UP accident in Shepherd Texas...

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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For those of you that may not have seen the news today, a south bound Union Pacific traveling from Arkansas to Houston ran head on into another train that was facing north and was side tracked and sitting still in Shepherd Texas. Investigators said that the switch was apparently left open allowing the moving train onto the side track resulting in the collision. One person on the sitting train was killed in the accident. Residents were evacuated for a half mile of the area due to leaking diesel fuel that was quickly cleaned up. All residents have since been allowed to return to their homes, but the local school was closed for the day.

In the world of model railroading, trains are fun, but in the real world they’re serious business… Thoughts and prayers to the family of the UP employee that lost his life in this tragic accident.

Tracklayer

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[:(]

I can see more spring switches getting put in place, and a better checklist of crews tying down. I feel sorry for the family. Never should have happened.

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Hopefully there will be lessons learned from this so that future similar accidents can be avoided, or the probability of similar accidents can be minimized. Let’s be thankful more folks weren’t injured or killed.

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Well the lesson is learned and hopefully no one will make that mistake again! It is not worth having people in danger of being injured or worse death.

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Very sad to hear about this accident.[:(]

My prayers go the family.

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Trajedy…another UP accident.

Would especially be alarming if after the investigation, it would turn out that this accident would be virtually identical to the one that happened on NS, where a crew member left a switch in the wrong position that resulted in a horrid wreck.

TrackLayer, did you post this next door on the TRAINS forum?

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[:(] I agree… I hate it when this sort of thing happens. It’s like it’s family.

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i have to agree with everybody here.

now heres another that happened on the BNSF Madill Sub close to where i live. there was a southbound loaded rock train in the hole and had to WAIT FOR 2 northbound empties
the engineer already had a rep for bein stupid. after the 1st went past he told his conductor that he was going the result??? a cornfield meet 3 of the 4 crew members were hospitalized. the southbound engineer doesnt need to worry about doing anymore stupid stuff as he died in the accident

tom

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No sir, I did not Mr. Antonio. This was the only posting I did about the accident.

Tracklayer

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Sad…very sad. My prayers are with the families.

uspscsx

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don’t signal systems exsist that would eliminate situations like this? and if they do I would assume they are too expensive to have at every switch

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Javen,The sad part about signals is they still depend on engineers to OBEY them…Of course this doesn’t always happen…Also,a engineer can receive a false signal due to mechanical/electrical error.[:(]