appendix f description of niagara frontier transportation ... · 3.1.3 operations control center...

Appendix F

Description of Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA)

Interactions

Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA)

Contact Information

Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority

Minimum Standards for Safety

Lyle Death (Director) 181 Ellicott Street Buffalo, NY 14203 (716) 855-7388 (office)

Lyle [email protected]

FTA Office of Safety and Oversight (TSO) has provided clarification to the PTSB SSO program that the state is required to have the authority to develop, review, adopt, and revise minimum standards for safety at the New York RTAs, and this authority exists in state law and regulation.

Minimum standards for safety have been envisioned within the PTSB SSO program to be those standards adopted and documented by the New York RTAs that govern the safe operations, command and control, and inspection and maintenance of the rail systems, including facilities, infrastructure, and rail-related vehicles. These safety-related standards generally already exist at

the RT As; however, experience from accident investigations, audits, and updates of procedures may indicate a need to update existing or develop new safety standards for the RTA. In addition, all of these safety-related standards should be based on existing transit industry standards (such as from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA), etc.) that have been customized for the RTA equipment, infrastructure, and operations. The existing transit industry related standards will also need to be checked for updates and then those updates will need to be integrated into the existing minimum safety standards documents.

The FAST Act added a requirement for FTA (in Section 5329) to include minimum standards for safety into their National Safety Plan as well as to develop a compendium of transit industry related safety standards. This compendium is available at https :/ /www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/ safety/transit-safety-standards.

The general list of minimum standards for safety that are tracked by the PTSB SSO program are listed next with a description of each type of document and then a specific document and version list is provided in Appendix E (NYCT) and Appendix F (NFTA). Note that for the minimum safety standards documents, the PTSB SSO program requires direct access to these documents and any changes or when similar documents are developed by the RTA that the PTSB SSO program must review and approve the final/updated document. Each of these documents has its own process for update based on requirements or experience. Changes to the minimum standards for safety at each of the RTAs will be based on their experience, investigations, audits, and/or transit industry experience. These new or updated minimum standards for safety will be mutually

NFTA Rail System Safety Program Plan (RSSPP) February 6, 2017Prepared By: Department of Health, Safety And Environmental Quality Rev. 2.2P a g e | 16

3.0 MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

3.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW AND NFTA HISTORY

Created by the New York State Legislature in 1967, the Niagara FrontierTransportation Authority (NFTA) is responsible formaintaining and improving all forms of publictransportation within Erie and Niagara Counties. Theseresponsibilities include two major airports, andurban/suburban bus and rail transit services. The NFTAMetro bus and rail system is a multi-modal agency,utilizing various vehicle modes (diesel bus, diesel-hybridbus, compressed natural gas bus, light rail, and cut-awayvan), using the brand names: NFTA Metro Rail, NFTAMetro Bus, NFTA Metrolink, and NFTA PAL (Para-transit

Access Line).

There are three business centers that operate as the NFTA organization; SurfaceTransportation, which handles ground transportation throughout Erie and Niagaracounties; Aviation, which handles air related business at the Buffalo NiagaraInternational Airport and Niagara Falls International Airport and Property RiskManagement, which operates and handles other properties that are owned and/oroperated by the NFTA.

Today, NFTA Metro operates approximately 10 million vehicle miles of serviceannually carrying 40 million riders, and is the largest provider of publictransportation in the state outside of the New York City area and employsapproximately 1,500 full-time and part-time employees.

NFTA operates a fleet of approximately 300 transit buses (all of which arewheelchair-accessible and ADA compliant), 74 paratransit and Metrolink cutawayvans and 27 light rail cars, all operating up to 22 hours daily on 78 distinct routes.

The light rail fleet operates from the South Park terminal, located at the southterminus of Main Street in Downtown Buffalo.

3.1.1 Scope of Services

Light Rail is the only mode of operation for NFTA Metro System Inc., Rail Division.

The line is double tracked right-of-way, and is 6.4 miles in length. Twenty-sevendouble-ended rail cars make up the fleet, with twenty-one cars in use during thepeaks. Annually, the line carries approximately 8,000,000 riders over 900,000revenue car miles.

The light rail operates in a high-speed underground subway environment with high-level platforms. The system consists of eight stations that are spaced somewhat


widely apart. The line from Allen/Medical Campus to Utica uses cut-and-coversubway construction, while the remainder of the underground portion fromDelavan/Canisius College to University on the University of Buffalo South Campusis in deep-bored tunnels.[2] At all of the deep bore stations, such asDelavan/Canisius College and University, the track platform level is deep enoughthat escalators are used to reach the surface.

Metro Rail runs daily; weekdays from approximately 5:10 a.m. to 12:50 a.m.,Saturdays from 7:05 a.m. to 12:50 a.m., Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 am.Trains run as often as once every ten minutes at rush hour, and generally no lessoften than once every twenty minutes during normal service hours.

3.1.2 Light Rail Vehicle Equipment

Metro Rail operates electric multiple-unit light rail vehicles (LRVs) in two-to-fourcar trains with power drawn from an overhead catenary system. Fifty-one seatsare provided and 90 standees can be comfortably accommodated on the light railvehicles. The crush load capacity is 200. One pantograph per car delivers 650 vdcto the Westinghouse chopper control system, which, in turn, supplies four truck-mounted motors. Service braking is a combination of dynamic and friction, andemergency breaking is dynamic, friction and track. Two track brakes per truckapply automatically in emergency braking; they also can be applied independently.

The fleet consists of 27 rigid-bodied (non-articulated) LRVs for the Metro Railsystem, numbered sequentially from 101 to 127. They were built by Tokyo CarCorporation of Japan in 1983. Currently, Ansaldo Breda Incorporated isrehabilitating the entire fleet.71,000 lbs. The cars have a maximum service speed of 50 mph, but trains run at15 mph in the above-ground section of the line. The LRVs have a maximumservice acceleration of 2.7 mph/second and a maximum service deceleration of3.0 mph/second, with a maximum emergency deceleration of 4.7 mph/second.There are three sliding doors on each side of each LRV; passengers can openthese doors by push buttons on the outside wall of the train when trains arestopped at stations on the above-ground section of the line. However, in practice,train operators typically open all doors and extend all the retractable staircases atall above-stations.

3.1.3 Operations Control Center

The Operations Control Center (OCC) is a two-story, concrete block building witha specifically constructed environment, located approximately two city blocks fromthe Metro Rail Line. Environmental specifics include uninterrupted power supply,Halon Fire Control Suppression System, and an emergency generator.

The first floor of the OCC Building houses several offices but its primary functionis to provide a climate controlled environment for the computers andmicroprocessors which operate the train control system, Authority-wide radio


system, telephone system, and the Supervisory Control and Date Acquisition(SCADA) system.

OCC staff members have responsibility for complete control of the Metro Rail andall facilities necessary to coordinate activities required for correction of anemergency and/or non-routine situation in accordance with established StandardOperating Procedures (SOPs).

3.1.4 Communication Systems

at each of the two Rail Controller consoles. One is utilizedfor train movement only. With this CRT, the Controller has the ability to monitorand control all train movement within the revenue system. With a mouse, cursorand keyboard the Controller can display the proper signal aspects, align the properroutes and enter relevant data pertinent to train identification and operation.

The other CRT is used for the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)system. This CRT is used for all functions on the railroad except train movement.These would include the monitoring and controlling of traction power, station andtunnel lighting, and the operation of fans and dampers for ventilation purposes.This CRT also gives the Controller the ability to set up scenarios that wouldfacilitate the most effective air movement in situations that would involve smoke orfire. Lastly, this CRT permits the monitoring of, but not control of, AC powersupplies, water levels (sump pumps in the tunnel), station communicationequipment, and fire and intrusion alarms.

Communications at the Operations Control Center is facilitated by radio,telephones, Emergency Telephone System (ETS), and a Public Address system.

The rail radio system consists of seven talk groups: Rail Operations, Rail CarMaintenance, Rail Maintenance, Rail Common, Yard Operations, Rail Supervisorsand Buffalo Fire Department.

The Buffalo Fire Department maintains the 450 MHz radio system that was utilizedby Metro prior to the installation of the new 800 MHz trunked system. This providesfor full communication capabilities for the Buffalo Fire Department throughout theentire rail system, above and below ground.

There is one telephone per workstation with multiple lines at each Rail Controllersconsole. These allow access to the Buffalo Fire Department (Dispatch OfficeTraction Power Substations, and a regular business line, which can access internaland external telephone lines.

The Emergency Telephone System (ETS) consists of phones (in waterproofboxes) placed every 650 feet throughout the underground portion of the railsystem. They can be utilized when radio communications cannot be established,during emergencies or as an alternate form of communications as the need arises.


These phones are linked directly to the Rail Controllers console. Whenever aphone is activated, the corresponding phone number (a sequential numberassigned to each phone) is displayed to the Controller to provide locationinformation.

The Controller has the ability to make Public Address announcements at allstations. An auxiliary function is to provide local communications with the stationsin the event of an emergency.

3.1.5 Stations

Metro Rail is currently equipped with passenger stations that are at grade, sideplatforms; underground, side platforms; underground, center platforms; andelevated construction with multiple entry/exit points to street level. Additional exits,escalators, stairs and elevators provide vertical circulation between street, farecollection and platform levels. Some stations have adjacent parking facilities, pick-up/drop-off areas to accommodate patrons arriving by automobile or by bus. Whilestation configurations are not identical, most station elements are standardized foreconomy and ease of use, and to establish an identity for the system as a whole.

Within each of the underground transit stations, there are movement systemswhich include escalators, elevators, and stairs that provide for the efficienttransporting of patrons between the concourse, the mezzanine, and thepassageway where they exist, and the platform. The placement of the escalators,elevator, and stairs within each station, and their relationship to both the concourseand platform levels as well as to each other, should reflect simple and directcirculation patterns, which are similar throughout all of the system's stations.

All rail stations are accessible to senior citizens and the disabled as follows:

Surface Stations:Ramp to high-level platforms, which allow boarding at rail car floor level with a gapof less than 3". Erie Canal Harbor Station, the southern terminal point, alsoprovides an audible tone to help identify at which track active boarding is to takeplace for the visually impaired.

Subsurface Stations:Balanced tension doors are provided for those handicapped, senior citizens, anddisabled patrons seeking access to the station interiors. Once inside, elevatorsare available from the street level through a mezzanine level, to the train level.These elevators are equipped with Braille operating and location instructions forthe visually impaired. Passenger Assistance Communication Equipment (PACE)panels are located in all elevators and various locations within the stations. Thetrain platforms are equipped with demarcation markings of various textures to alertpatrons to the edge of all train platforms. Between Car Barriers are placed so thata visually impaired person can delineate from a rail car door opening and a rail carcoupler.


Each downtown station has an approximately 12-foot-long mini-high level platform(connected to wheelchair ramps and stairs) that aligns with the first door of eachtrain to provide handicapped access. This first door has retractable stairs like allthe other doors, but the stairs of this first door fit underneath the mini-platformswhen extended at these surface stations. The northbound and southboundportions of these downtown stations (and their respective mini-platforms) appearto be staggered when served by three-car trains (the normal service) because theyare designed to align correctly when accommodating trains four cars long (themaximum length in this system). Train movement in the downtown 500 and 600block sections of Main Street interact with automobile traffic where movements aregoverned by non-vital traffic signals. The surface section has catenary poles every130 feet to support the overhead electrical lines.

3.1.6 Yard and Shop Complex

The NFTA Metro Rail South Park Yards and Shop is the primary maintenancefacility for the entire Metro Rail Main Street Line. The functions covered in theYards and Shops include storage, inspection, maintenance and service of alloperating equipment.

The Yards and Shop complex is divided from East to West by the train storageshed. Operations perform their duties from the West end and Maintenance fromthe East end. There are 12 tracks available maintenance and storage. Tracks 1&2in the shop provide elevated pit areas to work under the railcar. Tracks 4 &5provide access to both ends of the maintenance facility. Track (7) is utilized fortesting railcar braking and acceleration characteristics, while tracks 9 & 10 providea set up areas for the next day of service.

There are six other maintenance work groups centralized at the South Park Yards& Shop. They include; Maintenance of Way & Structure, Train Control, Power &Catenary, Communications, Fare Collection, and Station Porter Departments. TheRail storeroom provides all the basic material for these work groups; as well as, aninventory of spare parts for the Rail Fleet.


EXHIBIT 3-1

RAIL SYSTEM MAP


3.2 INTEGRATION OF SAFETY FUNCTION

Safety is the primary responsibility of all NFTA personnel and contractors. Thesafety function is integrated throughout all operations and activities of the Authoritythrough the delegation of safety functions and safety responsibility, established viathe System Safety Policy Statement, from the Board of Directors to the ExecutiveDirector and from the Executive Director to the Director of Health, Safety, andEnvironmental Quality and the Management Team who are responsible forimplementing the requirements of this RSSPP in their assigned departments. TheManagement Team delegates their management staff to include safetyrequirements, responsibilities and objectives into the work plans of managers andsupervisors. Managers and supervisors are held accountable by the performanceevaluation process for achieving their operational and maintenance objectives ina manner that ensures the safety of NFTA rail facilities, equipment and systems.

Management of safety programs resides with each Management Team memberand their management staff, with oversight from the Department of Health, Safetyand Environmental Quality (HSEQ), which also provides subject matter expertise,monitors compliance with regulatory requirements, and oversees programdevelopment, preparation, and enhancement.

The RSSPP serves as a blueprint for the organizational integration of the safetyfunction and its effective implementation ensures the integration of the safetyfunction throughout the Authority.

3.2.1 Safety Committees

Safety is further integrated throughout the organization via Safety Committees.The safety committees operational at NFTA are the Executive Safety Committee,Surface Transportation (Operations) Safety Committee and theManagement/Labor (Local) Safety Committees. The primary purpose of the safetycommittee is to allow a forum in which topics can be brought to the attention ofboth management and staff that will provide a safe work environment and supportthe RSSPP. Safety committees allow the fostering of a proactive approach tosafety through all levels of NFTA.

Safety Committees, as a minimum:

Support the RSSPP

Ensure compliance with safety rules and regulations

Provide guidance to overall safety efforts

Identify safety training needs

Review injury, accident, and incident statistics to identify correctiveactions

Review hazards and trends to reduce occurrence


Discuss and uphold safety goals

Implement and monitor safety action plans

Safety Committees include:

Safety Committee Participants Purpose

Executive Safety Committee

Meets Annually

Chair Safety ProgramsAdministrator (HSEQ)

HSEQ

Management Team

Senior Staff from all operationsand maintenance disciplines

To identify system widesafety hazards andoperational, workplace andpassenger safety issuesShare information on howhazards are mitigated cross-functionally

Surface Transportation(Operations) SafetyCommittee

Meets quarterly

Chair Safety ProgramsAdministrator (HSEQ)

HSEQ

Senior Staff from all surfacetransportation locations

Labor from all surfacetransportation locations

Superintendent TransportationServices

Bus and Rail Supervisors

To identify system wideoperational hazards

Share information on howhazards are mitigated cross-functionally

Management/Labor (Local)Safety Committee

Meets monthly

Chair Employee SafetySpecialist (HSEQ)

Upper management,Maintenance supervisors,employee safety specialist andselected bargaining unitrepresentatives

To identify and resolve safetyhazards that may exist in theauthority shops and otherfacilitiesReview safety training for theirareas

3.3 LINES OF AUTHORITY FOR SAFETY

The lines of Authority for safety are based on the responsibilities established bythe NFTA System Safety Policy Statement in Exhibit 1-1. The Executive Directordesignates the Director, Department of Health, Safety and Environmental Quality(HSEQ) to oversee the implementation of the safety management functions of thevarious NFTA departments. HSEQ also develops, publishes and maintains theRSSPP and works with members of the Management Team to ensure the effectiveimplementation of the RSSPP throughout the Rail system. The safetyresponsibilities and functions of the organizational departments are described inthe sections below. The Management Team is identified on the NFTA OrganizationChart (Appendix A) which demonstrates the line of authority throughout theorganization for safety.


EXHIBIT 3-3

HSEQ ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

DIRECTOR

HEALTH, SAFETY,

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER,

ENGINEER SAFETY & SECURITY

SAFETY PROGRAMS

ADMINISTRATOR

SAFETY SPECIALIST

SAFETY/QUALITY

ASSURANCE COORDINATOR


3.4 ORGANIZATIONAL SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES

3.4.1 Department of Health, Safety and Environmental Quality

The Executive Director has delegated the authority for safety management to theDirector of Health, Safety and Environmental Quality with specific responsibilitiesfor safety and system assurance, occupational safety and health and fireprotection. The Director of Health, Safety and Environmental Quality is responsiblefor the preparation and administration of Rail System Safety Program Plan. TheHealth, Safety, and Environmental Quality Department will conduct suchinspections and investigations as necessary to ensure adherence to the NFTAMetro RSSPP policy and goals. This includes fire protection and the responsibilityto coordinate joint training and fire/life activities between NFTA Metro and theBuffalo Fire Department (BFD).

The Manager of Safety and Security ensures that technical fire safety informationto other NFTA offices is provided, serves as the NFTA Metro liaison with BFD andensures that inspections, and investigation necessary to support fire protection andsafety activities are conducted.

3.4.2 Department of Surface Transportation

The Director, Public Transit is responsible for the overall operation and safety ofboth the rail and the bus divisions. The Manager, Rail has been assigned theresponsibility for the safe operation of the Metro Rail System. This effort is to becoordinated with the Health, Safety and Environmental Quality Department, RailMaintenance, and Department of Engineering to ensure that hazards are quicklyand effectively controlled. The Superintendent of Transportation Services has theresponsibility to provide for job related safety training for operational Railtransportation personnel and to ensure compliance with applicable safetystandards and rules.

The Director, Public Transit in the Niagara Frontier Transit Metro Rail/Bus Systemis responsible for the overall management of both divisions (Rail/Bus). TheDirector, Public Transit is also responsible for the concurrence and implementationof the System Safety Program Plans.

The Manager, Operations-Rail is the direct link between the Manager, Rail and theactual operating location and is responsible for evaluating safety suggestions fromhis subordinates and implementing safety programs from his superior.

The Transportation Superintendent is ultimately responsible for the dailyoperational aspects of Metro Rail and is also responsible for reviewing, prior tosubmittal, all suggestions relative to safety as forwarded to this individual byemployees under his jurisdiction.


The Rail Street Supervisors are directly responsible for the aggressive pursuit andelimination of any and all obstacles to the provision of safe, reliable operation;including being able to troubleshoot rail cars, operate train control equipment, dealwith Pedestrian Mall obstacles and provide communications to Operations ControlCenter (OCC).

The Train Controller is directly responsible for the day-to-day operations of therailroad, including coordination of the action of Maintenance, Train Operators,Supervisors and the Transit Authority Police, to insure safe and reliable service.

The Transportation Supervisor, South Park is the direct overseer of therepresented Train Operators, Ticket Inspectors, and Station Clerks. Thisindividual's responsibility includes the administration of that facility.

The Manager of Operations, Rail, and the Manager of Rail Maintenance are thedirect links between the Manager, Rail and the actual maintenance locations. Theyare responsible for evaluating safety suggestions from their subordinates andimplementing safety programs from their superior.

The Manager of Rail Maintenance is ultimately responsible for the dailymaintenance aspects of Metro Rail's Facilities and Systems. He is responsible forreviewing, prior to submittal, all suggestions relative to safety as forwarded to himby Supervisors and employees under his jurisdiction. He is responsible forensuring that safety programs/policies affecting maintenance are implemented asset forth by the Authority.

The System / Facilities Supervisor answers to the Manager of Rail Maintenanceand is directly responsible for the aggressive pursuit and elimination of any andall obstacles to the provision of safe, reliable maintenance of all Rail FacilitiesMechanical Systems and rail right of way.

The Power and Catenary Supervisor answers to the Manager of Rail Maintenanceand is directly responsible for the aggressive pursuit and elimination of any and allobstacles to the provision of safe, reliable maintenance of all Electrical Power andTraction Power Systems.

The Train Control Supervisor answers to the Manager of Rail Maintenance and isdirectly responsible for the aggressive pursuit and elimination of any and allobstacles to the provision of safe, reliable maintenance of all Train ControlSystems.

The Superintendent of Rail Car Vehicle Maintenance is ultimately responsible forthe daily maintenance aspects of the Railcar Fleet. He is responsible for reviewing,prior to submittal, all suggestions relative to safety as forwarded to him by hisSupervisors and employees under his jurisdiction. He also responds to theManager, Operations-Rail suggestions. The Superintendent of Rail Car VehicleMaintenance is responsible for implementing all Authority safety programs andpolicies as set forth by the Authority.


The Assistant Rail Car Maintenance Supervisors answers to the Superintendentof Rail Car Vehicle Maintenance and is directly responsible for the aggressivepursuit and elimination of any and all obstacles to the provision of safe, reliablemaintenance of the Railcar Fleet

The Communications and Fare Collection Supervisor answers to the Manager ofRail Maintenance and is directly responsible for the aggressive pursuit andelimination of any and all obstacles to the provision of safe, reliable maintenanceof all Communications and Fare Collection Systems.

3.4.3 Department of Engineering

The Director, Engineering is responsible for planning and the design of Metro Railprojects assigned to Engineering. The Director,responsibility to his staff to ensure that safety is built into the specifications andadhered to. In conjunction with the Health, Safety and Environmental QualityDepartment, this goal is achieved.

The Manager of Design is responsible for the design of the project, which includescalculations, preparation of drawings, preparation of specifications, and award ofcontract.

The Manager of Construction is responsible for implementing the project inaccordance with the drawings and specifications; as well as, site safetyconstruction standards in conjunction with the Health, Safety and EnvironmentalQuality Department.

3.4.4 Department of Risk Management

The department of Risk Management is responsible for proving feedback on safetyrelated trends in regard to third party and employee injuries; protecting thefinancial assets of NFTA against the adverse effects of accidental losses;identifying and analyzing exposures and selecting appropriate riskmanagement techniques to handle exposures; managing workers'compensation, claims, and communicating with senior management theprogress of the risk management program.

The Manager of Claims is responsible for the prompt, thorough investigation,evaluation, and reasonable resolution of claims against the Authority; maintainingaccident statistics, preparing monthly and yearly accident summaries, and servesas the primary point of contact to the NY State PTSB for initial Rail reportableaccidents/incidents.

Police

The Chief, Transit Authority Police, is responsible for public safety on the RailSystem. With respect to the Rail Division, TAP officers patrol each subsurfacestation during operation hours and are responsible for all public safety activities.


In addition, TAP officers ride trains at random intervals throughout the system. TheAuthority Police Department will respond to requests by Division Management onan as needed basis primarily during emergency situations requiring policeauthority. The Chief also participates in the review of the System Safety ProgramPlan.

3.4.5 Department of Human Resources

The Human Resources Department screens potential employees and continuallyassists in monitoring the performance of all employees. This intervention providesa data structure with which the Health, Safety and Environmental QualityDepartment becomes involved relative to proper, safe work place practices.

3.4.6 Procurement and Materials

The Procurement Manager establishes an appropriate list of vendors with whichthe Company deals. Product specifications must comply with all outstanding safetycriteria and must be provided with all accompanying safety data.

appendix f description of niagara frontier transportation ... · 3.1.3 operations control center...

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