I need an answer about this forum, can anyone help. There seems to be some morbid fascination with train derailments, it seems every time there is the smallest railroad derailment, regardless of how small, and nothig is spilled, no one injured, no risks, even if one wheel is on the ground people ru***o the forum to inform us of this milestone in railroad interest that may have occured miles and miles in the middle of no where at no risk to anything or anyone, Is it that important that we are informed of this non-event? Another strange question is, where are these people getting their news? ? ----just asking.
…Did you have any specific post to question…?
Well…one of the main reasons why derailments are posted so often is because, it’s news. People want to hear what went on or what caused the derailment. It doesn’t matter how big or small the derailment may seem, but they are important to the railroads involved, the FRA, OL, the STB, and the NTSB.
They can be very important to railfans in other adjacent areas, as they affect the amount of train traffic that can be expected to be seen, and would explain to them why there are alot of trains sitting still at those times.
Add in the same reason people crane their necks and slow down on the freeway when passing a traffic accident, morbidly flat out nosey!
Boats sink, planes fall out of the sky, or crash on lift off or landing, and people want to see…trains fall off the tracks, and people want to know, and want to see…because it is, in their world, unusual or out of the normal.
For those of us who do this for a living, having a set of wheels on the ground is not so unusual, just a pain in the keister, it is part of the job, and to us, while not an everyday occurrence, not that unusual either.
To fans, it is not the norm…so curiosity wins…most have never seen a derailment happen, or even seen the aftermath and clean up, so they are interested, in the same way you are interested in a Indy race car crash…
Ed
…This is a train’s forum…Derailments are one aspect of operations that happen. It is not the normal routine one expects of a train in operation so it’s a subject to railfans. A specific notation in our area is of a recent derailment and it is the 3rd train on the ground at the same location since about 2003 so something is unique. A problem at hand. What’s morbid about that…? It’s simply a happening from normal operations and it {track structure…?}, needs to be re engineered or overcome in some matter to prevent it from happening again…
…It is a class one track main line.
I like the freeway analogy myself.
Well,
Why do people slow down at freeway wrecks?
Its not like every one of us hasn’t seen a horrible accident up close before…
In Houston, you should go about ten minutes after you first get your license before you see or have one!
As for Modelcars point…three in the same place would be out of the normal…quite out there in fact.
Maybe not morbid, but for the railfan…maybe compelling would be the correct word.
So, as he pointed out, it is open for serious discussion here, as we have several civil engineers, a real mudchicken, and quite a few railroaders who are interested in why three on the rocks in the same place happens.
Ed
I see now, derailments are of interest to railfans, and this is a forum on trains, my question as to the fascination of derailments was I would think there would be far more interesting topics about the world of railroading to discuss than if a wheel slips off a rail somewhere, there is a lot of past history and present with new innovations daily that would be railroad news, I just assume a small derailment would not be a very newsworthy item, I would assume a very small percentage of readers would be interested in a one wheel(or 2) derailment. Oh, I’m the guy that curses and honks at you guys who slow down and gawk at car crashes.
But ya know…a lot depends on if your the guy with the wheels on the ground![8D]Ed
nothing quite like the first time you derail and no one is hurt. morbid maybe, more like boys with there toys. as far as some of the derailments on here, blow overs, should make you think as a rilfan, am i doing what is safe.
the picture of the pull apart, definetly not your everyday occurence, tornadoes, down right scary but a lot of usefull info for train crews
thanks
One of the reasons I went down to our recent tornado damage path was that it went through American Railcar Industries where they BUILD railroad cars. Brand new UNPAINTED tank cars on their sides with debris plastered to them isn’t an ordinary occurance.
Neither is this: http://uptrain.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=336267
I’d hate to be the one to derail numerous cars, or manage to accordian-fold a train, but sometimes the clean up of the wreck can be a spectacle, especially if it involves one of the old big hooks to get stuff back on the rails. It can be fun to watch, although I’d never hope for a derailment.
…The wrecks…or should I call them derailments, I guess so…that I’ve described happening here {at the same location}, were costing some one plenty of money. The first two were many trailers from the Triple Crown train…Pulled them off on the inside of the curve and overturned them and burst some with the merchandise spilling on the ground, etc…and this one just a few days ago was 6 cars, covered hoppers containingj potash and it spilling on the ground of course from some of them and of course the cars bent up, and on their sides but this one curiously went off the curve on the outside of it…Just the opposite of the Triple Crown sittuation. Far from just a wheel on the ground.
Maybe it’s because a lot of people here are model railroaders and like to know that their models derailling is prototypical. [:D]
OK, OK, I’ll try again, last time, I mentioned a derailment of no real consequence, not deaths or injury very, very little damage, no real shutdown time and no environmental damage, now you have it up to massive tornado damage and 66 car, 80mph train derailments, this is NOT what I was referring to. If you are really intersted I can get information of a wheel off -track derailment down at the creosote plant (I have seen two) I can provide photos if you are all interested—are you??------ of course a 48 propane car derailment beside a childrens orphanage is news, one wheel off the track is NOT news----- apples and oranges-----
…I don’t think very many posters on here are too animated about an axle dropping on the ground…The interest here when someone mentions derailments is a derailment that has consequences…damage…track torn up, etc…Such as I mentioned in my above posts, and that kind of happening is simply something that does happen every so often and it’s a railroad activity that is an interest to lots of folks. Including fans. What kind of equipment is required to rerail cars and make track repairs, etc…
I get my info on derailments from NEWS WIRE at TRAINS.com before I come to the forums. If they consider it news worthy why wouldn’t there forums. It is usually not one axel at a creasote plant but something that interupts interstate comerce. Even more so when it interupts passenger service either local or intersate. This is now news that affects poelpe live several states away. It is more than just freeway rubber necking. It can take days to restore the right-of-way and transit times. [2c] As always ENJOY
Yep, I’d say that’s part of the reason too! Now I got to a point on my layout that my cars don’t derail anymore (good track work, sprung trucks, proper weight). So I kinda miss my own derailments 
You know that now you’ve said this, they’ll be back. [xx(]