Page:NTSB RAR-73-5.pdf/57

APPENDIX G Federal requirements, and that crash resistance could be inadequate, should a crash occur.

The hearing disclosed that the FRA relies on the railroad companies to comply with the requirements dealing with the strength design of locomotives and MU cars. This accident raises the question of whether this reliance is effective and suggests that specific enforcement action by the FRA to insure that regulations are complied with may be necessary.

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the Federal Railroad Administration:

1. Review the current design of collision posts used on highliner cars and determine whether the attachments comply with the requirements of 49 CFR 230.457.

2. Take the necessary enforcement action to assure that highliner cars meet the requirements of 49 CFR 230.457.

These recommendations will be released to the public on the issue date shown above. No public dissemination of the contents of this document should be made prior to that date.

Reed, Chairman, McAdams, Thayer, Burgess, and Haley, Members, concurred in the above recommendations.

993C