CN lost a wooden bridge to a fire in Minnesota. Thank goodness the cars stuck on it at the time were only carrying potash.
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A question.
based on the assumption that the engineer probably knew he couldn't stop in time to keep the engine from crossing the bridge, would it have been a better decision to accelerate and possibly get the train over the bridge.
A wooden bridge out in the middle of nowhere suddenly catches on fire.....seems pretty suspicious. Be interesting to see what the investigation turns up.
I thought this was somewhat suspicious myself - but nothing was mentioned in the article.
As to pulling all the way through I have no idea what the track set up is in that area. The train could have been approaching a block signal or yard limit, and as to acceleration even if there is room that is not always an option either, based on grades, curves etc. IF there was no choice but to leave part of the train on the bridge then leaving some fairly harmless pot ash cars was a good move, assuming the engineer /conductor even had a good idea what they were moving, which is not always the case.
I am definitely interested in seeing if there is some follow up reporting. The destruction of a RR bridge close to an international border, even an old wooden one, should warrant an FRA/NTSB investigation. My guess is just stupid vandalism, but that is only a guess.
Edit- after re-reading the article, the engineer dumped the emergency brake as soon as he saw the flames. This seems like a perfectly normal reaction to me. At that point the best you can do is call for help and salvage everything you can. If the fire was bad enough then the air hoses on the trapped cars would have been consumed and the only way to get moving again would be to cut them loose and pump up the air on whatever you had left.
Update. Fire ruled accidental by local authorities.
Caused by a mechanical failure of a wooden bridge? Seems like the normal response to that would be "huh?" I wish there were some specifics. Wonder what that could be.
Originally Posted by Forrest Jerome:
A question.
based on the assumption that the engineer probably knew he couldn't stop in time to keep the engine from crossing the bridge, would it have been a better decision to accelerate and possibly get the train over the bridge.
I sort of agree . Seems he applied the emergency brake instead . By the time the train stopped and brakes pumped off it was too late. Darned if you do and darned if you don't. What would you do if engineman on the train. I might be thinking about getting off this thing before the bridge.
Clear. Thanks Wyhog.
" Koochiching County Sheriff Perryn Hedlund said the bridge that burned crossed the Rat Root River..."
LOL. No offense intended, but Hollywood couldn't come up with anything better than that.
