History History of Railroad Safety - Spotlight on current derailments

[Astronuc]

Oh my.

I corrected my post. The failed bearing had increased in temperature by 65°F (from 38°F to ~103°F). It was probably hotter. Still, if it had increased by 65°F over 10 miles, then it could increase by another 130°F over the next 20 miles. A rapid change is an indication of a problem.

The other finding of concern is that 25% of the freight cars had defective conditions, which indicates increased risk due to poor maintenance practices. Railroad employees have been reporting this on several of the major railroads, and some face retaliation (which is illegal) as a result.

 

[Astronuc]

NTSB says Norfolk Southern threatened agency during derailment probe
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/nt...-after-2023-ohio-train-derailment-2024-06-25/

WASHINGTON, June 25 (Reuters) - The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board said Norfolk Southern threatened the board, sought to manufacture evidence and failed to provide documents during its investigation of a 2023 Ohio derailment.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in extraordinary remarks the rail carrier "delayed or failed to provide critical investigative information to our team," prompting her to warn it twice the agency would issue subpoenas to compel disclosure. She described the company's actions as "unconscionable" and "reprehensible."

The NTSB also found on Tuesday that Norfolk Southern and its contractors did not need to vent and burn hazardous materials from tank cars after a February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that it said was caused by a defective wheel bearing.

The derailment forced residents to temporarily abandon their homes after the train caught fire and released over 1 million gallons of hazardous materials and pollutants near the state's border with Pennsylvania.

 

[Astronuc]

Rail cars carrying hazardous material derailed and burst into flames Friday in a remote area of North Dakota, but officials said no one was hurt and the threat to those living nearby appeared to be minimal.

Twenty-nine cars of a CPKC train derailed around 3:45 a.m. in an area surrounded by farmland that’s about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northwest of Fargo, said Andrew Kirking, emergency management director for Foster County.

The cars were carrying anhydrous ammonia, sulfur and methanol, said Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager for the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. The ammonia was the biggest risk, but wind was carrying the smoke away from the nearby town of Bordulac, which has about 20 residents.

https://apnews.com/article/train-de...north-dakota-a45add68f13836222234a5eb6e25693a

North Dakota Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Quality will have to investigate.

 

[berkeman]

https://apnews.com/article/train-de...north-dakota-a45add68f13836222234a5eb6e25693a

I hope the photographer is using a zoom lens. At least they are partially upwind...

 

[Hornbein]

Sabin Hossenfelder expresses her dismay at the disarray of the formally envied railroad system of Germany. Executive summary : privatization led to overly deferred maintenance.

 

[Astronuc]

Not a derailment, but a bridge collapse, although it was close to involving a derailment. "There are reports that the bridge collapsed shortly after a train crossed it and while the automated system was in the process of raising it to allow boats to pass below." This will require an investigation as to why it was not detected earlier.

CN said in a statement to website operator Dougall Media on Wednesday, Aug. 14, that it was responding to “an incident” involving the bridge across the Rainy River that provides its connection to the Port of Thunder Bay, Ont., and that the waterway was blocked. The railroad said no train was involved in the incident and that the cause was under investigation.

https://www.nwonewswatch.com/local-news/railway-bridge-collapses-near-fort-frances-9352179

https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2024/08/15/five-mile-bridge-collapses-fort-francis-ontario/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thun...lapse-near-fort-frances-ont-cn-says-1.7295211

https://www.startribune.com/canadia...-from-international-falls-collapses/601112356

The bridge was built 1908 By Builder/Contractor: Ketler-Elliott Company of Chicago, Illinois and American Bridge Company of New York, New York and Engineer/Design: Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company of Chicago, Illinois
https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=ontario/rainysub/

The bridge is 116 years old. The bridge is a Metal 6 Panel Rivet-Connected Warren Through Truss, Movable: Single Leaf Bascule (Rolling Lift) and Approach Spans: Metal Deck Girder, Fixed

 

[Astronuc]

AP News reported "2 freight trains collided in Colorado, damaging a bridge, spilling fuel and injuring 2 crew"
https://apnews.com/article/boulder-...n-fuel-spill-cb55d0dafdf212329ade9c91dbbafdd2

UPI reports: Roads reopened after train derails, destroys bridge in Boulder, Colo.

Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Boulder, Colo., police Friday said all roads closed by a Thursday night' BNSF train derailment are reopened. Two crew members had minor injuries and a rail bridge was destroyed, according to police.

Initial reports that two trains had collided were inaccurate. Just one train derailed."

Apparently one train derailed.
https://news.yahoo.com/roads-reopened-train-derails-destroys-190722308.html

https://news.yahoo.com/bnsf-railway-steps-investigate-freight-220200920.html

From some video, it appears that there might have been distributed power units (DPUs) in the middle of the train, which some might have interpreted as a 2nd train colliding with a first train. Otherwise, one train my have derailed into another train. The derailment occurred on or near a bridge that crosses Boulder Creek about 1730 ft (527 m) north of the intersection of Arapahoe Ave and 48th Street in Boulder, Colorado. There is a switch/turnout to a siding to the west of the bridge over Boulder Creek. It's not clear at this time if that had any involvement in the derailment.

BNSF and NTSB will investigate.

 

[berkeman]

Yikes.

 

[berkeman]

It's amazing that this collision with an 18-wheeler hauling a heavy military vehicle (self-propelled howitzer) did not cause a derailment. I'm guessing it's because the train hit between the truck cab and the trailer, and was able to push the two pieces to the sides. Still, a scary collision (no injuries reported).