WASHINGTON, July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- John Tolman, a National Vice President and the National Legislative Representative of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) testified today before the U.S. House's Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that crew fatigue is playing a significant role in rail accidents and that the rail industry has done little to prevent it. In fact, they have taken steps to exacerbate it.

"Fatigue on the rails is a concern that the rail corporations are trying to dodge," Tolman said. "For the past three years, the number of fatigue- related accidents has tripled, yet the rail corporations are still trying to push for smaller crews to operate the trains."

The congressional testimony targeted the issue of "limbo time," or time when a crew's working assignment was finished and they are waiting for transport back to their homes. During limbo time, crew members are required to stay awake, alert and able to respond to any situation and follow the railroad's operating rules. Crews are regularly on the job for 15 to 20 hours at a time.

"This is an issue of fairness and of public safety," Tolman said. "Our members work hard on the rails and need time off to rest. The rail corporations are taking advantage of a lax enforcement system on limbo time to wring as many workable hours out of our members as possible. This is a common practice that puts our members and the public at risk."

Last month, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that a rail crash in Macdona, Texas, in June 2004, was the result of crew fatigue. Liquefied chlorine was released in the crash, causing the death of a BLET member and two residents.

"The elimination of abusive limbo time is one fatigue-fighting option that is available today and we fully support that effort," Tolman said.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen is a division of the Teamsters Rail Conference. The Teamsters Rail Conference represents over 70,000 locomotive engineers, trainmen and maintenance of way employees across the United States