Train Collision in Alabama

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I understand that this was an NS collision, and that some brand new automobiles got dumped as well. From the Associated Press-

Posted on Thu, Jan. 19, 2006
ADEM reports no problems with air quality at rail crash site

Associated Press
LINCOLN, Ala. - A spokesman for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management says NO chemicals have been detected this morning surrounding the wreckage of an overturned train.

A-D-E-M’s Jerome Hand said testing will continue as officials monitor rail cars containing sodium cyanide. He said most of the materials on fire are paper and auto products.
On another matter, a spokesman for the Talladega County Emergency Management Agency, says all schools in the county will be OPEN for classes today.

Yesterday’s train collision near Lincoln forced the evacuation of about 500 residents. A train carrying the chemical caught fire when it rear-ended another that had pulled aside to let it pass. It happened around 5 p.m… The collision sent a plume of black smoke into the air that could be seen 40 miles away in Birmingham.

According to the Centers for Disease Control web site, sodium cyanide is not combustible but it forms flammable gas on contact with water or damp air and can give off irritating or toxic gases in a fire.

2

http://www.dailyhome.com/news/2006/dh-talladegacounty-0119-0-6a18v3611.htm

http://www.dailyhome.com/news/2006/dh-talladegacounty-0119-acasciaro-6a18v4006.htm

3

This is the best article on it I’ve seen. From UTU Site. Glad to see the worst injury was a broken ankle.

LC

Trains crash in Alabama; four injured

LINCOLN, Ala. – One train slammed into another on a track near Lincoln on Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 18), injuring at least four people and trapping more than 50 in their homes while firefighters battled a huge inferno, according to the Anniston Star.
Emergency officials urged about 500 people living within a mile of the accident to evacuate to shelters in schools, churches and a recreation center nearby after they confirmed that one of the trains carried a toxic chemical.

One train hit another from behind at about 4 p.m., according to Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson, on a section of track just east of the Coosa River and about a mile west of the Honda auto plant.

Shay Cook, spokeswoman for the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency, said one of the trains carried sodium cyanide. The chemical is not combustible, but forms flammable gas on contact with water or damp air. It gives off irritating or toxic gases - hydrogen cyanide and oxides of nitrogen - in a fire.

Environmental and emergency workers were evaluating each of the wrecked cars Wednesday night. As of 10:30, it appeared no hazardous materials had been released into the air.

Susan Terpay, a spokeswoman for Norfolk Southern Railway, which owned both of the trains, said it appeared the car carrying the dangerous chemical was not breached.

Cook said three railroad workers and a local resident were injured in the crash and taken to Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega.

Roxanne Ramsey, a hospital spokeswoman, said all four victims were in good condition. One of the railroad employees had a broken ankle, a Lincoln fire fighter said, which appeared to be the most serious injury at the scene.

Terpay said both trains were eastbound, headed for Atlanta. One train pulled of

4

“I figure if my daughter’s safe there’s no point in my getting arrested,” Smith said, pacing and chain smoking Marlboro Lights. “I’ve been telling her jokes and she’s been telling me jokes - knock-knock jokes. She was worried about her cat.”

Witnesses who live near the accident site reported seeing a towering column of black smoke before the sun set. "’

Those Marlboros must be pretty strong !

5

How does an engineer know when his/her train has cleared the main? EOT input? or ???

Thanks,
Ross R

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It’s my understanding that the engineer can push a button that will start a countdown in feet that starts with the length of the train and counts down to zero. I don’t remember the exact details but I’m sure someone else will provide that info.

7

Is it possible that the length of the train was miscalculated?

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Most newer locomotives have counters. Unfortunately, they only work if you are pulling down a track and know the length of your train, which should be on your paperwork. If you are switching cars, as these guys were it is more difficult to keep track of your rear end unless you have a crew member on the ground to tell you. The rules require you know where the rear of your train is. There is all sorts of speculation about this collision, so I won’t add to it. I’ll wait to see what the investigation turns up.

LC

9

Hi all,

I work at the Honda plant in Lincoln. I remember hearing a ‘boom’ that was louder than normal, but you get used to booms and crashes working in there. We were wondering if we would have to evacuate or not. We shut all the doors for the rest of the night until it was determined that it was safe. Sodium cyanide causes breathing difificuties, etc…but the car(s) carrying the chemical was not breached. It was just a lot of fire and smoke. The vehicles on the train were Mercedes Benz. There is an article at the following site, that’s saying the switch that diverts the train onto the other track, was in the wrong position…
http://www.annistonstar.com/as-index.htm

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So if it was in the wrong position, does that mean the points were lined for the siding and the following train went into the siding and hit the train that he was supposed to pass? We had heard before that the train to be passed had not cleared the main all the way and the following train hit some cars still out on the main. However, if that had been the case, I would have expected the following train to see a restricting signal. I guess we will find out all the details later on.

George

11

Really to reapeat, locomotives have a counter where the engineer is able to program the train length and when necesary he can set it to count down so that he knows his train is past a certain point. As said above, this can be mistaken if the train is s/o or p/u cars along the way, for example yesterday while working, we pulled into the yard and we were still over the main, good thing we found the error in time.

Also depending on the track, wouldnt the dispatcher know that the parked train hadnt cleared the main, or if he was still on the main, wouldnt the signals behind him indicate that there was trafic ahead?

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heres an image…
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=270124

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Not all engines have counters and the ones that do have counters not all of them work and sometimes they are not accurate. I wont say anything about the wreck ( aas most railroaders are staying quiet ) Until the investigation is complete.

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BOOM SHACKA LACKA!!![:D][:D][:D][:D] bye bye locomotives!!! and scattered freight cars!!

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I am lost for words by what I saw in that Photo.

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I’m still wondering why the following train did not get a “Restricted signal” if either the switch was not lined properly and/or the train in the siding had to cleared the main yet.
Such a signal would not allow in to be running at 53 MPH.
gtr

17

What signal?

18

What I would like to know about this incident, is what the railroad is going to do about the Road Forman of Engines that was on the head end of the train that failed to clear the main line. He had allowed the conductor of that train to be out riding around in his car, while the RFE rode the head end of the train with the engineer. He is a new RFE, and i guess he thought he could get by with it. And who knows maybe he can, since he is a boss, and NS covers their behinds so well. It will be just like every other time something has happened in the public eye, they sweep it under the rug. And we as a public allow it to happen. But who are we to stand up to them? We dont stand a chance!!!