Derailment and UPS packages

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

From the Associated Press:

BURNS HARBOR, Ind. – A freight train bound for Chicago derailed Friday, splitting open several train cars loaded with UPS packages just days before Christmas.

Hundreds of UPS workers were sent to the site to load packages onto trailers and get them back on their way, company spokesman James Vickery said. An engine and 10 cars derailed near U.S. 12 and Ind. 149 about 10 miles east of Gary, Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband said. No injuries were reported, but the derailment also blocked some Amtrak trains to and from Chicago. Amtrak said it stopped some westbound trains at Elkhart or Michigan City and arranged for buses to bring passengers to Chicago. Passengers for some eastbound trains were being taken by bus from Chicago to Michigan City or Toledo, Ohio, to board other trains. The freight train, which was traveling from Secaucus, N.J., was hauling 39 UPS containers. The UPS tracking system will allow customers to track their packages online and be notified if their parcel was thrown off the train, Vickery said. One lane of westbound U.S. 12 will remain closed through the weekend while crews clean up debris and fuel, officials said. One South Shore commuter train bound for Chicago was stopped briefly by the derailment, said Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District spokesman John Parsons. Passengers on that train were returned to their stations while emergency crews assessed damage to the tracks.
2

I’m surprised the Railroad and the Emergency personal alloed UPS to go and pick up packages. You think there would be a safety concern for the UPS guys.

3

I heard a bunch of truck drivers talking about that on the CB yesterday when I was passing through that area on my way to Michigan

4

So THAT’s why my package hasn’t arrived yet![(-D]

(I’m not actually expecting anything, but I couldn’t resist…)

5

When UPS talks…Railroads grovel.

UPS loads that get blocked by a derailment are normally detrained at the nearest facility and trucked to destination…at railroad expense.

UPS wants what it wants and the railroads either deliver or get the business pulled.

6

Lets see, I was within 2 miles of that derailment yesterday…and didnt even know it. Too bad I didnt have my scanner on.

I am sure UPS has contingency plans in effect for these sort of plans…they are a top notch company.

ed

7

We do have packages we’re expecting, but don’t know who’s shipping them or from where (the Amazon I’m familiar with is in South America). They haven’t arrived yet, and were ordered a week ago.

Photographs I saw of the derailment looked almost like a landfill, with all of that stuff strewn about. I didn’t see the UPS workers. Not to worry about them–the railroad knows what needs to be done, and probably would have put a flagman on to protect them.

8

It would hardly be the first time that UPS trailers got smashed open. Bet there has also been a time or two when packages were spread over several highway lanes.

9

Ahh yes UPS. The bane of Railroad operating people. Heaven help the person that delays a UPS train. UPS pays big money for fast shipment, so they generally get what they want.

One time I set out a car with square wheels, that had a UPS trailer on it. 30 minutes later I started gettings calls about it. The general car forman him self came out to patch the wheel enough to get the car moved to the Intermodal ramp. It being Sunday the ramp was closed, and the ramp manager personally came in to unload the trailer, so it could be trucked the rest of the way.

Nick

10

My UPS office gives me just a few hours each day late in the afternoon to get packages.

Every time I have something shipped UPS Ive had to go to that office with tracking number in hand and physically solve the problem. Either by getting the dispatcher to call the driver on the truck and find it or look in the problem rack on the dock itself.

Sheesh.

In the world of uber GPS, direction finding and puzzle solving my address is very unique and easily found. But for some reason, if I let 6 months go by without shipping via UPS some widget, they forget all about it and I have to get it myself.

I do that alot with computer parts. My Vendor ships out of Memphis. Im half considering driving down to memphis and picking up the damn computer part myself for what I pay in shipping fees and lost time.

I love to pick on the buster browns as I call them a little bit.

But this is the holiday season and a wreck like this is unacceptable. I for one would LOVE to learn what the heck happened on such a fine looking double mainline that is straight track too.