On October 12, 2020, about 2:17 a.m. local time, the remote-control operator (RCO) of CSX Transportation (CSX) train Y-39311 was killed in the Acca Rail Yard in Richmond, Virginia. The RCO was riding on the right side of the lead railcar during a shoving movement when the train he was riding struck a set of three railcars that had rolled back from track 12 fouling the yard lead track. At the time of the accident, the sky was dark, but the location was illuminated with commercial light-emitting diode lights mounted on poles, there was light-to-moderate rainfall, and the temperature was 65°F.
We determined that the probable cause of the October 12, 2020, CSX Transportation remote-control operator fatality was CSX Transportation not fully mitigating known risks of railcar rollbacks after their initial mitigation attempt was unsuccessful. Contributing to the collision was the remote-control operator riding on the lead railcar while he operated his train into railcars he had previously kicked on track 12 that had subsequently rolled back, fouling his train’s path.
