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-22- In its investigation of an accident at Goldonna, Louisiana, on December 28, 1977, it was determined that the lack of crashworthiness features on the locomotive caused the death of two crewmembers. Because of this investigation, the Safety Board issued to the FRA recommendation R-78-27 which requested that it expedite its study of improvements to the design of locomotive operator compartments to minimize crash damage. The Safety Board reiterates this recommendation to the FRA and strongly urges that the crashworthiness study be accelerated so that the problem of inadequate crash protection for the occupants of locomotive cabs can be swiftly resolved.

Many passenger injuries were sustained when passengers were thrown forward into seatbacks and the seats rotated because of inadequate locking devices. Other passengers sustained injuries when they were thrown forward and their legs became trapped under seats. The Safety Board has investigated other accidents involving passenger injuries caused by inadequately locked seats.

The Safety Board identified fixtures within passenger cars as injury-producing in its investigation of an accident at Glendale, Maryland, on June 28, 1969, and recommended to the FRA that it initiate studies to determine the relationship between rail passenger car design and passenger injury and, where practical, take action to imprOVe in the design of future high-Speed and rapid transit passenger cars. Amtrak has placed many cars in service since that report was issued. The Safety Board has investigated other accidents in which passenger injuries have been caused by the fixtures within the car. No Federal regulations exist for even minimum standards for interior design of passenger cars. Amtrak's newest cars still have some of the same injury—producing equipment that was cited in past Safety Board investigations.

A 1978 crashworthiness study conducted by the: FRA identified seat rotation as being a cause of passenger injuries and concluded that it is necessary to "prevent double seats from swiveling by providing a positive lock to improve occupant containment." (See appendix G.) The problem of leg entrapment was also identified as a significant cause of