Hot Box
Safety Advisory 2023-01; Evaluation of Policies and Procedures Related to the Use
and Maintenance of Hot Bearing Wayside Detectors.
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation
(DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory.
SUMMARY: Preliminary investigation of recent train derailments indicates the cause of,
or contributing factor to, the incidents was a mechanical failure, specifically burnt journal
bearings. Accordingly, FRA is issuing this Safety Advisory to make recommendations to
enhance the mechanical reliability of rolling stock and the safety of railroad operations.
This Safety Advisory recommends that railroads: evaluate the thresholds for inspections
based on hot bearing detector (HBD) data; consider the use of real-time trend analyses of
HBD data as a criterion for inspection; ensure the proper training and qualification of
personnel responsible for the calibration, inspection, and maintenance of HBDs; ensure
proper inspection of rolling stock with HBD alerts; and improve the safety culture of their
organization, particularly as it pertains to operational decisions based on HBD data.
