Scope
- TAM Plan
- I&M Manuals, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), standards, supervision, training, and competency
- RWP Plan and required training
- Maintenance (equipment and rail infrastructure/systems) Job-based Certification/refresher training
Positive Observations
- The MBTA is using and developing technology to streamline the pre-trip inspection. MBTA continues to identify opportunities to enhance the exterior vehicle inspections (“EVI”).
- Blue Flag/Blue Sign/Light system is being used with success in the carhouses to help avoid unintended car movements while work is underway.
- The Everett Shop is an excellent resource that is highly capable of producing obsolete parts to the original manufacturer’s specifications.
- The MBTA uses a Special Maintenance Repair Plan and provides submissions to FTA/ DPU.
Opportunities for Continual Improvement
- The MBTA should identify a safe space at each facility where pre-trip inspections will be conducted and final locations should be run through a safety management workshop to ensure stakeholder engagement on hazards.
- The current track condition is not completely known by MBTA. MBTA should continue to implement SD 22-4 programs and sustain them over time, so that the condition of track is more transparent, especially for those responsible for inspection, maintenance, and operations.
- While subject to FTA’s SD-9, due to its critical nature the MBTA should continue to identify gaps within the MOW staffing and develop a plan to address the shortfalls.
Recommendations
- The MBTA should determine the scope of the Everett Shop and determine if it is sufficiently staffed or requires additional equipment/machinery to meet the needs of the organization.
- The MBTA should audit the track and signal inspection program to determine where deficiencies are located and address inconsistencies with regulatory and standard requirements.
- The MBTA should determine whether flagging would be better as a stand-alone work unit rather than attempting to rely on overtime for operators to fill the flagging needs.
- The MBTA should continue to implement the MaxTrax phone system.
- The MBTA’s RFID tag system that it uses on the Blue Line at Orient Heights Carhouse is effective. The MBTA should assess its effectiveness for other locations and determine opportunities for further deployment throughout the system.
- The MBTA should continue to develop checklists for Engineering and Maintenance (“E&M”) vehicles to enter the ROW and perform regular audits of that process.
Findings
- The MBTA should account for all Power-related infrastructure and determine where vulnerabilities are (splices, old equipment, etc.) to better determine where resources should be allocated within the Power Department and where potential safety issues will arise.
- Over the last few years, MBTA had several instances of track condition issues on nearly every rail line. This includes slow zones and emergency track repairs.
- The MBTA must evaluate and consider updates to its Light Rail and Heavy Rail Track Standard as the current version dates from 2008.
- MBTA should formalize the process used within the Special Maintenance Repair Plan to prioritize addressing defects.
- Based on observations over the last few years, there have been maintenance issues out on the rail system that were not being tracked in the maintenance management system or scheduled for corrective maintenance.
- The MBTA must identify its Track Maintenance backlog and submit a plan to alleviate and bring up to SGR. The plan must scope post-diversion inspection plans to ensure track conditions remain within MBTA standards. This plan must be regularly communicated to the DPU.
- MBTA must identify a schedule for track inspections that comply with current regulatory requirement for inspection. As part of this effort, MBTA must formally identify a method for tracking identified track defects through resolution.