WASHINGTON — Metro is making changes after that deadly smoke event on the Yellow Line last week.
Metro Deputy General Manager Rob Troup on Thursday ordered a list of 10 actions aimed at improving safety.
The steps are not formal recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board.
“I must emphasize that these steps should not be interpreted as being related to the cause of the L’Enfant incident,” Troup said, in a .
At the top of the list is teaching train operators to turn off the air intake the moment a train stops because of smoke.
Christopher Hart, who heads the NTSB, came before the Metro board. He says there were “discrepancies” in the ventilation system. Those will be checked again.
NTSB head Christopher Hart says it is still not clear if Metro’s ventilation system worked properly.
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听During the meeting Thursday, Metro General Manager Jack Requa said that on听Jan. 7 it was determined that there was spotty coverage on D.C. Fire radios in the transit system. Recognizing that it is Metro’s responsibility to maintain the radio system, staff looked for everything possible that it could find to solve the communication problem.
By the end of the weekend, staffers had more questions than answers, and on the morning of Jan. 12, the day of the smoke event, they contacted D.C. Fire personnel to indicate that they couldn’t find the problem, and they wanted to enter the area where radio signals connect听to figure out the problem.
They set a date of Jan. 14 to meet.
Subsequent to the smoke event, Metro did meet with fire department.
“We found out that they had made some adjustments to their radio system primarily through encryption of their system, which impacted our ability to have their radio system work,” Requa says.
Those adjustments were made and then tested on Jan. 14 and they do work.
Here are the safety action items Troup ordered:
1.听Write SOP听for听train operator to cut听EV immediately听upon stopping for听smoke incident.听(RTRA,听Completion听–听1/22/2015)
Note: The minute a train stops for a smoke incident, the train operator will turn off air intake systems. Under the former SOP, the instruction for turning off air intake comes from the Rail Operations听Control听Center. This is not related听to tunnel fans.
2.听Write SOP for incident management in ROCC to provide specifics for site discipline in the ROCC to avoid听cross-talk and听unnecessary interactions.听(RTRA, Completion –听1/26/2015)听听
Note: To ensure that key personnel who are responsible for managing an incident are not distracted, this SOP will ensure that ROCC employees stay at their own desks and not engage those managing the incident.
3.听Set schedule for听next three听years for听emergency听quarterly drills to听be听conducted wayside.听Sequence station,听then听a听tunnel听section,听then an elevated section听(note tunnel听and听elevated sections shall听be between stations).听Please sequence each quarter听in a separate jurisdiction.听Coordinate听type听of drill and logistics with MTPD. (RTRA,听Completion听–听1/26/2015)
4.听Design and听implement exterior signage for听exterior听doors to clearly听delineate access in event of emergency.听(TIES,听Completion听–听2/13/2015)
Note: Metro has an extensive training program for emergency responders. However, in the event that one of the trained responders is not first on scene, there will be new signage on the outside of the train to identify emergency doors and access points.
5.听Provide engineering听and听operations report on all third rail jumper cables听in听tunnel sections for condition and听installation.听(TIES,听Completion听–听2/27/2015)
Note: Metro personnel will conduct inspections looking for wear and tear on cables and assess the condition of cable installations.
6.听Recommendation on听installation of听low smoke/low halogen听on听high voltage third rail听jumper听cables.听(TIES,听Completion听–听2/13/2015)听
Note: Already an ongoing effort under its rebuilding program, Metro is installing low-smoke cables. 听
7.听Install听mechanical protection on third rail听jumper听cables that may听be听exposed to wear from vibration听against听other materials.听(TIES听–听Begin work immediately)
Note: If a cable that has begun to lean over the years (as a result of vibration), then install protection (such as PVC) to prevent the cable from coming in contact with other materials.
8.听Review of ground fault听detectors on听third-rail circuit听breakers.听(TIES, Completion听– 2/27/2015)
9.听Operational analysis of running trains at听45 MPH听in听the core with limited acceleration.听(TIES听and RTRA听–听3/31/2015)
Note: This will be an operational analysis to see if Metro can limit current flowing through electrical听infrastructure.
10.听Provide听report on听installing zoned听smoke听detectors听using听ETS boxes for location and听transmitting听of information,听also听investigate听use of wireless smoke detectors. (TIES,听Completion听–听2/27/2015)
Note: The report will determine feasibility.
草莓传媒’s Andrew Mollenbeck contributed to this report. Follow on Twitter and .
