NTSB slams CTA mismanagement in July 2006 Blue Line fire, evacuation
The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday roundly criticized CTA management failures in releasing findings of its investigation of the July 2006 Blue Line subway fire and evacuation:
"The probable cause of the July 11, 2006, derailment of Chicago Transit Authority train number 220 in the subway in Chicago, Illinois, was the Chicago Transit Authority’s ineffective management and oversight of its track inspection and maintenance program and its system safety program, [emphasis mine] which resulted in unsafe track conditions," according to the NTSB report.
Excerpts from conclusions:
- "The dark area on the inner rail of the curve, the abrasion on the tie plates and ties, the broken lag screws, the tie plates’ elongated fastener holes and poor drainage in the area of the derailment were all readily observable and should have been documented during walking inspections.
- "Track inspectors in the Dearborn Subway did not have sufficient time allotted for inspecting all of their assigned territory twice a week as prescribed.
- "The Chicago Transit Authority track inspection training program did not adequately prepare inspectors to perform their required duties and it did not address the unique demands of inspecting and maintaining elevated track structures or track structures located inside tunnels.
- "Because a train indication system had not been installed on the Dearborn Subway and the Chicago Transit Authority’s control center could not identify the location of an emergency call box used to report the accident, the specific location of train 220 could not be determined, which delayed the emergency response and the activation of emergency exit lights and announcements at the closest accessible emergency exit."
CBS2 News reports: "CTA President Ron Huberman defended his agency after the NTSB released its report. "People are not following through. Individuals are not following protocol. We are discovering it, we are taking management actions and we are putting systems in place to ensure that it doesn't happen again," Huberman said.
UPDATE: Read the CTA's official statement on the NTSB hearing in the continuation.
CTA Statement on NTSB Hearing
The CTA is committed to providing the safest transit system possible for its customers and employees. In the time since the July 2006 Blue Line derailment, we have made great strides in addressing the three most critical areas identified throughout the investigation – major infrastructure repairs, the separation of inspection and maintenance responsibilities and incorporating state-of-the-art technology into the inspection and maintenance process.
A detailed track inspection was performed across the CTA system and slow zones were established along those sections in need of repair. The accelerated slow zone elimination plan that we announced in July is key to addressing the critical issue of infrastructure repair identified in the NTSB report.
We have also separated the track maintenance and track inspection functions into two different departments to provide the appropriate checks and balances necessary to ensure better quality control for our maintenance practices, and through reorganization of these areas we have increased the manpower assigned to these safety critical positions. Inspectors and maintenance personnel have also been provided handheld electronic GPS devices to ensure that track defects that are identified are clearly logged at their specific location.
We are confident that the practices we have put into place address those issues raised by the NTSB investigation into last year’s derailment.
makes me shiver--I used to take that line all the time. I was almost on THAT train in fact; if I hadn't stopped at the store, I'm sure I would have been. When I got into the station, all the agent knew at the time was that there was trouble.
Some of this we already knew, however--like the bit about not enough time to make the proper inspections.
Posted by: Dee | September 12, 2007 at 09:08 AM
Wow. Despite all that's happened in the last year and half with the cta ... i naively thought they were at least operating the system with a modicum of safety. But the report and Trib article are incredibly damning.
"The CTA's track inspection and maintenance ... were the worst he has seen at any U.S. transit agency."
Read the whole thing ...
You can't exactly hem and haw your way around that kind of statement ... though likely Daley will give it a go. And yes, it's his city, he appoints the head of the CTA. It's he who should get the blame.
Posted by: anthony b. | September 12, 2007 at 09:19 AM
so you mean thousands of people are riding the blue line with corroding tracks and unsafe conditions? I never knew that traveling to work would be more dangerous than riding the scary roller coasters at Great America.
Posted by: PookieMarie | September 12, 2007 at 09:21 AM
This morning's ride on the Red Line not only was jam-packed, but featured no lights and no ventilation for the second half of my trip, with at least one young woman in the car having to try very hard not to lose it. This is supposed to inspire us to call our state legislators and ask them for what?
Here's what should be done: In exchange for whatever arrangements it takes to fund the CTA sustainably for the long term--and I see a sales tax as the least evil but can accept a small fare hike with it--Huberman must agree to let a state-appointed team of business experts come in, identify which managers are incompetent and promptly fire them, then put in people who know how to run an organization to deliver value to the customer, starting with an overhauled system of checks and balances and strict enforcement of same. If he's already working on this then he shouldn't mind extra help getting it done.
And yes, as far as I'm concerned they can take a week or two to hammer out a plan. If the CTA still insists on leeting "doomsday" kick in, it's not going to make them look good as was the original intent.
Posted by: C C Writer | September 12, 2007 at 09:30 AM
I wish Huberman's answer wasn't as pat and generic as the one he gave. I mean, I think the man's qualifications are subpar, but I do give him credit for accelerating the repairs of the many Red and Blue line slow zones. And that's what he should've said, isn't it? He can't just say "Unfortunately, Kreusi's lax attitude had spread up and down the ranks of the organization and that accident was the price we paid." But he could say "The new administration put a premium on aggressively inspecting and repairing the rails of our oldest and busiest lines, and now we've got an aggressive repair program underway." Instead, we get "Yeah, we're firing a few people." Blah.
Posted by: Bob S. | September 12, 2007 at 09:41 AM
I watched Ron Huberman on Fox news this morning, and I thought he gave an excellent response/summary of what's going on. For being at this position for 4 months, I'm wildly impressed at the changes I'm seeing...despite the current "doomsday" saga.
Posted by: Fool for the CTA | September 12, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Check this photograph out if you think the CTA is now doing things safely:
http://community.livejournal.com/chicago_el/423062.html?thread=5057430#t5057430
(I wish this blog allowed HTML in comments. There's spam plugins you can put in so 'the good guys' aren't hit by spam deterrents.
Posted by: Mike Harris | September 12, 2007 at 10:29 AM
I just hope the lawsuits from this don't bankrupt the CTA. Not that they don't deserve it, it's just we need them to get around.
Posted by: Cheryl | September 12, 2007 at 10:31 AM
Hi CTA riders and Tattler readers,
I am a producer at Chicago Tonight and we are doing a segment tonight on the latest on the CTA troubles. We are looking for CTA riders who can be a part of our news panel tonight. If you can, we would like you to be at the WTTW studios at 6:30pm. The show goes live at 7pm. If you think you should be on the show tonight, give me a call right away at 773-509-5447. Thanks.
Faith.
Posted by: Faith | September 12, 2007 at 01:37 PM
Should be a fun show. who is on?
Posted by: bill bucks | September 12, 2007 at 02:31 PM
The CTA has insurance for these types of accidents, all that will happen because of these lawsuits is there insurance rate will go up. And I believe they deserve more punishment than that, this is super scary.
Posted by: John | September 12, 2007 at 04:00 PM
Makes you wonder about the true state of the North branch and Evanston embankments.
Posted by: Josh | September 12, 2007 at 04:50 PM
WHAT A JOKE! Mr."Oh I'll speak up at the LAST FRIGGIN' MINUTE" Daley and his cronies could give a RATZ AZZ about the PUBLIC, we are just MONEY to them,and NOTHING MORE. If he REALLY gave a sheiss , he would have held this rally (POLS POSING FOR THE CAMERA SHOW), ALOT sooner. As for the Olympics... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.......HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA........HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - who do they THINK they're effin' kidding??!! This is a WORLD CLASS CITY , with a Third World Transit System, that,had ANYONE put forth the effort and FORESIGHT (like BURNHAM had...) 20-25 years ago, WHEN THE LAND WAS STILL VERY CHEAP, to TOTALLY rebuild the CTA Train System (as well as Bus Operations), from the GROUND UP, we would NOT be dealing with the current state of dilapidation and sewer like conditions of the sub-surface lines and the 'Patch-It Before It FALLS Down' (the VERY expensive 2007 version ) station re-builds. The CTA cuts will damage this city FAR WORSE than the $110 million price tag currently being thrown about. Just the FARES losses ALONE are reason alone for SOMEBODY to pony up and CUT THE BULLSHIT! We Are NOT your political HOSTAGES, so STOP acting like we are, YOU POMPOUS ASSES.
***WOW, was my post timely or what..
ORIGINALLY Posted by: pontiff alex | September 11, 2007 at 04:13 PM
Posted by: pontiff alex | September 12, 2007 at 05:34 PM
Well it is more clear than ever that CTA requires both more oversight and more money not just one or the other.
They do require more capital funds to undertake major reconstruction on several lines and operating funds to maintain the parts of the system that are in a good state of repair. They simply don't have the cash to do all of the above.
The RTA actually needs to do its job and make sure the main aspects of the agencies under its responsibility are operating properly. The fact that the RTA never caught on that there were this serious of problems at the CTA is worrying.
Posted by: g | September 13, 2007 at 08:58 AM