According to the Trains Newsletter, a door fell off a boxcar and struck a stopped passenger train on the Nahunta Sub in northern Florida last week. What happened next is the subject of debate on several discussion lists. Supposedly, it fell off, hit the ground, bounced off the side of the AMTK lead engine, flew into the air, and damaged three cars before shearing off a large section of roof of a fourth car. I’m having trouble accepting that. I’m not subscribed, but I understand that the Trains report is nearly identical to a post made on Trainorders, supposedly from the Amtrak train’s engineer. No NTSB investigation that I’m aware of, nor any reports on local news channels.
Now I’m not a physics expert, but how that door got around is puzzling to me. If anybody here who is a subscriber and is qualified to comment on the physics involved, I’d really like your feedback.
An incident like this could not have gone uninvestigated.
I’m hoping the CSX freight train was stopped near the site, backed up to where the standing Amtrak train sat, and marks compared. I wouldn’t be surprised if the door actually bounced between the trains, with further movement of the CSX train adding or directing the impetus. I’m sure the scratches and dents found would help.
Predicting how a box car door will bounce and/or sail would be a lot like predicting how a football will bounce once it’s “released” from the toe or arm. But nobody doubts that the door’s responsible for all of the damage (it it weren’t, what was?), so they should be able to work from that.
Errant boxcar door cripples ‘Silver Star’ dining car
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Published: Friday, January 15, 2010
| FOLKSTON, Ga. — Amtrak’s northbound Silver Star sustained damage Tuesday when a loose boxcar door on a |
I’d go with Carl’s answer. I bet it did bounce between trains after hitting the fireman’s side of that P42. THEN flying up over the car, and ripping a hole in the roof. There are a lot of possibilities that could have taken place.
Justin