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24 CAPTA Final Report
Transit/Rail Stations
Transit or rail stations can be aggregated into classes to ease consideration in CAPTA. Length of
platform, capacity, and building type can serve as common characteristics for a class. High capacity
or transfer stations handling a high percentage of ridership may be entered as single assets.
Administrative and Support Facilities
This category is intended to capture all fixed asset facilities a transportation operator may own
or operate, with the exception of transit or rail stations. The fixed facilities in this category may
range from executives' offices to airside passenger terminals. Particular attention may be given
to the following examples of fixed facilities:
· Operations Control Center. Any facility designed, constructed, and equipped with systems
intended to monitor and control the transportation environment and the movement of vehicle
and rail traffic over and through a transportation section.
· Substation. Any facility specifically designed to transfer power or water, or provide sewer con-
nections between the transportation system and the central utility building. The substation is
connected to the utility building and the transportation system via distribution channels but
is not the primary source of power, water, or other resources.
· Utility Building. Any facility specifically designed to provide power to the transportation sys-
tem. This facility is operated continuously to achieve its mission, and is connected to both sub-
stations and the transportation system through a distribution channel. A utility building may
also be designed to provide water or sewer removal from the transportation infrastructure
(e.g., using pumps, drainage).
Ferries
This category is intended to capture any passenger-loaded vessel. The size of the vessel does
not matter. In the rare cases where ferries constitute a significant portion of the transportation
agency's passenger capacity, an effort should be made to separate the vessels into classes.
Fleets
Fleets may encompass any regularly used individual passenger vehicle. The most common
assets in this category will be buses and passenger transit/rail cars. The base unit for this category
is one asset, whereby a train may consist of four to six individual fleet cars. The similarities of
fleet vehicles readily lend themselves to groupings into classes.
Hazards/Threats
All hazards or threats to a transportation system are intentional, unintentional, or a natu-
ral hazard. An unintentional hazard describes an action of which there was no predetermined
intent to adversely impact the transportation, its users, or associated infrastructure. The sources of
an unintentional hazard may be human, but human involvement is not wholly necessary and may
be only incidental to the hazard presented by an inanimate object or acts of nature. Unintentional
hazards are common to a transportation system. Such hazards include fire, power loss, or equipment
breakdown. Unintentional hazards also include structural failure. Many unintentional hazards
impact the safety of the below-grade transportation asset, employees, and passengers.
An intentional threat is one emanating from the deliberate intent of a person or group to dis-
rupt the transportation asset. Normally, this deliberate intent cannot be replicated in nature or
through a series of organic happenstances. Intentional threats directly affect the security of the
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CAPTA Components 25
asset. Intentional threat events, such as introducing an explosive or chemical agent, present an
uncertain and threatening element into the system. Any explosive or chemical agent has the
capacity to wreak havoc upon the transportation system and close it down for an extended period.
These disruptions are second to the loss of life and injuries that may result from the successful
delivery of a primary threat. Historical evidence shows that key decision-making factors in plotting
the location of a terrorist attack are the aggressors' ability to inflict personal damage and the ability
to generate publicity.
Hazards or threats that will adversely affect the normal operation of a transportation asset and
its associated infrastructure are listed in Table 3.
Hazards or threats have the potential or proven capability to close a transportation system or to
deprive transportation customers of the beneficial use of the facility. The hazards or threats are
intended to include categories applicable to highway, rail, air, and water transportation systems.
However, the needs of these modes are not exact, and neither are their points of vulnerability
and access.
All hazards or threats used in the CAPTA process constitute an actual or postulated event. All
hazards or threats considered in depth are capable of disrupting an asset or mode of transportation
for an extended period lasting greater than 25 hours. These severe events are outside the realm
of hazards or threats that a transportation operator routinely handles, such as equipment break-
down, utility disruptions, criminal acts, and medical emergencies. The experiences of trans-
portation operators in handling these minor incidents are available in learned lessons handbooks
and procedural reference materials. Where possible, additional reference material concerning these
minor hazards or threats has been noted in this report.
Events that are unlikely and extraordinary have also been excluded. These include highly unlikely
aggressive events such as a nuclear detonation. Extraordinary airborne hazards or threats are
excluded because of the remote likelihood of such an event targeting a transportation asset,
Table 3. Hazards or threats to
transportation assets across
multiple modes.
Intent Threats/Hazards
Intentional Small explosive devices (fewer than
250 lbs TNT or equivalent)
Large explosive devices (greater than
500 lbs TNT or equivalent)
Chemical/biological/radiological
agents
Criminal acts
Unintentional Fire
Power loss
Equipment breakdown
Structural failure
Hazardous Material
Natural Flood
Earthquake
Extreme weather
Mud/Landslide
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and the diminished likelihood of the success of such a threat. The hazards or threats discussed
in detail are those with a reasonable probability of occurring, or those emanating from available
intelligence.
There is no guarantee that a transportation operator would face one of these hazards or threats
by itself, or in conjunction with another hazard or threat. All transportation operators would find
difficulty responding to multiple or coordinated attacks. Manpower and resource limitations
would require a triage of priorities in the multiple scenario attack.
The greatest asset in preparing for a coordinated, multisite, or multiphased attack would be
for a transportation operator to have accurate intelligence that allows time for adequate prepa-
ration. This intelligence is extraordinarily difficult to obtain. The transportation operator may
in turn accept the possibility of multiple attacks by assembling deterrence, response, and miti-
gation measures for the specified scenarios. Taken individually, the scenarios can be prepared
for by assembling an adequate defensive posture for all. Recommendations discussed later in this
report will outline actions that can improve the defensive posture of the transportation system
across several hazards or threats. As an example, if the transportation operator has prepared for
an attack on the control center, then the operator is in the best position to withstand an attack
on both the control center and on another transportation asset.
There are eleven major category groupings for hazards or threats in the CAPTA methodology.
All categories have the capability to disable a transportation system for an extended period. The
categories are further grouped by intentionality. Some categories, such as fire, may be intentional
or unintentional, but have been grouped according to which is more likely to occur.
These categories are known or postulated to rail, waterborne, and vehicular transportation.
To varying degrees, these cases have occurred in the United States; they will present themselves
again. Their capability to disrupt a transportation system is proven; however, their detrimental
effects upon the transportation system, equipment, and users may be remediated.
Intentional Threats
Explosive devices and the introduction of chemical/biological/radiological agents are prohib-
ited and defined under United States Code Title 18, Part I, Chapter 113B. The destructive powers
of various explosive devices are explained in Table 4.
Introduction of Small Explosive Devices
Small explosive devices contain fewer than 250 lbs of TNT or equivalent. Delivery is by one to
five persons transporting the payload.
Introduction of Large Explosive Devices
Large explosive devices contain greater than 500 lbs of TNT or equivalent. The method of
delivery is either by vehicle or through multiple persons acting in concert to transport the payload.
Introduction of Chemical/Biological/Radiological Agents
Chemical/biological/radiological (C/B/R) agents are gases, liquids, or solids introduced with
the intent of causing physical harm or property loss.
Criminal Acts
This lower intensity threat represents the range of illegal activities as defined by federal code,
state statute, or local ordinance. Examples of criminal acts include handgun violence and illegal
discharge of hazardous waste.
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CAPTA Components 27
Table 4. High explosives danger and evacuation distances.
Explosives Building Outdoor
Threat Description Massa (TNT Evacuation Evacuation
equivalent) Distanceb Distancec
5.0 lbs 70 ft 850 ft
Pipe Bomb
2.3 kg 21 m 259 m
10.0 lbs 90 ft 1,080 ft
Suicide Belt
4.5 kg 27 m 330 m
20 lbs 110 ft 1,360 ft
Suicide Vest
9 kg 34 m 415 m
Briefcase/ 50 lbs 150 ft 1,850 ft
Suitcase Bomb 23 kg 46 m 564 m
500 lbs 320 ft 1,500 ft
Compact Sedan
227 kg 98 m 457 m
1,000 lbs 400 ft 1,750 ft
Sedan
454 kg 122 m 534 m
4,000 lbs 640 ft 2,750 ft
Passenger/Cargo Van
1,814 kg 195 m 838 m
Small Moving Van/ 10,000 lbs 860 ft 3,750 ft
Delivery Truck 4,536 kg 263 m 1,143 m
Moving Van/ 30,000 lbs 1,240 ft 6,500 ft
Water Truck 13,608 kg 375 m 1,982 m
60,000 lbs 1,570 ft 7,000 ft
Semi-trailer
27,216 kg 475 m 2,134 m
a
Based on the maximum amount of material that could reasonably fit into a container or vehicle.
Variations possible.
b
Governed by the ability of an unreinforced building to withstand severe damage or collapse.
c
Governed by the greater of fragment throw distance or glass breakage/falling glass hazard distance.
These distances can be reduced for personnel wearing ballistic protection. Note that the pipe bomb,
suicide belt/vest and briefcase/suitcase bomb are assumed to have a fragmentation characteristic that
requires greater standoff distances than an equal amount of explosives in a vehicle.
Source: Protection of Assets Manual (7).
Unintentional Hazards
Fire
Fire sources may be disparate and triggered by any combination of flammable material and
ignition. Fire may result from happenstance and does not require an intentional act to occur.
Fire, or the pre-fire hazard of smoke, will immediately have a negative impact upon all trans-
portation assets by inducing the evacuation of persons and equipment within the structure and
surrounding areas. Fire and smoke will decrease visibility to unsafe levels, precipitate collision
of vehicles and equipment, and cause personal injury. A fire controlled by firefighting may still
result in smoke and water damage at a level sufficient to render a transportation asset unfit for
use or occupancy.
Structural Failure
Structure failure refers to any decrease in the physical integrity of the transportation asset to
bear the weight required to carry passengers or freight. The loss of physical integrity requires the
asset to be inspected by the transportation owner and major repairs to be completed before it
can be reopened for beneficial use by the public.
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Structural failure may be sudden or gradual. The scope of this hazard or threat may be minimal,
such as a crack in the wall requiring remediation or a pavement ripple requiring the temporary
relocation of traffic. Integrity loss may also be catastrophic, resulting in total collapse or flooding
of a structure, wreaking widespread loss of assets and loss of life.
Despite the best efforts of engineering and maintenance, the potential hazard or threat of a
structural failure will always exist. There is no known method to guarantee that a structure will
never fail or deteriorate. Proper design, construction, and maintenance may drastically decline the
likelihood of a sudden failure; however, unseen geotechnical or aquatic forces may go undetected
by asset owners. Inconsistencies and lapses in the design, construction, and maintenance of an
asset may collude to create the conditions for a sudden structural failure.
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) may be in liquid, solid, or gaseous form. The quantity of
material introduced may be minimal but cause a hazard to users of the transportation system.
Hazardous materials include common industrial cleaners used by transportation workers and
canisters of pepper spray set off by transit users. In both circumstances, it is unlikely that the
maintenance worker or the commuter entered the transportation system with the intent of
discharging material into the air. Materials may also include hazardous liquid, which include
debris or waste products moved into the transportation system by a vehicle, truck, or rail car. All
hazardous materials require specialized remediation that will close a roadway or transit segment
to allow processing.
Natural Hazards
Flood
Flooding of an asset is the condition of excessive water inflow that exceeds the engineered
pumping capacity and causes a hazard or threat to persons and property. Flooding is typically
caused by a calamitous weather event; however, it may be caused by defective pipeline transfer.
Earthquake
An earthquake is a seismic anomaly that weakens the fitness of a structure to standards less
than those designed and intended by the owner. The earthquake will present a hazard to trans-
portation users while it is occurring, because of flying debris and geotechnical instability. The
earthquake may present a hazard upon its conclusion by weakening assets such that they are no
longer usable.
Extreme Weather
This category includes all means and methods of extreme wind, rainwater, snow, ice, or other
act of God that is unusual for its ferocity. An extreme weather event will be characterized by
· Exhaustion of all available equipment previously assembled for remediation; and
· Exceeding of all planning thresholds in place at a transportation agency for the conditions of
snow, ice, wind, water, and other acts of God. This characteristic would normally include
exceeding the "100-year storm" guidance gathered through observation.
Mud/Landslide
The decrease in soil properties, undermined by water or geotechnical shift may prompt the
sudden massive movement of soil causing actual or potential harm to persons and property. The
most common historical data in this category involve soil shifts onto roadways or rail facilities
because of wet conditions.
