That's interesting from a physical perspective. The forces on rails are predominately vertical, especially in a slow speed switching area. So I wonder what forces would have caused the switch to be moved sideways far enough and with sufficient force to kink the adjacent track, and at the same time cause the lead engine to leave its own track and travel towards the adjacent track, instead of away from it....... It's amazing how much energy is contained in a moving train, even at very slow speed.
Perhaps when the lead locomotive came to a stop after plowing into the ballast, the inertial force of the following train was enough to bow the train cars out in the curve and yet not jump the rail just sliding the switch sideways. Remember a switch has all kind of inside guard rails to keep the wheels on the rail by exerting force on the inside of the wheels.
A fall train on the Yellowstone! Setting the mood... Here it comes.... And crossing a wood trestle.....
A pair of BNSF SD40-2 and an SD70MAC. The MAC now relegated to local switching duties. Been in town for about a month or so at this point.
Look what I found while out riding my bicycle. The consist was stopped at Cedar Lake Junction where the TC&W joins the BNSF Wayzata Sub. I waited almost a half hour for the clear signal then decided to head home. If I had been paying attention to events better I might have been on the train rather than on my bike.
Something tells me that, even if downgraded to switching duties, these will never be referred to as goats...
Yup, more like an ox. Way too much beef to be a goat. That's one sweet catch! And quite an imposing beast, too - the angle of the photo emphasizes its size. Gorgeous!
I've seen a -9 or two pressed into local duty here on occasion. As well as the typical SD40, GP39 and GE8-40B. Some 4 axle stuff and and interesting array, sometimes, of 6 axle stuff. The 4 axle power, I think, is used for coal and cement hoppers headed up the Lyons branch, to the Cemex cement plant. And maybe on the former mainline, now a branch, from Broomfield north. Mainly center beams of lumber, as there are several lumber yards served by rail up that way! If I could manage, I'd love to ride either run. Seriously doubt it, but would be fun!
A Texas & Pacific freight on the branch line between Weatherford and Mineral Wells, Texas in the 1930s. Number 645 was a I-1c class 2-10-4.
Good old Google Earth. https://www.google.ca/maps/@31.4685...go9Jaf7bwxkfljvRVg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1
