NTSB - Broken Axle Video/Crash

Wow! It took me a minute to remember that accident, just over 3 years ago. The video is amazing. Thanks for sharing that. I always like closure on these things.

Talk about bad timing.... Does anyone know exactly happened to the axle?   Did it just break apart or get hot?(burnt off) Seems the crews obeyed the rules.   Thanks for posting.

Seeing that car on your track could spoil your whole day!

This would have to be one of the most helpless situations a train crew can encounter.  

Riding it out and maintaining your presence of mind to advise the dispatcher is proof these guys are professionals.

Curt

I'd say "We gotta go!" was an understatement - a terrifying reality for oil train crews with it always in the back of their minds.

Seems the crews obeyed the rules.

On multiple track territory the rules require the crew to immediately broadcast a warning when their train goes into emergency. In that video, despite being in emergency and easily seeing the opposing train approaching, the grain train crew says nothing for 34 seconds after the air dumps on their train. Then the oil train crew spends another 18 seconds trying to verify that the grain train said they were in emergency. A lot of slowing down could have occurred in those 52 seconds.
Situations such as this are exactly the reason some RRs used MARS type lights on their locomotives.

brave crew

Firewood posted:

- a terrifying reality for oil train crews with it always in the back of their minds.

 

well um, it's not just oil train crews  Any time I hear emergency emergency emergency on the radio, your butt puckers just a bit..... no matter what train it is or I am on. The incident in Texas was not an oil train and look how that turned out. Don't think for one second that only a certain type of train is dangerous!

Situations such as this are exactly the reason some RRs used MARS type lights on their locomotives

 I'm not sure why? 

  You're right though,  52 seconds could have made a difference.  I'm not sure exactly how much  as this derailment was inevitable. Now way of stopping this one once the axle broke and the location of both trains. Bad timing.

In  my day  the adjacent track would have to be protected by flagging for outside ABS territory. In this case the flagman would not have had time to get off the engine, light up a red fusee and start heading out.

Did not think a derailed grain car could push a diesel engine THAT far off the track.  Then again, the grain train did stop, and the oil one was still moving;  the later hitting a still object.

 I'm not sure why? 

Because with the Mars/Gyralites, the instant the air goes into emergency the 'flashing' red light comes on thus instantly warning on coming trains their track may be fouled. Same thing for when somebody doesn't quite get stopped at the far end of a siding and bigholes his train as it slides out on the main. That light could save a head on or at least reduce the collision speed by quite a bit. There is a reason almost all RRs that used these lights were western roads or those in relatively flat midwestern states, site distances were usually very long.

Did not think a derailed grain car could push a diesel engine THAT far off the track.

The grain car did not push the loco that far off the track. The grain car simply derailed the loco and the loco's own momentum caused it to continue out into the field. Trains don't stop on a dime, even when on the ground. What amazes me is that it stayed upright.

I'm not sure why? 

Because with the Mars/Gyralites, the instant the air goes into emergency the 'flashing' red light comes on thus instantly warning on coming trains their track may be fouled. Same thing for when somebody doesn't quite get stopped at the far end of a siding and bigholes his train as it slides out on the main. That light could save a head on or at least reduce the collision speed by quite a bit. There is a reason almost all RRs that used these lights were western roads or those in relatively flat midwestern states, site distances were usually very long.

Thank you & it certainly seems like a great idea....

Same thing for when somebody doesn't quite get stopped at the far end of a siding and bigholes his train as it slides out on the main. 

That would get you fired here but it does happen and you can tell when it happens if  there's a foot of snow over the rail  indicating the opposing meet ran the switch and had to back up to take the hole.   (scary) This one is usually covered up between  crews

And then there are the oil tank trucks that crawl across a crossing, looking as though they're gonna stall...  Lots of "pucker opportunities" on the railroad.

Dominic Mazoch posted:

Did not think a derailed grain car could push a diesel engine THAT far off the track.  Then again, the grain train did stop, and the oil one was still moving;  the later hitting a still object.

A loaded grain car weighs 145 tons... it will derail anything that hits it

So, all crews involved: No serious injuries?

If no serious injuries, that is one of those "THANK GOD!" incidents/moments.