Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Looks like it got off the bridge safely. It looks like there was nothing left under the track and ties where it started to cross the river.
George
Looks like a sad case of tunnel vision....
Looks like they were very lucky to be able to back off that span!
(Sound of applause) For the guy who sat in the seat and backed that train back onto solid track. 
I'll bet there's pucker marks in the seat, that looked pretty dicey! 
Railway bridges, although in my opinion as former structural engineer who designed buildings, are OVER designed.
However, when I see a bridge surviving these hydrodynamic stresses and still allowing an engine to back-up without a failure, I may need to rethink that opinion.
AlanRail posted:Railway bridges, although in my opinion as former structural engineer who designed buildings, are OVER designed.
However, when I see a bridge surviving these hydrodynamic stresses and still allowing an engine to back-up without a failure, I may need to rethink that opinion.
There wasn't any structure left where the engine was. I guess it was the pier that was about 20 feet away that was holding the rail. The rail had bent. Wouldn't that mean that there was a gap somewhere down the line? It's amazing the ties were hanging onto the rail. They must have had some pretty good tie plates and spikes on that section.
George
And good welds on wherever the rails were joined! 
That person did an awesome job getting the engine on to solid ground.
I would surmise, that the area were the tracks and ties are hanging in the air... the ground was washed out from underneath by the flood waters. The steel structure part of the bridge looks solid as a rock. Naturally it'll have to be inspected for damage and erosion from around the pilings.
George S posted:There wasn't any structure left where the engine was. I guess it was the pier that was about 20 feet away that was holding the rail. The rail had bent. Wouldn't that mean that there was a gap somewhere down the line? It's amazing the ties were hanging onto the rail. They must have had some pretty good tie plates and spikes on that section.
George
Google "railroad washouts." You'll see plenty of ties still attached to rails. If the spikes would pull out easily, they wouldn't be able to support the rails under a train in normal circumstances.
Rusty
Somewhere, Gomez Addams is shaking his head in sorrow...
Mitch
Were the ties concrete? And/or used a non-spike securing system?
That fella or gal at the controls of that locomotive just saved that company well into 7 digits worth of company property and/or lawsuits, possibly even lives. Sadly, there will probably be zero recognition for the engineer forthcoming from management.
Good for the folks running the train. When will people learn to hold their phone HOIZONTAL!!! Don
I'm pretty sure those engines are being pulled (by engines coupled to the other end of the train). The lead engine looks to be just about balanced with the fuel tank resting on the rails where the track is still on solid ground. There is no way two 130# rails would support that weight over that span. Maybe the space three or four ties would span. I guarantee that fuel tank is gonna' need some serious rebuilding after that locomotive sat on it.
They need to send that water to the fire zone !
Supposed this would have happened on one of those remote control ore railroads....
It almost looked to me like the cab of the lead locomotive was empty and the crew had vacated to the second/trailing unit. I think they might have been pulling from there.
