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APPENDIX H
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
WASHINGTON, DC.
on the 11th day of April 1973
FORWARDED TO:
Honorable Frank C. Herringer
Administrator
Urban Mass Transportation Administration
Washington, D.C. 20590
SAFETY RECOMMENDATION R-73-15 thru 18
After the collision of the two Illinois Central Gulf Railroad suburban trains in Chicago, on October 30, 1972, the State of Illinois and the Urban Mass Transportation Administration held up funds for the 15 additional high-liner cars for use on the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. Secretary Brinegar announced on February 20 a Federal grant of two~thirds funding for the Chicago South Suburban Mass Transit District to buy 15 new double-deck electric commuter cars subject to the following condition:
"Approval of specifications for the 15 new bi-level commuter cars will be held in abeyance by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration pending results of the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the above mentioned accident and any Subsequent safety recommendations which may follow."
The National Transportation Safety Board agrees with UMTA's actions For good reason, the use of cars all of the same type would improve the safety of the commuters on the Illinois Central Gulf Railroads Testimony at the public hearing and the Board's analysis indicate that the overriding of the frame of the new car and the resultant telescoping which produced most of the fatalities were influenced by the incompatibility of the highliner and the older cars. The basic design strength of the older car was inferior to that of the newer car. However, the unsecured trucks of the older car and an incompatible anti-climbing arrangement contributed to the older car's overriding the new highliner.
