Oopsie - derailment

[William Cowie]

This link is to a series of shots taken yesterday as a U.P. crew worked to rerail a hopper car that derailed on an industrial siding in Denver.

http://community.webshots.com/album/105087051ElatrJ

Thought some of you may be interested...

William

[Alan]

I saw the "preview" William ;) Yes it is very interesting smile.gif

[BoxcabE50]

So what was the cause? Rails spread due to ties becoming a bit tired?

:D

Boxcab E50

[pray59]

Nice pictures! The slideshow feature made it just like a news story.

[William Cowie]

Thanks, Robert. According to the (quite chatty) foreman the cause was a combination of old ties, weakening from the moisture of melting snow and the heavier than usual hopper car (heavier than a GP38). Apparently the locos were pushing the hopper in a switching operation and when they pushed it through a curve, the rails just said, Merry Chistmas smile.gif

[Alan]

This side of the pond we can overlook just how heavy some of your loaded freightcars are - heavier than a GP38 - wow!

Good picture story William smile.gif

[Flash Blackman]

FWIW, I know a UP brakeman who was on a crew that tried to push some woodchip cars after a heavy rain. The cars were so heavy that the rails spread and the first car went on the ground. He said that the conductor said the car probably weighed 200,000 to 300,000 pounds because of all the water that had not drained from the car. Interesting. True or not, I asked them how did they re-rail it? He said that all they did was shut the engines down and go to the hospital to get a urine test to get ready for the upcoming government investigation! How did we ever get to this point!? I am sure the crew would have rather get the car re-railed and get the job done, but that is not allowed anymore.

[William Cowie]

Good point, Flash, I didn't consider the extra weight from the snow/rain...

William