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Investigators: rail break caused 2014 crude oil crash and fire
Why did a 20% transverse fracture on a curve not raise all sorts of warning signals? Especially since a day later it broke under load. Was lack of warning due to delay in processing data or do railroads not realize how fast a crack can propagate and every one thought “OK, we have plenty of time to fix this” . Maybe it is time to scientifically re-examine failure mechanisms. How about also examining possibility of field treating via heat cycles affected rail areas. Maybe this would be less time consuming than cutting out affected areas and thermite welding replacement rail especially on curves.
A defect of this type requires a speed restriction plus remedial action. The maximum speed of the track already matched the FRA required speed restriction and the train was operating within its allowable speed. CSX noted the defect and planned to replace the defective rail within five days as required by maintenance standards. Perhaps remedial actions should be enhanced. NTSB report: http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAB1601.pdf
Murphy’s Law 101, when something fails it fails at the worst possible time in the worst possible way at the worst possible place in the worst possible circumstances.
This accident will certainly make for an interesting case study at the next WRI Conference, what with the pre-accident inspection data, the short timeline before the accident and the subsequent FRA investigation.
I wonder how many other trains [and what type] passed this point before the oil train.
Kraske – I don’t know who wrote the above story, but if you click the link to the NTSB report on this, it states that the transverse detail fracture was only at 5%. The report went on to say that at 20% is normally where a rail failure occurs. CSX had the rail scheduled to be replaced within 5 days. Also, the train was traveling at 24 mph, within the 25 mph for the curve and also for a transverse detail fracture speed restriction. The report stated that CSX has since modified its speeds to 10 mph restriction in these problem areas.
Also, the NTSB report states that only one tank car was breached. Not three as this news article states.