This is in mile 520 of the BNSF’s Aberdeen sub today:
If you look at the other side, it is apparent what happened. Just why is another matter.
It is a long siding which is frequently used to park trains for a crew change. Speeds on this siding are in the 10 mph range. The train was an empty grainer headed back north. The switch and the derailer are centrally controlled (presumably from Ft. Worth).
So -
If your description is correct - we either have a signal system failure in displaying a proceed indication when the route was not lined
or - we have a red signal violation.
If the territory is Track Warrent territory then we have a Human Failure in failing to PROPERLY line the route after having received authority to move.
[:-^] A definate OOPSEY. The human factor always prevails over technology.
Cannonball
Or the train was unattended and rolled on its own. Ergo: Not enough brakes set for a layup.
ROAR
The LION re-did your photo, I hope you do not mind.
ROAR
BNSF iis going to be like WTF happened and who is to blame. Meanwhile the last crew is like oh crap do I need Unemployment NOW. Hulcher is goin Easy Job and the railfans are all going LMAO at the same time.
If the train rolled away unattended - it is the human failure of the previous crew in not securing the train properly. There is NO WAY that this incident is not a Human Factor derailment.
Maybe the Italian cruise line captain is now working for BNSF ? [(-D]
interesting, the second unit does not seem to have derailed, either the track department is at fault, or whomever last inspected the locomotive and did not see the bad flange.
The second unit not being on the ground would suggest that the crew is not at fault. Even at 4-5 mph shoving the unit that far into the dirt is pretty easy considering the loaded train!
Gravity works, the alligator certainly bit (Derail did what it was supposed to do) , the lead trucks on the second unit are down. It would appear that the second unit is not completetely over the derail.
Track department’s fault? Like Balt, I’d like to see what all the parameters here are, but it does look like one of the operating crews blew it.
LION thinks that the derail was located where the switch stand and the “D” indicator is located. That the “D” is facing the track shows that the track was blocked by the derail.
LION thinks that the derail was dislodged by the leading truck and seems to now be located at the leading edge of the fuel tank. LION thinks that the second truck on the lead locomotive derailed because the whole locomotive derailed and not because of the derail device which was destroyed when the first truck hit it.
And this is why, even though the second locomotive is past the derail stand, it did not derail.
LION may not be correct in his interpretation of the photograph, but you get what you paid for.
ROAR
Athough I agree with the assessment that the reason the 2nd loco went past the derail location, but didn’t derail, is because the derail device was “removed” by the 1st loco; Semper still want my money back.
If it is a power derail, like mentioned in the original message, I would think it to be the split rail type. Looks like a switch but without the frog and a short section of track (ending short of where the frog would be) to better guide the equipment away from the main track. The second engine’s truck may just be at or slightly over it, making it look like it’s not derailed.
Jeff
That’s quite an angle; I’m surprised it didn’t tip over.
What’s cheaper a Hulcher rerail or a runaway train hitting something? This is not cheap to put the unit back on the rails. But if the train had hit something else lets see 1 1/2 mil per unit and coal cars at 40k each.
If BNSF is smart the crew will have a lot of explaining and retraining. But this is cheaper than having to replace people.
Rgds IGN
The pictures don’t clearly show if the derailed equipment is clear of the fouling point with the Main. The defined purpose of derails on sidings or spurs is to keep the equipmet that gets derailed from fouling passing traffic on the Main Track and thus protecting the Main Track.
Where is this? From the hills in the background, I’m guessing in the Elk Point / Jefferson area?
I’ve been out of town so I did not get to see who and how it was rerailed. All the trucks of the first engine and the leading truck of the 2nd engine were on the ground. Everything stopped short of the point where the main would have been fouled.
This is a siding that was built when the BNSF bought the line from the state – perhaps 10 years ago. After awhile another 1500 feet of track was added to the west end and the switches were changed from manual to remote operation. It is located on the perimeter of the old MILW switchyard at North Sioux City.
A grain or ethanol train coming out of the Dakotas does not want to go into BNSF’s Sioux City yard to change crews as then the power is on the wrong end without a long backup move. This siding is a handy place to change crews before contining south to Lincoln NE. Usually the crew change does not occur at once but the train remains in the siding for several hours to a day.
After a oops happens, the proper chain of command is to either radio or phone (best likely the phone) the DS, followed by a call to the TM and last, but the most important of all ,and without fail is for everyone on the job to call their local chairman.