIDER ALL WIRES TO BE ENERGIZED UNTIL ADVISED TO THE CONTRARY BY A QUALIFIED AMTRAK ELECTRICAL TRACTION EMPLOYEE. Remember that this electrical hazard may not always be overhead. Firefighters operating on roadway bridges spanning Amtrak tracks have often place hose streams dangerously close to wires affixed under the bridge. 9 feasible, perform a search of the cab area to determine if the crew is off the train. Then attempt to extinguish a “stack fire” by cooling the exhaust manifold. Do not deploy water streams down the exhaust stacks! CHAPTER 3 – PASSENGER TRAINS A. PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE OVERVIEW MARC, VRE and Amtrak provide passenger rail service in the Washington Metropolitan area. MARC and Amtrak provide passenger rail service in Maryland while VRE and Amtrak provide passenger rail service in Virginia. All three passenger rail service lines converge in Union Station within the District of Columbia. Most of these train-sets are staffed, regardless of the rail line, minimally with a conductor and an engineer. Commuter passenger trains with large numbers of riders usually have an assistant conductor and additional service personnel. Conductors and service personnel wear uniforms. Uniforms are not required for train engineers. The conductor is the person in charge and has the overall responsibility of the train and the onboard personnel and communicates with those crew members by a portable radio. Mobile radios are available in locomotives and in the front of cab-cars for the crew to utilize. In addition to these revenue trains, many out-of-service trains move back and forth between Union Station and Ivy City Rail Yard for servicing or positioning to run as later revenue trains. These trains can be made up of any combination of locomotives and cars and will have, at a minimum, an engineer and conductor. The fundamental difference between MARC, VRE and Amtrak is the service area of these rail lines. While MARC and VRE are considered “commuter carriers,” Amtrak is classified as a “regional” or “passenger carrier”. This distinction is important to responders because Amtrak maintains a listing, or “Manifest” of passengers whereas a commuter carrier does not. Secondly, the rail passenger cars utilized by the commuter carrier are basically an open design and the Amtrak rail cars have many different interior layouts. Passenger trains can reach speeds of 110 mph in the District of Columbia, 135 mph in Maryland and 79 mph in Virginia. VRE trains are currently governed to 72 miles per hour. These trains often travel next to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) subway trains in a railway zone referred to as the “common corridor.” The track roadways of these railroad systems are often very close together, separated only by a chain-linked fence. Now we will examine different passenger railroad entities in further detail. We will begin with the local commuter railroads and end with the regional railroads throughout this chapter. 1. MARC Commuter Rail Service MARC provides commuter rail service to Maryland and West Virginia residents Monday through Friday. There is not MARC service on weekends. MARC often uses electric locomotives on Amtrak’s electrified territory tracks, but diesel-electric locomotives can be interchanged with MARC passenger trains on the Amtrak electrified territory and CSX tracks. Train crews operating MARC trains on CSX tracks are CSX employees. Crews staffing MARC trains on Amtrak tracks are Amtrak employees. Most trains usually consist of a locomotive, two to six trailer cars and a cab car. Occasionally, a train will not have a cab-car but will have a locomotive at each end. Each car typically has sitting capacity for approximately 100 passengers however this number will be doubled with standees during rush hour. When MARC trains travel south toward Union Station, the engineer performs the operating functions from the cab-car located at the front of the train with no engine crew in the rear locomotive. Conversely, when the trains leave Union Station and travels north, the engineer is in the locomotive at the north end of the train. 2. VRE Commuter Rail Service 29 VRE provides commuter rail service to Virginia in the same fashion as the MARC on weekdays. There are no scheduled VRE trains on weekends or federal holidays. VRE utilizes diesel- electric locomotives with their passenger trains on Amtrak, CSX and Norfolk Southern tracks. VRE trains usually consist of a locomotive, a minimum of three trailer cars and a cab-car. Each passenger car has the capacity of about 120 - 140 seated passengers, but these trains also carry many standing passengers during peak hours. As these trains travel north to Union Station, the engineer is positioned in the cab-car at the north end of the train and no operators will be found in the locomotive. When returning to Virginia, the trains leave Union Station and travel south with the engineer in the locomotive at the south end of the train. 3. AMTRAK Regional and National Passenger Rail Service Amtrak provides regional as well as long-distance passenger rail service seven days a week. Amtrak will generally use electric locomotives to propel their passenger trains on their electrified territory tracks on the Northeast Corridor. Diesel-electric locomotives are often utilized with Amtrak’s passenger trains on Amtrak’s electrified territory, CSX and Norfolk Southern tracks. The trains usually consist of one or two locomotives, seven passenger cars, three baggage or material-handling cars for mail, passenger baggage and utility equipment. Amtrak trains typically carry a total of 250 passengers. Amtrak trains usually have the locomotive in front, followed by passenger cars, and may have material-handling cars near the locomotive or at the end of the train. There are two types of Amtrak High-Speed passenger trains. Both types use a newly designed locomotive. These locomotives have unique features that are described in Chapter 2 of this manual. In one form, the HHP8 bi-directional locomotive is used with conventional passenger cars and can travel up to 125 mph. These locomotives are numbered 650 to 664. The “Acela” consists of a High-Speed locomotive, called a power car, at each end of the six passenger cars. The power cars and passenger cars are semi- permanently coupled into high-speed train-sets for rail service travel. These train-sets can travel up to 150 mph but will travel at 135 mph in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The power cars are numbered 2000 to 2039 and the passenger cars are numbered the 3000 series. B. FEATURES COMMON TO ALL PASSENGER TRAINS Most passenger rail cars in operation in the United States have design features that are in common to one another. Unless specifically stated otherwise, information discussed in this section can be applied to all passenger train equipment operated in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia by Amtrak, MARC and VRE. Later in this chapter, the specific features of each passenger rail cars will be described. 1. Head End Power (HEP) Electric power to passenger cars is provided from the locomotive at 480 volts AC. The current travels through cables underneath passenger cars and is reduced down in individual cars from 480 volts AC to 220 and 110 volts AC. This electrical system is referred to as Head-End Power (HEP). Parallel HEP cables run from the locomotive, under the cars, for the entire length of the train. Connections between 30 passenger train cars are referred to as jumpers, pigtails or HEP cables. These connections can be found at both ends of each car, locomotive and cab-car on each side of the train. All passenger locomotives (diesel-electric and electric) can provide HEP. When multiple locomotives are in use at the front or rear of the train, the locomotive closest to the cars will usually provide HEP. When a locomotive is at each end of the train, either one of the locomotives will supply HEP. Picture 3-1: Picture of a typical Amtrak trainset with two diesel-electric locomotives to propel the train. Remember that both locomotives must be shut down! HEP source shut-offs are located in the locomotive cab and at the power plant. It is designed this way so that engineers on all passenger trains can remove HEP to the entire train without shutting down the locomotive. Individual cars can isolate HEP from the rest of the train by throwing breakers in the electrical control cabinet of each passenger car. Isolating the car by way of the circuit breaker does NOT de- energize HEP cables under the car. No attempt should be made to remove HEP cables, nor should any emergency response personnel go between or under cars until a responsible train crewmember (conductor or engineer) has guaranteed that HEP has been de-energized and the train will not move. Emergency response personnel can also shut down HEP from diesel-electric locomotives by using the emergency shut-offs on the side of the locomotives. By shutting down the diesel engine within the locomotive, the generation of electrical current is halted. Diesel-electric locomotives provide HEP in a variety of ways. To ensure that both the motive power and HEP is shut down, use one of the two external emergency shut-offs on each side of the locomotive. Using the emergency shut-off in the cab of passenger locomotives may only shut down the motive power source and not the HEP source. Totally electric locomotives can be shut down either by lowering and latching pantographs or by de- energizing and grounding the catenary system. When either one of these actions occur, HEP will also shut down. 31 MARC “cab” cars (the first car of a train when the train is in the push mode) also have a toggle switch that is located in the overhead console of the cab car. This toggle switch will lower the pantograph of an electrical locomotive or cut off the fuel to a diesel locomotive that is located at rear of the train. This switch is a secondary means of power cut off. Picture 3-2: The 480-volt Head End Power (HEP) cables have red connections. The low voltage communication cables have blue connections. Also located in this area, but not visible, are 140-psi air lines with “Glad Hand” connections. Never attempt to disconnect hoses or cables. Stationary passenger trains can also receive ground power (wayside power) through cables connected to circuit breakers at Union Station and some rail yards. At these facilities, passenger trains can carry the full 480 volts without a locomotive attached to the cars. Power is turned on and off at the breaker boxes. Different types of breaker boxes are used at different locations. All types use keys that are left in the box when a car, or cars, are energized. To de-energize a car(s) connected to the ground power cables, push the green “open” button to open the circuit and disconnect power from the cables. Do NOT try to remove ground power by pulling apart cables. Railroad employees should perform this function. Only one locomotive supplies HEP to the whole train and it is that particular locomotive that must be shut down to de-energize the train. Do NOT attempt to remove HEP by disconnecting cables. An electric arc will be created causing injury. 2. Air and Hand Brake Systems Locomotives are installed with huge compressors that deliver compressed air through piping which extends the entire length of the train. On passenger trains, these are air brake lines that are pressurized up to 110 psi and main-reservoir lines pressurized up to 140 psi. The locomotive supplies both air systems. The brake line (brake pipe) controls the brakes. The main reservoir operates other systems such as the doors. 32 As with HEP cables, air brake lines are dangerous and are to be connected or disconnected ONLY by railroad personnel. Responders will find a red emergency brake handle for the air brake system in each passenger car. This emergency brake handle is only for halting trains while they are in motion. If the emergency brake handle is pulled on a stationary train, the brakes will be applied and cannot be released. Instead of pulling the emergency air brake, a hand brake is provided and should be used by emergency response personnel to totally immobilize the trains during an incident. These hand brakes are located at the “B” end of each car. These devices are mechanical parking brakes that apply the brake shoes independently of the regular air brake and main reservoir systems. Hand brakes should not be mistaken for an emergency brake that operates the air brake system. Hand brakes are operated either by a wheel or lever. Hand brakes are applied by either turning the wheel clockwise or pumping the lever until it cannot be turned or pumped anymore. The amount of turning or pumping will vary from hand brake to hand brake. The chain attached to the wheel or lever will be taut when the brake is applied and loose when disengaged. During emergency operations, at least two hand brakes must be applied. Railroad or emergency response personnel can apply the brakes, but railroad employees must be informed when emergency responders apply the brakes. Hand brakes are only to be released by railroad employees. Picture 3-3 and 3-4: These pictures illustrate the two types of hand brakes on train cars. Picture 3-3 displays the “lever-ratchet” type of hand brake. Picture 3-4 shows the more common type of a large hand wheel on the inside of a passenger car. It is a prudent to place barrier tape around the hand wheel to indicate that the hand brake has been applied. 3. Keys 33 The standard Amtrak coach key is used on Amtrak, MARC and VRE passenger cars. The unique old-style skeleton shape can identify this key. In addition to their specific functions stated below, the standard Amtrak coach key can be used to operate the public address system and to open a variety of access doors and control panels. A coach key is carried by most passenger railroad employees and assigned to passenger rail service. Emergency responders can obtain their own coach keys from railroad representatives prior to an incident. Not all cabinet doors need a key to gain access. Many cabinets which must be accessed by emergency responders can be opened by using a pen, pencil or similar thin rigid object. VRE is phasing out this style of lock. C. CAB CARS The term “cab-cars” or “push-pull” cars are used to describe the first car on passenger trains when locomotives are used to push the train. MARC and VRE use cab-cars in their commuter train consists everyday they provide rail service. The exteriors of cab-cars are similar in appearance to other passenger cars except they are equipped with horns and headlights. VRE cab cars also have distinctive yellow and black stripes on the end of the cab car. Internally, cab-cars not only contain passenger seating, but also have just a small control stand for the operator of the train. When an engineer operates the train from the control stand, the locomotive at the opposite end of the train will not be staffed, and all movement and braking will be controlled from the cab-car. There are no traction motors or motive power source underneath the frame of the cab-car. Cab-car doors and emergency windows are similar to regular passenger cars and can be accessed easily from the outside. Most cab-cars have bathrooms and wheel-chair lifts for passengers. It is extremely important that the Incident Commander determine the front of the train in a railroad crash or derailment as a train in “push mode” will cause confusion as to which part the train is the forward end. Use spray paint to number and to identify car position relative to the front of the train. On the Silver Spring Amtrak MARC collision, responders had difficulty determining the front of train as some of the locomotives were off the tracks and the MARC train was in the “push” mode. 34 Picture 3-5: The distinctive VRE “Cab Car” shown in adjacent picture is in the push mode. This car is one of the newer Gallery Cars just delivered to VRE. The locomotive is pushing the train from the other end. The train operator will normally be found here when the train is in push mode. Cab Cars can cause confusion to emergency responders as to which part of the train is the forward end. The Incident Commander on a train incident must determine the front of the train early in a railroad incident if a commuter train is suspected to be in the “push mode.” Picture 3-6: Displayed here are markings painted on the bottom of an overturned passenger railcar with orange spray paint. Here the “C” stands for the word “car.” Locomotives would in turn be given designations such as L1, L2, etc. Other markings on the train can be used to identify if the rail car has been searched and the amount of victims found and removed. The Incident Commander can also use these 35  marking systems to separate cars or multiple cars into divisions. Medical tape can also be used but it is not as effective. D. PASSENGER CARS (Trailer Cars) Passenger cars may be designed for passenger coach use only, or for a combination of other functions, such as, passenger coach and snack bar, passenger coach and lounge, etc. Some trailer cars may have sleeper berths exclusively, diner use exclusively, or a combination of these uses in place of or in concert with coach seating. These distinctive passenger cars may have one or two (double-decker) levels. Cars of this design may have bathrooms, dressing rooms, public phone rooms, service spaces, baggage spaces above and below seats and sleeping berths. In an emergency, all the above-mentioned areas must be searched thoroughly. This proves to be a formidable task when the train car is found lying on its side or the entire car is obscured by smoke. Passenger car interiors are mostly made of fire- resistant material; however, diesel fuel from the locomotive can cause all non-metal materials in the car to burn when ignited. Wiring and electrical equipment is found in and underneath the car. Trash cans in the passenger railcars are places where fires are likely to occur. All rail cars, both passenger and freight, do not have a front or rear end. They have an “A” or “B” end based on where the hand brake is located. The end of the car with the hand brake is designated the “B” end; the other end of the car is the “A” end. The left and right sides of the car are determined by standing at the “B” end of the car, facing the “A” end. From this orientation, the left side of the car is now on the left and the right side of the car is on the right. A train car sits on two truck assemblies or trucks. Each truck has two sets of wheels (axles) and can weigh more than ten tons. A center pin on the car body fits into a hole in the truck’s center plate. Gravity is the main means for keeping the train body on the two truck assemblies in freight cars. The truck assemblies are designed to “drop away” in a derailment to ensure that the freight car comes to rest quickly and does not roll to an undesired location. On passenger cars, there is a supplementary restraining device that keeps the center pin in the center plate, so that the truck assemblies are connected to the body of the car. A restraining device is also found on Metro subway cars. As an additional safety measure, passenger cars are designed with “tight-lock” couplings with sides that tend to keep the passenger cars coupled together in a derailment. While these devices do reduce accidental uncoupling of train cars, if a train were to become partially derailed on an embankment, the rest of the train may be pulled off. This action may leave portions of the uncoupled train in a cantilever position and not supported. Conventional cribbing cannot be used to support unstable railroad equipment due to weight and mass of cars and locomotives. All passenger cars are marked with a permanent number assigned by the railroad that owns the car. Care must be taken not to mistake a changeable train number with the permanent car number. Passenger cars have a combination public address and intercom system. The system can be used to address passengers in the whole train or the individual car. The intercom can also be used for discrete two- way conversation between two cars. Some systems require a standard Amtrak coach key for operation. 36 Most cars have 110-volt outlets in bathrooms and passenger areas that are supplied by head-end or ground power. Some outlets are reached by rotating passenger seats. Some passenger rail cars have an access panel, or "soft spot," on the roof of the passenger car that can be cut with a circular rescue saw. This area is clear of electrical wiring and high-pressure air lines. This area is clearly marked with a decal or paint. If this access panel is used when the car is in an upright position, the catenary system must be shut down and grounded. All VRE cars have four of these “soft spots.” Picture 3-7: This photograph shows an access panel, or "soft spot," on the roof of the passenger car that can be cut with a circular rescue saw. This area is clear of electrical wiring and high-pressure air lines. E. GENERAL INFORMATION ON ALL PASSENGER RAIL CAR DOORS Due to the heavy construction of passenger cars, egress should be through doors, and if necessary, through windows. Passenger car exterior doors are manually, electrically or electro-pneumatically operated. Under emergency conditions, all doors can be manually operated. Manual doors are hinged or slide into a pocket. Electric and electro-pneumatic doors also slide into pockets. Damage to the exterior of the passenger car were the door is recessed can prevent the door from sliding into the pocket even when controls are bypassed. If this type of damage occurs it will be extremely difficult to force open the doors using hydraulic entry tools. The key to quick entry is to understand how a train door operates and to be able to adjust forcible entry techniques to the conditions found. 37 Most passenger rail cars have three types of doors. Generally, they are grouped as outside vestibule end doors (exterior collision-post doors or body-end doors), inside end doors (interior vestibule doors) and exterior entrance side doors (side doors). See diagram below: Diagram 3-1: Illustrated here is a schematic drawing of a typical passenger rail “cab car” door assembly. Note the correct names of the various door openings. They are identified as the outside vestibule end doors (exterior collision-post doors or body-end doors), inside end doors (interior vestibule doors), and the most important, exterior entrance side doors. Both outside and inside vestibule doors provide the means for passengers to pass from one car to the other. End doors on Amtrak Superliner cars are on the upper level of the double-decker car. Exterior side doors are used to enter and exit trains. Except for some lounge, diner and buffet cars, all passenger cars have exterior side doors. In normal conditions, passengers occupying the lounge, diner or buffet cars must transverse through the end doors to another car and then exit the train. 38 When two passenger cars are joined together, a drop plate on the floor and rubber diaphragms at the ceiling and sides enclose the connection. On some older cars, there are curtains on the interior side of the diaphragms that are fastened to both cars. The outside end doors are secured in an open position and the inside end doors remain closed but unlocked. This joins the vestibules from each car to create a single vestibule between the two cars. There are usually one or two sets of exterior side doors in this joint vestibule. 1. Outside End Doors (Collision Post Doors or Body End Doors) Outside end doors are on the exterior of a freestanding passenger rail car and protect the car from the elements. These doors separate the vestibule from the exterior of the car. When cars are connected together into a passenger train, these doors are secured open. A person traversing through the train does not need to open these doors and they are often out of sight. Outside end doors are manually operated hinged doors. Most of these doors have latch handles on both sides of the door and lock on the inside. The Marc III cars do not have outside handles. The outside end door of a freestanding car, or a car at the end of the passenger car portion of an Amtrak train, may be latched and locked shut. If it is latched shut, it still can be opened from the outside. If the outside end door of an Amtrak train is locked, it can be unlocked with a standard Amtrak coach key from INSIDE the car only. There is no key access on the outside of the door. 2. Inside End Doors (Interior Vestibule Doors) Inside end doors are on the interior of a freestanding car. These doors separate the vestibule from the passenger compartment. When cars are connected together, these doors protect the passenger compartment from the noise and drafts of the joint vestibule between the cars. A person traversing through the train will find these doors closed but not locked. Inside end doors are electric or electro-pneumatic operation. In most passenger train cars, there is an Emergency End Door Switch on both sides of the door if the door malfunctions. The Emergency End Door Switch either opens the door or releases the door so it can be pushed open. To operate an Emergency End Door Switch, lift the red colored guard and put the toggle switch in the open position. On the MARC III and VRE, Kawasaki electric inside end doors have an off and on switch with a neutral position in the middle. These MARC III and VRE Kawasaki inside end doors can only be manually opened when the switch is in the middle neutral position. Sometimes, malfunctioning power assisted doors can be pushed open without using the Emergency End Door Switch. In the rare case that the Emergency End Door Switch does not work, some end- door windows can be pushed out, some can be broken, and some can be removed by pulling out the rubber “zip strip.” 3. EXTERIOR SIDE ENTRANCE DOORS (VESTIBULE SIDE DOORS) Exterior side doors allow passengers to enter and leave the train. They are arranged in matched sets with a door on each side of the car, opposite its mate. These side-door sets can be at the vestibule on one end of a car, at the vestibules on both ends of a car or in the middle of the car. Amtrak and VRE side doors have Lexan polycarbonate windows that can be forced into the car. Exterior side doors are designed for use at either ground level or elevated station platforms. When a side door is opened, the floor is even with elevated platforms. If passengers are exiting to ground level, trapdoors are lifted out of the way to allow access to the ground. To lift the trapdoors from inside the car, first open the door, and then push on the foot pedal. The trapdoor will spring up enough to be lifted and latched to the side of the wall. To 39 raise the trapdoor from outside the car, first open the door and then push on the foot pedal with a Halligan bar or other tool. The trapdoor will spring up enough to be pushed up from the outside and latched to the side. The Halligan bar or other tool serves to extend the emergency responder’s reach and is not used to force the foot pedal. Some cars also have a handle on the outside of the car that is pulled down, or pulled out, to raise the trap door. Stairs are either already in place or lower when the trapdoor is lifted. Care must be taken not to be struck by these stairs when lowering them into position. Some passenger cars have wheelchair lifts at side doors. The side doors of Amtrak High Speed train-sets do not have stairs or trap doors. 4. Other Exterior Side Doors – Middle of the Car Different types of cars have different exterior side door operations. A passenger train will often have many different types of cars. If a particular type of car is difficult to enter, an easier to enter car may be located elsewhere in the train. End doors between cars are not locked and it is easy to gain access by traveling between cars. Pictures 3-8, 3-9 and 3-10: The three photographs displayed above show an array of door configurations. The top picture shows door configurations found on a single level car. The bottom picture illustrates the obstacles responders will find with center exterior doors. Responders must know how to access all types of rail equipment doors in the event rescues must be made within the cars. F. SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON PASSENGER RAIL CARS This section of the chapter describes the specific characteristics of different passenger rail cars. The cars are grouped by railroads, starting with MARC, then VRE, and finishing with Amtrak. Each railroad group will start with single deck cars and conclude with larger double-decker cars. 40 1. MARC II Car Information and Car Door Configurations Diagram 3-2: Above is a schematic drawing of a typical MARC II passenger trailer car. Note the position of the emergency side door release on the inside of the car on both ends. 41 Picture 3-11: A view of both a “Cab Car” and two trailer cars. This train is in the push mode. If you were to respond to this incident, what is the best method to enter this type of rail car if it were derailed? MARC single level passenger rail cars are manufactured by Nippon Sharyo and are very similar to VRE II cars. Each car weighs approximately 100,000 lbs. and the exterior shell of the car is ¾ inch stainless steel. The cars are designed to withstand the impact from a collision with far more survivability then light rail subway train cars. As stated prior in this chapter, these commuter rail cars are of open design where passengers are seated in a row of two or three seats on each side of the middle isle. Most MARC II cars have luggage racks located above the heads of the passengers. The luggage rack and the items stored on the racks will hinder responders entering a derailed train if the car would come to rest on its side. The MARC II passenger cars carry approximately 120 commuters. These cars have a variety of safety equipment that passengers and crew can utilize in the event of an emergency. The rescue equipment includes a portable fire extinguisher, first aid kit and a tool kit. The tool kit contains a saw, a pointed iron rod and a small sledgehammer. All these tools are located in a horizontal box in the passenger compartment. The MARC II cars have exterior side doors on both sides at each end of the car. These passenger cars have electrically operated sliding exterior side doors that open in a pocket. These doors have grab handles on both sides of the door and a lock on the outside. In addition to the door handles, there is a manual latch that allows the doors to open mechanically. The latch is located at the top of the door. This latch can be manually engaged or released from the inside only. All MARC II cars have an automatically inflated weather stripping around the door. If the weather stripping malfunctions and does not automatically deflate, puncture the rubber with a knife or sharp tool. This will release the air pressure from the weather- stripping. a. Opening Doors from Outside These doors have handles on both sides of the door and can easily be opened from the inside or outside if the door is not latched. If the door is latched on the inside, the handles will not work. The outside locks are not usually locked. If the door is locked, it can be unlocked with the standard Amtrak coach key. This lock has no effect on the inside latching system. There are no manual emergency releases on the outside. If the door is latched on the inside, entry must be gained through an end door or window. b. Opening Doors from Inside The first option is to break the plastic “bulls-eye” located in the vestibule adjacent to the door, and then pull the emergency door handle. If the inside latch is applied, release the latch at the top of the door, then pull on the door handle. This handle can also be reached from the outside after forcing down the side door window. 42 2. MARC III (KAWASAKI) CAR INFORMATION AND CAR DOOR CONFIGURATIONS Diagrams 3-3 and 3-4: Illustrated above are diagrams of a typical MARC III passenger trailer car. Like the MARC II the emergency door release is located under the body of the car. 43 Picture 3-12: A view of an electric locomotive pulling a train-set of MARC III cars. What is the best method to rescue persons from the top deck if this train was derailed? MARC III Kawasaki’s are identical to the VRE Kawasaki cars. Both passenger car designs have electrically operated and locked sliding exterior side doors. These doors do not have handles on the inside or outside of the door. These doors automatically close and lock during train operation. MARC III, VRE Kawasaki and MARC II cars have exterior side doors on both sides of both ends of the car. a. Opening Doors from Outside If the car still has head-end or battery power, then these doors can be unlocked and opened from the outside using a standard Amtrak coach key. Keyways are located next to the door they operate. The keyways are under a protective door that easily lifts up to expose the keyhole. If the door has electric power, it will slide open. If the door does not have head-end or battery power, it will not open even if it is manually pushed. Like the MARC II, the MARC III cars have a well-marked “T” handle to manually open side doors from the outside whether or not the door has power. The pull handle is located under the car deck just below and to one side of all side doors. These handles are out of sight and covered with a metal plate that reads “EMERGENCY DOOR HANDLE.” Above the handle are large red and white decals on the side of the car that reads “EMERGENCY DOOR HANDLE RELEASE BELOW.” Pull the “T” handle and the door will release and can be pushed completely open. 44 Below are pictures that illustrate the sequence of door operation: Picture 3- 13a: The first objective is to find the emergency door release handle. The emergency handles shown here are just to the left of the door under the main car body. In a derailment these handles may become buried in the ground or be covered with debris. Picture 3-13b: After the handle is pulled, then slide the exterior side door back towards the center of the car. Locate the trap door release and pull same. These doors may be difficult to open in a derailment if the door or side of the car is deformed. 45 Picture 3-13c: The emergency trap door will spring open a short distance. Continue to open the trap door, lock in place and then enter the train car. Remember that these trap doors are heavy and will cause harm if allowed to fall. In the collision and derailment of MARC Train 286 and the Amtrak train 29, near Silver Spring, Maryland on February 16, 1996, the NTSB Railroad Accident Report described the actions of the victims that were trying to escape after the two trains collided. The report stated that, “Ten out of the eighteen passengers on board the control car 7752 survived the accident. The passengers were unsuccessful in opening the left and right rear exterior doors after the train was struck.” Two of the fatalities were found in the vestibule between the inner and outer exterior doors. As a result of this incident, both emergency door and window release mechanisms were greatly enhanced. Responders should be aware that damage to the door itself, angulations of the rail car and passengers gathered by the door will interfere with rescue efforts. 46 3. VRE GALLERY CAR INFORMATION AND CAR DOOR CONFIGURATIONS Diagram 3-8: Illustrated above is a diagram of a typical VRE Gallery passenger trailer car. Like the MARC II the emergency door release is located by the side door. 47 Picture 3-20: A picture of one of the newer style VRE Gallery cab cars. The spiral staircase means rescue from the top deck will be difficult. a. Opening Doors from Inside To open the door from inside the car, pull on the door handle. If the inside latch is applied, release the latch at the top of the door, then pull on the door handle. This handle can also be reached from the outside after forcing down the side door window. Picture 3-21: A VRE Gallery car - notice the emergency valve handle to the left of the middle exterior door. By turning the handle, the door can be manually opened. b. Opening Doors from Outside The Gallery car doors have handles on both sides of the door and can easily be opened from the inside or outside if the door is not latched. If the door is latched on the inside, the handles will not work. The outside locks are not usually locked. If the door is locked, it can be unlocked with the standard Amtrak coach key. This lock has no effect on the inside latching system. If the door is latched on the inside, entry must be gained through an end door or window. There is a manual emergency release on the outside of the car. It is located under the car body to the left of the outside middle door. After turning the valve, push the door open. If the door is latched on the inside, entry must be gained through an end door or window. Window removal will be covered later in this chapter. 48 4. AMTRAK AMFLEET I CAR INFORMATION AND CAR DOOR CONFIGURATIONS Diagram 3-11: Illustrated above is a diagram of a typical Amfleet 1 passenger single trailer car. Like other regional commuter train-sets the door configuration is similar. Picture 3-23: A view of an Amtrak Amfleet I Passenger car. Note the two exterior side exit doors on each end of the car. Amfleet II cars have one set of doors on one end. Amtrak Amfleet I passenger cars are electrically operated with locked, sliding exterior side doors. These doors do not have handles on the inside or outside of the door. These doors are automatically closed and locked during train operation. In addition to the locking device, Amfleet I cars have automatically inflating weather stripping around the door. When inflated, the weather stripping can restrict door movement. If the weather stripping malfunctions and does not automatically deflate, puncture the rubber with a 49 knife or sharp tool. This will release the air pressure and allow the door to move freely when using the door opening methods listed below. The Amfleet I cars have side doors on both sides of both ends of the car. a. Opening Doors from Outside When the car has head-end or sufficient battery power, two of the four doors can be unlocked and opened from the outside using a standard Amtrak coach key. When facing the car from the side, the door that can be opened with the coach key is usually on the left. The keyway is located at the end of the car, around the corner from the side door it opens. The keyways are under a protective door that easily lifts up to expose the keyhole. If the door has sufficient electric power, it will slide open. If the door does not have head end or battery power, it will not open entirely, even if it is manually pushed. There are no manual emergency releases on the outside. If the door does not have electric power, entry must be gained through an end door or emergency exit window. Picture 3-24: A view of the key way where a standard train door key can be inserted. If there is still battery power, then the door next to keyway will open. b. Opening Doors from the Inside When the car has head-end or sufficient battery power, these doors can be unlocked and opened from the inside using a standard Amtrak coach key. Keyways are located next to the door they operate. If the door has sufficient electric power, it will slide open. If the door does not have electric power, it will not open, even if it is manually pushed. Whether or not the car has head end or battery power, Amfleet I interior doors can be unlocked and manually opened from the inside using a “T” handle or ball handle. This emergency release is well marked and recessed in the ceiling above the door. Pull the “T” handle or ball handle and the door will release and can be pushed completely open. The handle can also be reached from the outside after forcing in the exterior side door window. 5. Amtrak Amfleet II Car Information and Car Door Configurations 50 Amfleet II have manually operated sliding exterior side doors. These doors have handles on both sides of the door and a lock on the outside. In addition to the door handles, there is a manual latch. The latch is at the top of the door. This latch can be manually engaged or released from the inside only. Like Amfleet I cars, there is automatically inflating weather stripping around the door. If the weather stripping malfunctions and does not automatically deflate, puncture the rubber with a knife or sharp tool. This will release the air pressure. The Amfleet II cars have side doors on both sides of one end of the car. a. Opening Doors from Outside These doors have handles on both sides of the door and can easily be opened from the inside or outside if the door is not latched. If the door is latched on the inside, the handles will not work. The outside locks are not usually locked. If the door is locked, it can be unlocked with the standard Amtrak coach key. This lock has no effect on the inside latching system. There are no manual emergency releases on the outside. If the door is latched on the inside, entry must be gained through an end door or window. b. Opening Doors from Inside To open the door from inside the car, pull on the door handle. If the inside latch is applied, release the latch at the top of the door, then pull on the door handle. This handle can also be reached from the outside after forcing down the side door window. 51 6. Amtrak Superliner Car Information and Car Door Configurations Diagram 3-12: Illustrated above is a diagram of a typical Superliner sleeper passenger multi-level trailer car. Note the small stair wells. Removing victims from this car will be difficult during emergency conditions. Understanding the layout of these cars is very important. Picture 3-25: A Superliner multilevel car. The name of this type of car is largely printed on the side of the car making them easy to identify. 52 Amtrak Superliner passenger cars have manually operated hinged exterior side doors that swing inward. These doors have latch handles on both sides of the door and a lock on the outside. Some of the doors are “Dutch” style with separate latches for the top and bottom sections. These doors are closed and latched, but not locked, during operation. The Superliner cars have doors on both sides, in the middle of the car, at the lower level. a. Opening Doors from Outside These doors have handles on both sides of the door and can easily be opened from the inside or outside if the door is not latched. If the door is latched on the inside, the handles will not work. The outside locks are not usually locked. If the door is locked, it can be unlocked with the standard Amtrak coach key. This lock has no effect on the inside latching system. There are no manual emergency releases on the outside. If the door is latched on the inside, entry must be gained through an end door or window. b. Opening Doors from Inside To open the door from inside the car, pull on the door handle. If the inside latch is applied, release the latch at the top of the door, then pull on the door handle. This handle can also be reached from the outside after forcing down the side door window. 7. AMTRAK HIGH-SPEED TRAIN-SETS Information and Car Door Configurations 53 Diagram 3-13: Illustrated above is a diagram of a high speed train car. The door configuration and rescue methods are different from older equipment. Picture 3-26: A view of an Acela electric locomotive pulling a train-set out of the Ivy City rail yard. Their distinctive color and shape make them easy to identify. There are six passenger cars in a High Speed train-set. The exteriors of the six cars, including the doors, are identical. The train-set passenger cars have electrically operated doors that open away from the car and slide along the outside of the car. The side doors do not have stairs or trap doors. The cars have side doors on both sides of one end of the car. Two emergency escape ladders are stored in the car near the doors. These ladders can be used to evacuate passengers when the train is not at a high platform. These side doors can be opened from the outside by breaking the cover over a red lever recessed in the outside wall by the door. Pull the lever to release the door. Some Acela train-set passenger cars also have a “soft spot” in the roof that can be cut with a circular rescue saw. The soft spot is clear of any electrical, communication or compressed air lines. It is marked by a decal showing its location and size. It is intended for use when the car has rolled over. If this soft spot is used when the car is right-side up, catenary power must be shut down and grounded. The train-set power and passenger cars are semi-permanently attached. They must be separated in an Amtrak shop. G. UTLIZING EMERGENCY WINDOWS ON ALL PASSENGER CARS Passenger train doors are the preferred means of entering and exiting cars. If train doors cannot be open because of mechanical damage, emergency train windows provide rescuers another quick manner to enter the train. The next option is non- emergency windows. Emergency windows are provided in all passenger train cars. Each car will have at least two emergency windows on each side and will be evenly distributed along the entire length of the car body. Some 54 passenger cars are being retrofitted so that most or all windows will be emergency windows. All emergency windows are marked on the interior and exterior of the car. Opening directions posted by the outside of a window do not necessarily mean a window is an emergency window. Emergency windows can also be recognized by red handles located inside the car at the top or bottom of the window. On the inside of the car, directions for opening the windows are posted near the window. On the outside of the car, directions are posted at the end of the car around the corner from the window side of the car. Directions are also often posted on the outside near the window. All windows, even non- emergency windows, can be opened from the outside by following the posted directions. Amtrak windows are made of Lexan polycarbonate material that is extremely difficult to cut or break. VRE and MARC use multi-ply safety glass. Windows can provide an easy way to remove patients out of the train. For example: a patient may need to be placed in a Stokes basket and passed through the window rather than down narrow stairs. Please note that if a window is removed, the railcar cannot continue on its journey as occupied. To avoid pulling a window if the conditions do not fully warrant it, the luggage rack between the upper and lower levels is rated for several thousand pounds. An individual can be packaged on this rack and then lowered by team into the vestibule. 1. Opening All Types of Emergency Windows from Inside the Car All Amtrak, VRE and MARC emergency windows can be opened from the inside using the procedure found in the picture below: Picture 3-27: The decal directs passengers how to remove emergency windows. The decal states: first, pull the red handle: second, pull out the window by using the handles on the glass. Firefighters on the outside of the rail car can direct passengers to remove the emergency windows on their own accord. While this action may assist in the rescue effort, remember there may be a nine-foot drop to the ground. When some emergency windows are opened from the inside, only one-half of the window assembly is removed. On others, the whole window is removed. 55 2. Opening Amtrak Windows from the Outside Amtrak passenger car windows are made of Lexan polycarbonate materials. On these cars, both emergency and non-emergency windows, can be opened from the outside using the prescribed sequence found on the decal located at the bottom of the window. Rescuers need only to follow the instructions. Picture 3-28: This top picture shows the pictorial sequence decal of the procedure for window removal. A rescuer would find this decal on an outside window of a VRE rail passenger car. Note the installed handles. 56 Picture 3-29: This bottom picture shows the decal removal sequence for Amtrak passenger rail cars. This picture was taken of an Amfleet I car window. When windows are opened from the outside, the whole window assembly is removed. Some VRE windows have the red emergency pull handle located on the exterior of the window for use by emergency response personnel on the outside of the car. 3. Opening MARC and VRE Windows from the Outside MARC recommends that their windows (safety glass), both emergency and non- emergency windows, be opened from the outside by breaking them, VRE recommends simple removal by pulling exterior gaskets. Use the following method: Picture 3-30: A view on the decal stenciled on the exterior side of a MARC passenger car. Remember that most MARC passenger train car windows are glass and have a totally different procedure in removal. This fact is the most distinctive difference between the MARC and VRE trains and the Amtrak equipment. Using the “zip-strip” removal method can also easily open many of the MARC windows. This will avoid the hazard of broken glass. MARC windows should be checked for the accessibility of the “zip-strip” and this method is preferred where possible. 57 4. Last Resort Methods to Remove Lexan Polycarbonate Windows The above methods should be adequate in the vast majority of emergency situations. In extremely rare circumstances where the removal of windows by the prescribed means is precluded, a carbide-tipped CHAIN saw can be used to cut Lexan polycarbonate windows. When using a carbide-tipped chain saw, large sharp pieces of Lexan polycarbonate will fly in all directions. Another last choice option is to freeze the Lexan polycarbonate pane with several large CO2 fire extinguishers and then shatter the window with a Halligan bar. Do NOT use any type of circular saw. The Lexan polycarbonate will melt and foul the blade before it can cut very far. Any tool swung at the Lexan polycarbonate windows will rebound dangerously and this method is not to be used. H. CUTTING INTO THE CAR BODY If access cannot be obtained through doors or windows, cut the metal body between structural supports but remember that the outer skin is ¾’’ stainless steel. Avoid cutting car floors because of their heavier construction and the presence of 480-volt HEP lines, high-pressure air lines and other utilities. Hurst and other standard vehicle-extrication tools will not work on train car structural supports. Reciprocating saws and cutting torches are the best tools to cut structural supports. Be aware that electrical wiring and high- pressure air lines are located throughout the body of the car. As described earlier in this chapter, there are access panels, or "soft spot," on the roof of some passenger cars that can be cut with a circular rescue saw. I. OTHER EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT All passenger cars are equipped with one or two dry chemical extinguishers, a small first-aid kit, a sledgehammer, a pry bar and other tools. They are in well-marked cabinets inside the car. MARC III cars are provided with a sledgehammer on the outside of the car to assist in breaking the windows. Two are mounted on the underside of each MARC III car. One is mounted on each side and they are marked with a decal of a firefighter holding an axe. 74-volt nickel-cadmium rail car batteries provide emergency lighting and door power. Batteries are located in boxes under the car or in compartments on the side of the car. The emergency lights will automatically come on when normal head-end power is lost. These batteries are rated for six hours but may not last that long in an actual emergency. The batteries may also be torn off or disabled in a derailment. Individual lights may also have their own battery power independent of the rail car batteries. Seats in Amtrak cars can be rotated to allow better access to emergency windows. The seats are pulled out toward the aisle and then rotated. Some seats have a foot-pedal release that must be activated while pushing the seats. VRE and MARC cars do not have this feature. J. FREIGHT CARS ON AMTRAK PASSENGER TRAINS Amtrak passenger trains can include boxcars for mail, baggage and material handling. These cars are similar to those used on freight trains and typically carry U. S. Mail or bulk packages. Amtrak freight cars are identified by a set of numbers printed on the side of the car. Amtrak freight cars typically do not have end doors like their passenger rail counterparts; making access limited to heavy cargo doors located on 58 each side. Because freight cars do not have a passageway in which patrons can transverse through the car, they are positioned either near the locomotive or at the end of the train. Some types of Amtrak baggage cars are unique to Amtrak. Baggage combination cars are equipped with dormitories that may be occupied by Amtrak personnel while the train is in motion. They are usually toward the front of the train. They can be identified by the presence of end doors and windows. Doors will be unlocked when baggage handlers are present. Baggage combination cars have emergency windows similar to passenger cars. Some Amtrak passenger cars have been converted to baggage cars. These cars will have end doors but not emergency windows. They will not be occupied when the train is in motion. Picture 3-31: The tail-end view of a train pulling multi-level Superliner cars and one box car. Note the foliage on each side of the roadway. How would fire and rescue equipment access this site and where would set up be for a triage or patient collection area? This picture was taken in Gaithersburg, MD. CHAPTER 4 – FREIGHT TRAINS CSX and Norfolk Southern provide freight rail service to the Metropolitan Washington Area. Most freight trains are operated with a minimum of a conductor and an engineer. There may also be a brakeman or other railroad personnel on board. The conductor is in charge of both train and railroad personnel. The conductor has a portable radio and there are mobile radios available in locomotives for the engineer to utilize. Conductors and engineers on freight trains do not wear uniforms. When the train is in motion all railroad personnel will usually be located in the locomotive. 59  Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Office of Emergency Management Fire Life Safety Bulletin FLSB #2019-04 April 5, 2019 WSAD Usage During any Metrorail incident where access to the roadway is warranted, it is extremely important that the proper procedures be followed to remove 3rd rail power, verify that the 3rd rail has been de-energized, and that safety devices (WSAD) is in place properly and functioning correctly. The verification of a properly working WSAD takes place BEFORE an incident occurs. A WSAD should be within its calibration dates (noted by the calibration decal on its side) and checked daily for proper operation. This is done by using the test buttons on the front of the device to verify proper operation of the warning strobe and horn. When responding to a Metrorail incident and roadway access must be made, follow the 5 basic safety steps for accessing the roadway: 1. Notify the ROCC and confirm that the power has been de-energized. Get approval from the OIC to enter the roadway. 2. HotStick the affected areas. The HotStick is used to test for an energized third rail and can detect up to 1500 volts. They can span a four-foot distance, enough to reach from the closest running rail to the third rail. Remember to test the HotStick in an outlet prior to using it in the roadway. 3. Place WSADs in FRONT of, and BEHIND, the train. Place WSADs at all third rails that may be affected by the incident. Pay attention in an interlocking; there are multiple third rails. A WSAD is the only way to be alerted that third rail power has been accidently restored, other than personal injury. The WSAD will emit a loud “chirping” noise when it detects 50 VDC, and the strobe light will flash when a current of 450 VDC is detected. Remember to follow these procedures when setting a WSAD: Once on the roadway and at the location where the device will be placed (close to the front and the rear of the train), the device operator (referred to as the “operator,” will drop to one knee (knee furthest from the third rail). The operator will then pull out extra cabling for each paddle on the device. Next, the white running rail paddle will be placed on the outside of the running rail closest to the third rail. If an ETEC will be used, the side of the running rail nearest the white paddle should be attached to the side of the rail as opposed to the top of the running rail. If a poor 1  contact is made, the running rail may need to be scraped with the attached scrapper and the paddle placed there. This will allow the ETECs to pass over it. If proper contact cannot be made to the side of the running rail, then attach the paddle to the top of the rail. Remember, if the paddle is on top of the running rail, an ETEC cannot pass over it. Ensure that the light for the running rail paddle is illuminated, indicating a proper ground has been established. If, this light is not on, the paddle needs to be repositioned, or the area needs to be scrapped more vigorously. Next, the red third rail paddle is to be removed from the WSAD box and placed onto the top of the third rail. When placing this paddle, it should be carefully placed onto the top of the rail, just under the cover board. Do not slide it into position. If the power is on, sliding may produce sparks that could arc towards the operator causing significant injury. Once completed correctly, the third rail paddle light should illuminate as well. Once both paddles have been correctly attached to the rails, and both indicator lights are illuminated, then the WSAD needs to be placed upon its side between the running and third rails. Placing the WSAD on its side, with the strobe light up, arms the device. Red paddle on the top of the 3rd rail. White paddle on the outer side of the running rail allowing for an WSAD on its side ETEC to pass over (in its ARMED it. position and both indicator lights are lit) between the 3rd rail and the running rail. 2 4. Chock the wheel in the front and the rear. 5. Have the train operator, or supervisor, set the handbrake in the Legacy cars. In the 7000s, when the operator keys down, the brake automatically sets. NOTE: WMATA recommends that you carry a wire brush for removing the rust from the sides of the running rails. REMEMBER YOU MUST HAVE PERMISSION BEFORE ENTERING THE ROADWAY. THIS IS YOUR BEST METHOD OF PROTECTION ON AND AROUND THE ROADWAY. 3  Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Office of Emergency Management Fire Life Safety Bulletin FLSB #2015-02 7000 Series Railcars March 17, 2015 The new 7000-Series Metro railcars are manufactured by Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. Metro currently has 528 railcars on order with an option to purchase an additional 220 cars for a total of 748 new 7000 series railcars. Although the Kawasaki railcars feature new technology that are generations ahead of Metro’s current fleet of railcars, the features unique to the fire service have not changed as drastically. Car Specifications The railcars feature an all stainless-steel body and are designed and built with new Crash Energy Management System technology (CEMS). This system is designed so energy from an impact is absorbed and dispersed by the structure of the railcar. CEMS also helps with prevention of jackknifing and rollover of the railcars. The system also employs welded anti-telescoping plates that prevent one railcar from sliding inside another. In addition, these railcars feature event recorders that meet 1 federal requirements, and are constructed to meet rigorous fire safety standards including those from the National Fire Protection Association and the American Public Transportation Association. The railcars are equipped with digital video surveillance systems that provide full coverage of the passenger area, operator cab, and a forward facing camera to record the path of travel. The railcars are configured as semi-permanently coupled married pairs, and comprised of an A-car and a B-car. The front of the car is designated as the F-end and the rear of the car is designated as the R- end. The married pairs are coupled at their designated R-ends. The only differences between the railcars are the full-width Operator’s Cab located in the designated F-end of the A-car, the friction brake air compressor, and the Automatic Train Control System. The B-car is equipped with a secured Hostler Panel integrated into the collision post area of the F- end doorway, and has the battery compartment. The Hostler Panel allows a Train Operator to safely couple Hostler Panel and uncouple railcars and to make railcar moves in the yard, B-Car F-End shop, and under special circumstances, on revenue track. The railcars run in configurations of four cars (two married pairs) called a Quad Unit, six car consist (three married pairs), and eight car consist (four married pairs). The 7K railcars do not operate in revenue service while coupled to railcars from the existing fleet. The 7K railcars are, however, designed and manufactured to allow the railcars to mechanically couple (including brake lines) with railcars 2 within the existing fleet for the purpose of emergency moves on revenue track and to facilitate yard and shop moves. Each rail car is 75 feet in length, 10 feet wide, and 10 feet 10 inches in height. The cars weigh 82,500 lbs. per car. The seating capacity of the A car is 62 and the B car is 68. The cars have a crush load capacity of 232 passengers. The railcar body is all stainless steel except for the F-end of the A-car which is equipped with a fiber reinforced plastic end bonnet, while the other car end is made of stainless steel. The bottom of the train is corrugated stainless steel with stiffeners spaced every 24 inches. The corrugated steel is sprayed with a sound damping material. There are seven layers of subflooring. The subflooring consists of intumescent sheet (fire retardant material), foam, ceramic fiber, phenol composite and rubber floor. The sidewalls have a thickness of 3 mm and the roof is 1.5 mm. Valance Car Doors Access into the railcars is similar to our existing fleet with crew switches (XX barrel key) located at the 2, 8, and 9 doors. The emergency External Door Release (EEDR) is Thumb Screws located on both sides of the railcars at the center doors 3 and 10. This is a change for our existing fleet which has EEDRs located at 4 and 9 doors. Turning the EEDR to open position will release both center doors on that side. A step and grab handle are provide at the center doors to help Pull handle down to release 3 doors with entry. The cars also have a Passenger Self-Evacuation Door Release located in the interior of the railcars at doors 3 and 10. On the interior of our railcars, each set of passenger doors has a manual release above the doors. You can access the manual release by turning the thumb screws on the valance cover counter-clockwise. The valance cover will open towards the interior of the car. Once open, look towards the center of the door opening for an orange handle. Pull down on the handle to release both doors. Since each set of doors has only one mechanism that operates the doors, there’s only one manual release handle to release both doors. Passenger Side Windows Passenger side windows are made of a multilayer laminated glass and polymers. The outside layer is 6 mm annealed (tempered) glass. The center layer is.08 mm bronze tinting. The inside layer is 3 mm of chemically strengthened glass with a vandal-resistant film applied. The glass has a total thickness of 10 mm. The windows are 40 inches wide and 36 inches in height and weigh 60 lbs. each. Like our existing fleet, the windows are not made with an emergency passenger evacuation release capabilities. According to Kawasaki, the windows cannot be removed by using the zip-strip installed as a component of the weather-stripping on the interior of the windows. The windows are set in a stainless steel frame and the only way to remove the window is to remove the frame. The frame is attached to the railcar with numerous screws. Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is working 4 with our Car Maintenance Division to substantiate these claims from the manufacturer. More information on best practices for removing the windows will be forthcoming. Propulsion System The propulsion system consists of two AC traction motors per truck assembly (one per axle). The propulsion system will perform both acceleration and dynamic braking functions. The railcars have a maximum speed of 75 mph with a minimum acceleration rate of 2.8 mphps. The railcars will utilize dynamic and friction braking. The railcars will have capacitors and resistor grids. The capacitors will discharge stored high voltage energy automatically when third rail power has been de-energized. There is no manual capacitor discharge device. Resistor grids will have a thermal danger similar to others in the fleet. The friction braking system will consist of 4 friction brakes (disc brakes) per truck. The 7ks are not equipped with a manual hand-brake. They have a pneumatic holding brake on each axle. The holding brake is automatically applied when the train is keyed down or the operator can activate a switch on their console to apply the holding- Underside of Truck Assembly brakes. Truck Assembly The truck assemblies have plenty of surface space underneath for lifting purposes, similar to the Breda truck Pedestal Tie Bar assembly. The pedestal tie bar, flat piece of steel behind each wheel assembly, is not rated and should not be used to lift the railcar. However, where the pedestal tie bar attaches to the frame is suitable for lifting. The side end 5 doors set further back and are not centered over the truck assembly. This places the collector shoe not directly underneath the doors. The new truck assembly can be removed and installed in 30 minutes or less. The truck assemblies will be attached to the car body by a bolster pin. The 7ks do not use a safety cable or J-hook to help hold the car body to the truck assembly; instead the new railcars use a wedge pin to secure the truck assembly to the car body. This still allows for 6 to 10 inches of play before you actually lift the truck assembly, so lifting using the jack plates on the car body should not be attempted. The truck assembly weighs approximately 10 tons. Batteries/Emergency Lighting The B-car has the battery compartment underneath the car. The batteries have a main breaker to isolate the batteries Fire Equipment Cabinet A-Car Left Side F-End from the car’s electrical system. The breaker is in a marked compartment near the battery compartment. The batteries are charged during normal service and are only used if the railcars lose third rail power. If third rail power is lost, the batteries supply 37.5 volts to the railcar to power the emergency lighting for approximately 60 minutes. Bulk Head Ladder Equipment Bags Safety Equipment Equipment Bags The 7ks have no seat wells, so the components that use to be in the seat wells are now in cabinets located at the ends of railcars or in the side walls. The equipment stored in the seat wells of older generation railcars is now located in a cabinet in the F-end of the A-car of the 7k series railcar. This includes: the operator’s emergency evacuation bag (red bag), the roadway bag (white canvass bag), 6 and the manual de-coupler bar. The fire equipment cabinet (only in A-car) is located in the F-end across the aisle from the operator’s cab. The cabinet will store the emergency evacuation bag, roadway bag, the manual de-coupler bar, and the bulk head ladder. The emergency evacuation bag will carry a safety vest, chemical light sticks, flashlight, and a bullhorn. The roadway bag will have a clamp for interlocking switches, wire ties, and a hammer. The cabinet will also store the bulk head ladder, which is now made of aluminum and has a 250 lbs. capacity. The fire equipment cabinet can be accessed by using the double X barrel key. Each railcar has two fire extinguishers. On the A-car, one is located in the F-end under the operator’s seat and the other one is located at the R-end under the last seat opposite side from the operator’s compartment. On the B-car, one is located on the F-end under the last seat before the hostler panel and the other one is located in the R-end under the last seat opposite the side of the hostler panel. The Silver Line Emergency Evacuation Bulkhead Ladder Platform (yellow board) will be located in the A-car in the R-end behind the last seat on the left side of the railcar. This fire/life safety bulletin is only meant to serve as an introduction to the new fleet of 7k railcars. WMATA’s Office of Emergency Management is developing additional training to include classroom and hands-on to be provided in the coming months. Please direct any additional questions to your Department’s Liaison Officer. 7 Updated by: ERM CAD Team u TIES/CENI lnto0-1.dwg 6/21/2017 1 :41 PM C Digitized by MFP Ian StJohn, MCFRS PSCC B-Shift MetroRail Emergency Response Maps MAY 2017 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority lnt00-1  Digitized by MFP Ian StJohn, MCFRS PSCC B-Shift WMATA / Fire Department Emergency Conference Line To initiate a conference call, or join in on an already established call From outside the Metro system, or Non-WMATA phone line dial: 202-962-2890 passcode 2580# From inside the Metro system using a WMATA telephone line dial: 2-2890 passcode 2580# This number is reserved for fire department access during emergencies. Dialing this number will connect you with everyone else who also dials this number. WMATA Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC) To reach the WMATA Rail Operations Control Center, From outside the Metro system or Non-WMATA line dial: 202-962-1652 From inside the Metro system using a WMATA telephone line dial: 2-1652 Additions and/or Corrections The continued accuracy and usefulness of the information in this book depends in part on your continued input and attention. If you identify additions, errors or omissions in the MetroRail Emergency Response Map book, please scan and send an electronic copy of the referenced page, with addition, error or omission noted to: [email protected] Please be sure to include your contact information: name, phone, email, organizational affiliation, and date of submission. Conference Line, ROCC, Corrections May20171 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority MetroRail Emergency Response Map I Sheet I nt00-2 I Updated by: ERM CAD Team TIES/CENI lnt00-2.dwg 6/21/2017 1 :31 PM J  ) Updated by: ERM CAD Team TIES/CENI lnto0-3.dwg 6/21/2017 1:39 PM I I Digitized by MFP Ian StJohn, MCFRS PSCC B-Shift Station Name Line I Route Station Name Line Route Station Name Line Route A F R Addison Road - Seat Pleasant G03 Fort Totten YL 806/E06 Rhode Island Ave - Brentwood 804 -----------------+------l------ @0 Anacostia F06 Franconia-Springfield e J03 Rockville A14 1------------- - - 1- -- - - - - - - -----,c---- - - - Archives-Navy Memorial - Penn Quarter YL F02 Friendship Heights AOB Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport O YL C10 Arlington Cemetery e C06 C05 Rosslyn G@O ·-----, G B Gallery Pl-Chinatown 1--------------------+-----t----