Narrative:

Taxi to runway 32R required a re-typing of takeoff data and bugs. They dropped out when closeout was received. First officer reinserted assumed temperature and v-spds. Re-route via taxiway B bridge is not well lit near the 'B' pad. Judging distance to the runway end is very difficult. At this time I detected incorrect v-spds in FMS -- 143 V1 instead of the correct 153 KTS -- and redirected first officer to put in correct numbers. While doing that and crossing bridge I could not see the hold short area for runway 32R -- it is to the left; intersecting taxiway a. No lights are in place to warn those on taxiway B of the extended clearway for runway 32R approaching. We kept going while the first officer was heads down getting the numbers back in and we completed the before takeoff checklist. He said later that he saw markings for runway 32R but did not say anything because he thought I was going to stop. About this time; tower called us and said; 'just keep it going. Make two left turns and hold short of runway 32R on hotel two.' we did; still not certain if a runway incursion had taken place. In review; a 'hot spot' is faintly visible on the ord airport diagram. But it is extremely faint. In fact; it takes a magnifying glass and considerable scrutiny to determine that there is a designation at all superimposed upon the txwys. Within this threshold area for 32R one can see the faint circle; 'HS8.' in the light of day it takes several tries to even see it is there. At night; one never sees such faint printing. We took off uneventfully; and tower told us; 'it stays right here;' whatever that means; but we wanted to voice our desire for better lighting to indicate the stopping point for runway 32R hold short area when coming over the 'B' bridge.supplemental information from acn 713121: I was the acting relief pilot. Runway change to runway 32R. Captain was taxiing to runway 32R; over bravo bridge; while acting first officer was inputting tps information into the FMS. We taxied over the runway 32R stopway; while heads down; however; the signage and markings for 'hold short' on taxiway B were poor; especially on the commercial charts. We should have stopped and made sure. Tower told us to 'have a great flight; and that it stays here.'

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW TAXIING FOR TKOF AT NIGHT AT ORD MISS THE HOLDS SHORT MARKINGS FOR RWY 32R; AND NOTE THEY ARE POORLY LIT AND ALSO DIFFICULT TO SEE ON THE CHART.

Narrative: TAXI TO RWY 32R REQUIRED A RE-TYPING OF TKOF DATA AND BUGS. THEY DROPPED OUT WHEN CLOSEOUT WAS RECEIVED. FO REINSERTED ASSUMED TEMP AND V-SPDS. RE-RTE VIA TXWY B BRIDGE IS NOT WELL LIT NEAR THE 'B' PAD. JUDGING DISTANCE TO THE RWY END IS VERY DIFFICULT. AT THIS TIME I DETECTED INCORRECT V-SPDS IN FMS -- 143 V1 INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT 153 KTS -- AND REDIRECTED FO TO PUT IN CORRECT NUMBERS. WHILE DOING THAT AND CROSSING BRIDGE I COULD NOT SEE THE HOLD SHORT AREA FOR RWY 32R -- IT IS TO THE L; INTERSECTING TXWY A. NO LIGHTS ARE IN PLACE TO WARN THOSE ON TXWY B OF THE EXTENDED CLEARWAY FOR RWY 32R APCHING. WE KEPT GOING WHILE THE FO WAS HEADS DOWN GETTING THE NUMBERS BACK IN AND WE COMPLETED THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. HE SAID LATER THAT HE SAW MARKINGS FOR RWY 32R BUT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE HE THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO STOP. ABOUT THIS TIME; TWR CALLED US AND SAID; 'JUST KEEP IT GOING. MAKE TWO L TURNS AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 32R ON HOTEL TWO.' WE DID; STILL NOT CERTAIN IF A RWY INCURSION HAD TAKEN PLACE. IN REVIEW; A 'HOT SPOT' IS FAINTLY VISIBLE ON THE ORD ARPT DIAGRAM. BUT IT IS EXTREMELY FAINT. IN FACT; IT TAKES A MAGNIFYING GLASS AND CONSIDERABLE SCRUTINY TO DETERMINE THAT THERE IS A DESIGNATION AT ALL SUPERIMPOSED UPON THE TXWYS. WITHIN THIS THRESHOLD AREA FOR 32R ONE CAN SEE THE FAINT CIRCLE; 'HS8.' IN THE LIGHT OF DAY IT TAKES SEVERAL TRIES TO EVEN SEE IT IS THERE. AT NIGHT; ONE NEVER SEES SUCH FAINT PRINTING. WE TOOK OFF UNEVENTFULLY; AND TWR TOLD US; 'IT STAYS RIGHT HERE;' WHATEVER THAT MEANS; BUT WE WANTED TO VOICE OUR DESIRE FOR BETTER LIGHTING TO INDICATE THE STOPPING POINT FOR RWY 32R HOLD SHORT AREA WHEN COMING OVER THE 'B' BRIDGE.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 713121: I WAS THE ACTING RELIEF PLT. RWY CHANGE TO RWY 32R. CAPT WAS TAXIING TO RWY 32R; OVER BRAVO BRIDGE; WHILE ACTING FO WAS INPUTTING TPS INFO INTO THE FMS. WE TAXIED OVER THE RWY 32R STOPWAY; WHILE HEADS DOWN; HOWEVER; THE SIGNAGE AND MARKINGS FOR 'HOLD SHORT' ON TXWY B WERE POOR; ESPECIALLY ON THE COMMERCIAL CHARTS. WE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED AND MADE SURE. TWR TOLD US TO 'HAVE A GREAT FLT; AND THAT IT STAYS HERE.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.