RLBA Provides Next Day Accident Investigation Services to Rail Shipper

RLBA was engaged by a confidential client to conduct an investigation of a flatcar that spilled its load and derailed. Within 24 hours of being notified of the derailment, RLBA was able to have an investigator on location. Following meetings with the plant manager, the individuals responsible for loading the railcar and the director of operations, RLBA investigator analyzed the derailment site. The field inspection included an analysis of the derailed equipment, inspection of the spilled load, and an examination of the track structure. RLBA also took time to assess the way in which the loads were secured on yet-to-be-shipped flatcars at the client’s facility, which was also verified by photographs the Client had taken of the derailed railcar prior to its leaving the facility. Following the trip, RLBA’s Manager of Mechanical Services, two Senior Mechanical Associates and its Director of Transportation Engineering worked collaboratively to determine the cause of derailment. Within one week of being engaged, RLBA had determined the cause of derailment and supplied the client with a detailed derailment report, complete with custom diagrams, photographs and engineering analysis.