@KOOLjock1 posted:Wasn't there a second one on static display somewhere? Or am I thinking of another class?
Jon
Perhaps your thinking of the Middletown & Hummelstown No. 91 which is similar to Strasburg No. 89?
@gunrunnerjohn posted:How does one find that part to replace it? I'm assuming the local locomotive shop doesn't stock those!
I checked on the Lionel parts site, no luck
@Farmall-Joe posted:Seems blame is being cast on the MOW crew - could it have been vandalism though? Just wondering.
Track/tracks holding MOW equipment, by rule should have the access switch lined AND LOCKED, in order that no other rail equipment, i.e. locomotive or train, can enter that track. ONLY the MOW crew should have the switch key to that special lock.
Found this on youtube.
That's a terrible shame. Hope it can be repaired.
@KOOLjock1 @TheRambles
Sister engine N&W 433 is on display in/near Abingdon, VA.
Do they have an alternative locomotive to use? When we visited during York week, 611 was still there but it wasn’t running.
What a shame, however. 475 is a beautiful locomotive. I hope they can fix it.
That's rough! I wonder if they have the patterns for that (assuming it is cast).
I suppose it could have been a lot worse if the boiler failed.
@Hot Water posted:Track/tracks holding MOW equipment, by rule should have the access switch lined AND LOCKED, in order that no other rail equipment, i.e. locomotive or train, can enter that track. ONLY the MOW crew should have the switch key to that special lock.
Lock-out/ Tag-out 101.......
@KOOLjock1 posted:Wasn't there a second one on static display somewhere? Or am I thinking of another class?
Jon
Im thinking of the rusted ones found in that abandoned scrap yard in Va?
@Steaming Jon posted:This just stinks all the way around… I hope everything turns out ok in the end…
From a mechanical standpoint I’m kind of surprised at the way the smoke box front failed. I would assume it would be made of sheet steel, but it appeared to crack like cast iron would… I would have expected it to bend/tear…
A lot of heat can make metal brittle, including cast iron. The smokebox is one of the hottest parts of a steam engine hence why it has its own special silver coating.
@Hot Water posted:Welding cast iron is NOT easy, especially a piece, or pieces, that size. They will simply have a new one cast. The Strasburg Shop is VERY resourceful.
I was just thinking in terms of getting it to stick together good enough to be used as a pattern. I know it would not survive in service… I suppose they could also make new patterns from drawings (if they exist). The bottom line is that the guys at Strasburg actually know the right way to make a new smoke box front, and I’m just speculating…
@Ray Lombardo posted:Do they have an alternative locomotive to use? When we visited during York week, 611 was still there but it wasn’t running.
611 is back up and running, but won't be used for regular excursion, as it's too much on the tracks. 90 is scheduled to go down for her inspection, but can be used through December, from what I hear. 89 is also available.
That’s hard to watch, a simple mistake, but at such a great place, beloved by so many. I guess the equipment is insured, and their shop can probably fix or make replacement parts, but this will tarnish their reputation. At least it seems no one got hurt.
Ok, step out of the vehicle, ever engine.
Walk this line. Now stretch your arms out to the side. Now touch your nose with your fingertip........ Now stand on one leg and count to 10.... Uh oh.......
Or, as Scoobie Doo would say "ruttt roooo".
On the serious side, I hope nobody was injured. It can all get fixed.
They were (relatively) lucky that the equipment they hit was light and could move with the impact.
@naresar posted:I don't really have much additional insight except to question what expectation the crew had of the switch being lined correctly. Yes they should have been looking as well but were they aware that there could be any issue.
One question though, does anybody know if 475 is superheated. Couldn't find anything online in a quick search,
Despite having outside steam pipes the 475 is not superheated.
Stuart
@Hot Water posted:No, the smoke box front is cast iron, NOT sheet steel.
Besides them recasting a new smoke box and whatever time that would involve, would there be a complete examination of the smokebox, make sure that there is no damage to the boiler, etc? Yeah, the shops are very resourceful at Strasburg. I did a tour there back in 2019 which was very informative. They do a lot of outside work for other people as well as anything in house.
Lousy luck! Is 475 that unusual wheel arrangement 4-8-0? Here they have pulled a "Casey Jones", and did not have to join the birds. Happened at THE place it can be repaired, ànd doesn't have to be moved far.
Wow ! What a shame. Stuff happens.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:How does one find that part to replace it? I'm assuming the local locomotive shop doesn't stock those!
Hey the MTH parts site is running strong, maybe they'll find one hidden in a box somewhere from the move! 😆😆
You live or die by the sword:
Rule 6.27
When a train or engine is required to move at restricted speed, movement must be made at a speed that allows stopping within half the range of vision short of:
Train
Engine
Railroad car
Men or equipment fouling the track
Stop signal or derail or switch lined improperly
The crew must keep a lookout for broken rail and not exceed 20 MPH.
Comply with these requirements until the leading wheels reach a point where movement at restricted speed is no longer required.
There is no excuse for what happened. Regardless of the switch not being lined for that movement, the Engineer was responsible for WATCHING ahead of him SEEING that the switches were lined properly IN ENOUGH TIME TO STOP. (Instead, he was lolly gagging and waving at the passengers.)
You must ALWAYS move in yard/switching type situations watching in the direction of travel and checking switches and watching for close clearances. From what can be determined from the video clips, he had time enough to SEE the switch and safely STOP. It would have then been a situation of lining the switch, mention the foul up to the MOW fellow that screwed up, and no damage, no one fired/disciplined. Compliance with the rule did its job.
Handling trains and running engines, regardless of a tourist operation or what, is serious business and it is NO time to lose situational awareness. Even in tourist service, it's not just a big Lionel set... poor judgement can kill or maim.
In all my years of handling trains/engines in restricted situations, I never once went past a stop signal (flag, fussee, etc), stop test, or ran into an obstruction, or a switch lined improperly, etc. It can be done but you've got to keep your head cut-in at all times.
This was totally uncalled for. At the least, unpaid time off should be served for this incident.
Andre
Gonna be fun and expensive to find another one of those headlights to match the one thats been destroyed. Glad nobody was hurt. Several people have some hard questions to answer now. AD
Latest from Trains on this. They’ll have the engine back up and running in a week or two.
Highly dispiriting. As many have mentioned, thank goodness whatever cascade of errors and lack of situational awareness contributed to this accident, no one was killed or injured.
Wow! Broke Just like a piece of cardstock!
@prrhorseshoecurve posted:A lot of heat can make metal brittle, including cast iron. The smokebox is one of the hottest parts of a steam engine hence why it has its own special silver coating.
linseed oil and graphite
Here is video taken from the passenger train during the accident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aIHLDMexk8
(to see the actual crash, jump to about 1 minute, 10 seconds in)
Anyone notice that the Virtual Railfan Paradise, PA feed has been shut down and no posting from them about the accident?
I am very happy no one was hurt in this crash. At least that is what is known right now. Those videos were very hard to watch. So Like what was said above so many folks love the SRR myself included.It's good to know they will get back on their feet.
While The engineer has to held accountable I hope that he doesn't get permanently fired over this especially if he has an unblemished record until now. Anyone can make a mistake. I am sure he feels terrible and I am sure he learned a very serious lesson.
Does NTSB investigate this accident?
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:Does NTSB investigate this accident?
Probably not since there were no injuries, and the damage was not all that expensive.
It is public transportation, I would think the feds would investigate the incident.
Per the Trains article linked above, FRA will be investigating.
@superwarp1 posted:Anyone notice that the Virtual Railfan Paradise, PA feed has been shut down and no posting from them about the accident?
I'd figure that they will be investigating, writing up reports, etc. They may release something later on, maybe after the FRA investigation is done. Hard to say, I just know that when I worked for my last company(nothing to do with trains), accidents of any kind would take a few days to get everything documented as to what happened, and then action plans would be put forth from whatever the finding were. I would expect nothing but a serious tone as with any type of investigation regardless of how minor. I'm not saying this is minor, as any accident involving equipment is major.
Passenger cars now being pulled by #89. Earl G.
Had the engine been in reverse order, most likely it would only have been a dented tender, not as bad!
