WASHINGTON (Sept. 3, 2025) — The National Transportation Safety Board Wednesday called on railroads to equip roadway maintenance machines with collision avoidance technology that can detect people or objects before a crash.
The recommendation stems from the NTSB’s investigation of the August 4, 2023, accident in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, where a Middlesex Corporation maintenance machine struck and killed a worker. Investigators found that the machine operator had no safety devices beyond a wide-angle mirror to look for hazards.
Investigators also found communication and oversight failures in the Great Barrington investigation. The Housatonic Railroad Company roadway worker-in-charge was unaware of the full scope of work, leading to an inadequate safety briefing and the absence of a second qualified supervisor. The NTSB concluded that stronger supervision and communication would likely have reduced risk.
As a result of the investigation, the NTSB issued six new safety recommendations addressing unsafe machine operation, the need for collision avoidance technology and stronger FRA oversight of railroads with poor safety performance. Recommendations were issued to the FRA, all Class I railroads, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association, the Housatonic Railroad Company, and Middlesex Corporation.
The NTSB’s final report, including findings, probable cause and safety recommendations, is available online, along with the full investigation docket.
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
