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14 Appendix A Statement of Task In the first phase of this project, an ad hoc committee will review a test and analysis plan prepared by DOT and comment in a letter report on whether the proposed tests will provide objective, accurate, and reliable results to test the assumptions that DOT has identified in its comparison of the emergency braking performance of railroad tank car electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes to convention- al brakes or braking systems such as distributed power and two-way end-of-train devices. The committee will provide a written explanation detailing the need for any additional or alternative testing. The key question is whether ECP brakes would reduce the incidence and severity of spills of crude oil or ethanol from derailments compared with the alternative braking systems examined. In the second phase of this project, the committee will review the conduct of DOTâs tests, reports of test results, and, based on DOTâs test results and analysis, provide its findings and conclusions addressing the performance of ECP brakes relative to other braking technologies or systems tested by DOT. The committeeâs reviews and letter reports will be limited to these tasks; the committee will not make recom- mendations about which braking systems should be required of railroads in revenue service.
