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19th & Stout Condemned Rail

GDT > Features > Light Rail Safety > 19th & Stout Condemned Rail

Incident Description

On November 9, 2022, a Regional Transportation District (RTD) Maintenance-of-way (MOW) crew found a hazardous condition of the rail at 19th St and Stout St that revealed rail conditions that were below industry acceptable conditions for normal rail activities. A previous inspection of the 19th / Stout embedded curve / crossing showed a negative super-elevation and gauge widening conditions prompting the additional hazard investigation. MOW crews called for an immediate 3 (three) mph speed restriction on approach to the curve, through the curve, and out of the curve for the entire train consist. The rail was declared as condemned rail.

The base has completely corroded away from this section of rail due to chemical reactions, oxidation and electrolysis effects in the presence of water containing salts or other impurities. Rail corrosion can lead to rail breaks and signal system failures.

The “head” (top) of the running rail on the right is ½” below restraining rail on the left. This indicates settling or head loss.

Rail “head” (top) separation and corrugation. There is evidence here of the train wheels riding on the rubber flangeway, causing arcing due to loss of wheel contact. This because the running rails provide the return path for current from the 750V dc overhead power supply.

“Rolling contact fatigue” causing flaking on rail head at gauge corner. This is where most of the forces from the train wheels are concentrated on the rail as it negotiates the curved track.

Investigation Timeline

Oct 12th, 2022 – 18th and Stout Rail Repairs

RTD has a 7 day closure of the downtown light rail loop to repair a section of rail at 18th and Stout that has experienced some settling.

Nov 9th, 2022 – Downtown Light Rail Loop Inspection

On November 9, 2022, Maintenance of Way (MOW) crews performed a routine monthly preventative maintenance inspection of track in the downtown loop. The MOW crews noted a negative super-elevation and gauge widening condition. Due to being embedded track, in order to determine the cause, further investigation necessitated removal of the flangeway material to visualize subsurface structures. The MOW inspectors documented their measurements of the track and submitted the information through normal channels, with review by MOW supervisory staff who then elevated the information to senior MOW management on November 14, 2022. The same day, the acting manager of MOW requested that crews return to 19th and Stout to perform an enhanced inspection.

Nov 15th, 2022 – Condemned Rail at 19th and Stout

On November 15, 2022, the subsequent investigation revealed rail conditions that were below industry acceptable conditions for normal rail activities. MOW crews called for an immediate 3 mph speed restriction on approach to the curve, through the curve and out of the curve (entire train consist needed to be outside the curve limits). Due to the condition noted, a portion of the rail was classified as condemned.

Dec 13th, 2022 – 19th and Stout Rail Repairs

10 day closure to renew track at 19th and Stout.

Jan 27th, 2023 – Colorado PUC Opens Investigatory Proceedings

On January 27th, 2023, the Colorado PUC issued Decision No. C23-0061 which opened investigatory proceedings. The proceeding no. is 23I-0047R.

The decision reveals RTD has already submitted Correction Action Plan CAP 01 which is approved. CAP 01 is not disclosed.

Mar 6th, 2023 – RTD Submits Corrective Action Plan CAP02 and Hazard Investigation Report H1 to the PUC

On March 14th, 2023, RTD submitted amended Corrective Action Plan CAP02 to the Colorado PUC along with Hazard Assessment Report H1, H1-11222022.

The Hazard Investigation Report contains photographs in Attachment 1 that show how badly the condemned rail has deteriorated.

While Hazard Investigation Report H1 is accepted, the PUC requests RTD make some amendments to CAP01 and resubmit it.

Mar 14th, 2023 – RTD Submits Amended Corrective Action Plan CAP02

On March 14th, 2023, RTD submitted amended Corrective Action Plan CAP02 to the Colorado PUC. It reported that the most probable and contributing causal factors for the rail condition at the 19th and Stout streets curve deteriorating to the point of condemnation were:

  1. Gaps in internal policies, procedures, and oversight. The Asset Management System and the Safety Management System are relatively new and maturing at different rates throughout the agency. Documentation and processes need to be developed to address this challenge.
  2. The rail replacement program is not adequate to maintain a state of good repair within the downtown loop.
  3. Asset management tracking is done by function and not by asset class.
  4. Cross-department coordination on rail infrastructure replacement to ensure alignment with and accountability for the Transit Asset Management Plan (TAMP) and Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) is not optimized.

One of the corrective actions proposed of note was to “enhance asset tracking and evaluation criteria to include areas in the light rail infrastructure that have known accelerated wear, deterioration, or corrosion.”, which was to be implemented by June 30th, 2024. It was this subsequent implementation in May 2024 that led to the 2024 Light Rail Crisis.

Mar 30th, 2023 – Colorado PUC Approves Corrective Action Plan CAP02

On March 30th, 2023, the Colorado PUC issued Decision No. C23-0213 which approved RTD’s amended Corrective Action Plan CAP02.

May 10th, 2023 – RTD Engineering Staff Advise the Chief Engineer of the Current Track Standards

On May 10th, 2023, a member of RTD’s Engineering staff advised the Chief Engineer that the current track inspection standards were the “RTD MOW Track Safety Standards 2021”.

The memo went on to include that “RTD’s MOW Track safety standards are in line with other like agencies.”

May 25th, 2023 – 17th and Stout Rail Repairs

2 day closure to renew track at 17th and Stout.

Jul 10th, 2023 – 30th and Welton Rail Repairs

21 day closure to renew track at 30th and Welton. $1.4m project carried out by Herzog Rail.

Sep 26th, 2023 – 14th and California Rail Repairs

9 day closure to renew track at 14th and California.

Oct 30th, 2023 – RTD Notifies the PUC that All Corrective Actions in CAP02 Are Complete

On October 30th, 2023, RTD notified the Colorado PUC that all actions in Corrective Action Plan CAP02 have been completed. Back up documentation was submitted at the same time.

Nov 14th, 2023 – 024 Final Proposed Budget Line Item

RTD adds a $150m line item into its 2024 Final Proposed Budget.

Jun 3rd, 2024 – 2024 Light Rail Crisis Begins

As a result of an item in Corrective Action Plan CAP02, RTD implemented an “enhanced inspection methodology” in May 2024 for its light rail track inspections. This led to the 2024 Light Rail Crisis.