In all my 50 years, I have heard more train derailment in the last 5 years. I love trains and starting back in the 1950’s i read more books and newpapers about trains and I never heard anything like this. WHATS GOING ON?
The world is shrinking. Derailments are and always have been buisness as usual. Ask the mudchicken…tis the season…
Randy
I don’t know that the rate of derailments has increased; I think it has more to do with the “information society” we live in with a lot more sources for news and events. The railfan network, such that it is, is now wired-in and we get a lot more details (derailments, engine sightings, etc.) a lot faster than we ever did before…
Are there stats anywhere to see how many derailments there was in the 50s vs today? [:o)][:p]
[quote]
Originally posted by SILVERCHAMPION
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well with technology advancements you still have to allow for the human factor in railroading .and with the rrs pushing remote control its no wonder why there arent more derailments
stay safe
Joe
I took it Siver Champion was talking of mainline derailments like yesterday’s A/Trak incident. Hopefully they are not using remote control on mainline trains yet. Are they? [:o)][:I]
[quote]
Originally posted by JoeKoh
MP 57313 is quite right, Silver. If you go back through the FRA records (I have), you will find that if anything there are fewer derailments now than in the past, and the farther back you go, the more there were – and they weren’t all minor by any means. The difference is communication. Today we hear – often in seconds, usually within hours – of pretty much any derailment bigger than an oops in a yard somewhere. 20 years ago, unless some passengers were killed or there were some really spectacular pictures, the event never made it beyond the local paper, if it got that far. 50 years ago (and I can remember that far back… still… but I’m getting older!) the event had to be really spectacular to go anywhere – even with the greater interest in trains then; something like the City of San Francisco or the Super Chief going on the ground.
Plus there are dozens of 24 hr news channels. They have to fill up all that dead air time with something and a train wreck, no matter how minor, can provide lots of good video and scary taglines.
Dave H.
Reassuring to know that gravity still works![bow][bow][bow]
MC, HOW COULD YOU BELIEVE SUCH DRIVEL?? Don’t you know it’s all done with mirrors???[}:)][banghead][banghead][banghead]
Okaaaaayyyy? Well, umm, how do the mirrors work with that big hand that comes out of the clouds to put them back on the track…huh, smarty pants?
Silverchampion…
Most of the locomotives we used to own here at the PTRA had re-railing frogs hanging under one of the walkways, and a stack of hardwood wedges stashed somewhere in the long hood; a day without getting a wheel on the ground was a good day indeed!
When I signed on, our trainmasters drove pickup trucks, with the bed full of track jacks, wedges, blocks of hardwood and re-rail frogs, chain, spikes, tie plates and a spike maul, track bolts and the wrenches needed to tighten them.
Today, they drive neat little Trailblazers, nice and clean, with nothing in the back but bottled water and extra work gloves for the crews!
Our MK1500Ds have no re-rail frogs anywhere…and most of our crews would have no idea how to use one if they did…in fact, after 8 plus years yard switching, I have only managed to get three cars on the ground, two due to a by passed knuckle when we kicked against them, and one today…for no apparent reason, the trailing set of trucks on a hopper four cars deep into the shove just fell between the rails when we were shoving a cut into a track.
The leading set on the following car, and the three cars ahead of it went where they were supposed to, and no one can figure out why the one set got on the ground.
(Actually, the track wide guaged, but the road foreman dosnt want to admit that, so…act of God time!)
Only because I know how to, and because the trainmaster on duty knew it, we got it back on the rails and over to the rip track, with nothing but a few wood wedges and blocks…point is, after what must be well into the 10,000th car I have switched in 8 years, only three got a wheel on the ground, all with minor damage, in a yard built in 1927!
The reason you hear about almost every single derailment and accident is the medium you are looking at right now.
Instant communication, via the net and cell phones, gets the info out, not only to those who really need to know, but to fans and repor
My former trainmaster doesn’t even drive a TRUCK! And you sure can’t cram much into a Pontiac Gran Prix!
Maybe it’s just me, seems lately that practicality takes a back seat to comfort. Also seems that nobody wants to row their own, either.
Randy
Ed – you don’t carry rerailing frogs anymore??! Ye gods… well, that shows me how old I’m getting, and how long it’s been since I’ve been out of the office and into the real world.
I agree completely. Since the early 80’s, if memory service correctly, there has been a huge outbreak of news channels on cable television. It seems IMO that they would rather talk about an unfortunate event on the railroads than talk about unfortunate events on the highways.
Jamie
No, we dont…the old SWs we used to have had them hung on the walk way sill, along with some chains.
But, we dont need them any more…or at least, the new guys hired are not even told how to use them…
Ed