BNSF Wreck - Halloween Night

[Harron]

Near Flagstaff, AZ, a Z train rear-ended a P train. Voluntary evacuation of surrounding towns, now word on injuries yet. Word has it that locomotive fuel tanks were on fire. Traffic halted at least 24 hrs. Updates welcome of course!!!

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Corey Lynch
Pres - Rensselaer Model RR Society
NEB&W RR
http://www.rpi.edu/~lynchc/Railfanning/railfanning.htm - My Site
http://www.union.rpi.edu/railroad/ - NEB&W

[SSW9389]

This accident occured in Bellemont, AZ about 10 miles west of Flagstaff. Possible hazmat involved in accident. Three crewmen evacuated to hospital in Flagstaff and one engineer missing.

[BryGy]

Here is the story at ABCnews (http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/train001101.html)

Bry


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Smile! http://www.trainboard.com/smiles/068.gif
It makes people wonder what you are up to.

[SSW9389]

From egroups Streamliner page: BNSF P CHIRIC 1 (Chicago-Richmond) with 66 loads 0 empties 5310 tons 6326 feet long strike the rear of Z ALTLAC9 (Alliance Texas -Los Angeles) at East Bellemont, Arizona Milepost 354.5. All three locomotives on the P train were reported on fire. Wrecking equipment is enroute from Flagstaff, AZ, Casa Grande, AZ, and Grants NM.


The Arizona Divide is at Riordan about MP350.5. Then downgrade to Turpentine Curve on a 1.42% grade. The grade levels out a bit at the west end of Turpentine. It is about two miles from the lower end of Turpentine Curve MP 352.6 to the double crossovers at East Bellemont. The right of way is closely followed by the Northern Arizona Ponderosa Pine forest. Sight distance for a westbound from Turpentine to East Bellemont is limited by the forest.

Former Bellemont Resident 1984-88

[drbooher]

Here's the latest from the Arizona Republic:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/1101TrainCollision-ON.html

Dwight

[CPRailfan]

My prayers go out to the families of the crew, and everybody involved with this terrible tragedy.


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Drew

http://wcleastdiv.railfan.net/gifs/wctip.gif

Wisconsin Central Ltd.

[mtaylor]

A Grim reminder on to keep life into perspective and make the most of it while we are here. Terrible events like this should remind us all how rare and precious life is.

My heart and prayers go out to the families.

[CPRailfan]

So very true those words are.
Life's a wonderful double-track mainline. You gotta always proceed, cause you never know when the signal's gonna turn red.

Talk to ya guys later,

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Drew

http://wcleastdiv.railfan.net/gifs/wctip.gif

Wisconsin Central Ltd.

[braska]

What kind of teritory is the area of the wreck CTC,DTC,TWC

[SSW9389]

Braska: Double track, CTC, 65 MPH if the colliding train could have gotten up to track speed. Limited sight distance because of forest and curve preceeding accident scene. Trying to get exact point of impact to figure out how much distance engineer had to see and react. most likely about 3/4 mile. Photo in Arizona Republic 11/2?

Former Bellemont resident

[braska]

I saw pics from the BNSF company "safety" bulletins of the wreck. But they don't say much about it probably because of the investigations going on. Bad wreck, my prayers are with the injured men for a speedy recovery and HOPEFULLY a complete recovery.

[SSW9389]

Photos of this wreck can be found on http://houston.railfan.net/ Scroll down the left side and click on the Accident Photos Flagstaff, AZ BNSF. there is a 46 slide Power Point presentation there taken the morning after as the firefighters are still on the scene.

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Cotton Belt: Runs like a Blue Streak