3 Train Derailmet - outside St Loius, MO

[KatDiesel]

I'm sure some of you have heard bout it. One loaded coal train rearended a coal load ahead of it, and part of that collision went over to the next track and smacked a coal empty.



Heres a couple of pictures. Yes people were hurt (seriously) but noone died as of yet far as I know. The female engineer of the "rearending train" was trapped in the locomotive and life flighted out. Keep in mind... . when looking at those pictures each locomotive weighs 465,000 lbs and each coal car loaded is usually 133 tons unless its a "heavy haul".



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And also last night on one of the jobs I work (on Tuesdays nights) the Alamosa Local derailed 14 cars at LaVeta, CO... no pictures of that yet.

 

[Whitmore]

Kat, last week we had a head on , one train was parked and the other rammed it at top speed, we did have one death on it, this was with BNSF 60 miles west of Casper Wyo.

 

[KatDiesel]

Yes on the BNSF one, one train was tied down with no crew on it... parked. The other train came up on it and the switched was lined into the siding (instead of down the main) so they hit the other train. Going too fast... ... not sure at what speed they hit.



I believe it was dark territory (no signals) and track warrant control... but since I don't work for the BNSF I could be wrong.



I don't think they have released a reason yet on our rearender, I'll have to go back and look tonight at the report. I don't wanna give out too much info tho because technically I could get in trouble.

 

[KatDiesel]

The BNSF derailment in Wyoming was in Dark Territory (no signals) Track Warrant control. The train in the siding was parked with no crew. A signal mainter was oiling/adjusting the switch, forgot to line it back and that is what caused it, because the train came upon it too fast since "by rule" its supposed to be left line main to main (normal position). Human Error.



The 3 train UP derailment was also caused by human error.



There was a collision in LA (the state) where a train ran into another one. And last night in TX a train derailed bout 20 cars.



Rough couple of days.



The little Alomosa local that derailed 14 cars... ... . ended up costing $630,000.

 

[Whitmore]

Wow Kat, its a shame that it was human error, a simple thing as not alligning the track back after maint, where do you think this guys mind was

There was an article in the Casper star of a woman complaining that it took emergency crews an hour to get there. Arminto, Wyoming is where it was and thats an hour from anywhere, plus the emergency responders were waiting to here from BNSF about any haz mat involved???, I guess they never did here from them. ... ... ... ... ... ... . Kevin

 

[Batman]

This may be a dumb question, but from reading this I need to ask.



Are derailments that common or was this just a really bad weekend?? Just wondering, thanks for any info.

 

[KatDiesel]

Derailments themselves are common yes, just as hitting vehicles at road crossings.



Usually on the UP there is at least 2 to 3 "road crossing" collisions a day.



Derailments happen often..... but usually its one wheel, one set of trucks (two wheels) or very minor.



This was a very bad week ... ... ... . these are considered major derailments. The MO one is prolly going to be 15 to 20 million or so when its all said and done.



The railroads "budget" each year for derailments... ... they are part of operations.

 

[Batman]

Kat, Thanks for the quick response!



It is interesting to hear stat about the railroad industry. There is a main line behind where I work and I can here commuter rails running all day, sometimes there is an occasional "small" freight train running, usually about 5 cars total, not like out west.



Are you by any chance at work like me?, and stop work for more important things like talking diesel

 

[KatDiesel]

No I am at home.



I work the midnight shift. 11pm to 7am.



The "lil frieght" your seeing is either a shortline railroad... ... or a local, or it could even be the industry's own engine.



And actually should prolly get to bed. . I gotta goto my girlfriends house and watch monday night football and then goto work tonight.

 

[pnwradar]

Originally posted by KatDiesel

Derailments themselves are common yes, just as hitting vehicles at road crossings.



Usually on the UP there is at least 2 to 3 "road crossing" collisions a day.

Well, you never know where those trains are gonna go. I mean, sure you see it coming down the track, but it might swerve, you know? And I'm in a real big hurry, and that train's going so slow, I can just zip between these gates and . . .



I think I recall that the most common crossing collision is a car/truck driving into the side of a moving train (at night), on an unguarded crossing. Usually out in the midwest somewhere.



-jon-

 

[klenger]

Eric:



Enjoyed the posts from and about shekat.



We have been out to Grand Junction a couple of times lately, and have noticed loaded coal trains going west through GJ and Gleenwood Springs. I was wondering where they are coming from and where they are going to? It seems like a lot of coal to be sending into the mountain towns.



Ken

 

[Max340]

I guess Isringhausen, or Hulcher or whatever they are calling themselves now, are gonna make a good living just in time for Christmas.

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by klenger

We have been out to Grand Junction a couple of times lately, and have noticed loaded coal trains going west through GJ and Gleenwood Springs. I was wondering where they are coming from and where they are going to? It seems like a lot of coal to be sending into the mountain towns.

Well West bound coal loads don't go through Glenwood Springs, the westbounds are emtpies going to Junction to go down to the mines. The coal loads go east through Glenwood Springs, and they are a wide variety of trains. They all goto Denver, then the either go out east on the KP line, north on the Greely sub, or south towards Pueblo.



Westbound coal loads out of Junction are not common anymore, they were for a whilebecause we had maintence curfews on the Moffat Tunnel sub... ... so they go west... . the north and back east on another line.



Thats as simple and brief as I can explain it Grand Junction handles trains that load at 4 mines (Converse, Terror Creek, West Elk, Somerset). On the Craig sub you have Energy and Axial. Colorado coal is very desirable because it burns cleaner then the Wyoming stuff.

 

[klenger]

Eric:

I was confused when I wrote my post. I was really asking about the east bound coal trains. Where are the mines you mentioned? Western Colorado?



thanks



Ken