Randomly curious about something: I went to North Platte, NE this past weekend, and at the locomotive shops, there were multiple lines of locomotives. At the end of one of those lines, there was UPY 422. The nose appeared fine, but the cab (the control stand area) was crushed in, crushed all the way through to the first few panels of the long hood. Does anyone know what happened here? Did it run into something that was higher than the nose, but not high enough to clear the whole locomotive? (I will upload one or two of the pictures I took of 422 when I get the chance) I am just curious, because there is nothing I could find on it, and seeing a wrecked locomotive like that in person made me rather curious. Thanks if anyone has any info!
Is this locomotive a yard slug?
March 22nd one of the RC yard jobs in North Platte had a little “oopsie.” The picture I’ve seen looks like cars, an autorack and a railbox-only cars visible, were on their side and the remote set hit the railbox. The end of the boxcar seems to have hit the cab on the conductor’s side with enough force to deform the cab and long hood.
The damage to the engine reminds me of the post on here awhile back about a runaway Santa Fe geep that was diverted into a yard track.
Jeff
This was depressingly common in the era of 85’ flats, and may still be with other types of car. The end of the last car rises up in collision and is then driven through the cab volume. The heavy collision posts and other enhanced structure in the S.580 cab address this; the typical ‘angle of incidence’ governed the height and characteristics of the ‘crew refuge’ considered during the safety-cab design process.
I should’ve given a better description. The boxcar wasn’t completely on its side. More like a 45° angle on the end that struck the locomotive. It looks like it cleared the walkway and nose, but a corner of the car hit the cab. The engines appear to be on an adjacent track that was fouled by the derailed cars.
I haven’t heard the actual circumstances of the entire incident.
Jeff
It didn’t have the blacked out or plated over vents on the rear, so I would assume not.
Ah
I don’t think UP has any yard slugs in service anymore.
Jeff
I believe I saw one in hump service, out in the distance, from the Golden Spike Tower, but I am not 100% sure, however.
Yeah, I just googled it, something I should have done a while ago, and they do, according to Google.