Early this morning, BNSF had an accident just east of Conkelley, Montana. Strangely, there is not a mention of it here locally. Nothing on tv, radio, or in print. That location for civilians, would be about half way between Columbia Falls (Columbia Heights), and Hungry Horse. Found in Bad Rock Canyon, across the Flathead River from Highway 2. From what little I can learn, it may have involved two trains colliding. There are at least two work trains on site cleaning up. I did hear a trainmaster responding to a dispatcher. He used the word "slow" in describing cleanup progress. Also in the same BNSF territory, some time beforehand, Amtrak's westbound Builder had apparently run into the midst of a heard of elk. Which broke the train line. Boxcab E50 [ 26. November 2004, 06:03: Message edited by: BoxcabE50 ]
Surprising how little local coverage there is. The media is usually having puppies over this stuff. There was finally a brief blurb on one tv station. It was indeed a head on. Speed unknown. No confirmation, but there has been no reported injury, or death. Which would be the best outcome possible. Location is only accessible by rail. Nothing in the river. But some cars off the rails. Some badly damaged. Amtrak is using buses. BNSF trains are backed up. At times they'll detour a few via MRL. But no word on that as yet. Am betting they'll just let the cargoes sit, and customers sweat. If they work all night, it might be possible to have the line reopened tomorrow. We'll see.... Boxcab E50
Brief article in the local paper this morning. No decent details. But there is one photo. Word had been that no cargo reached the river, and that is stated in the story. But as can be seen, there was some in the water. http://www.dailyinterlake.com/ Boxcab E50
Thats gotta be a lcean up nightmare on the side of the river like that. And that has to cargo in the water. If they were head on wheres the other trains power? We can only specualte till BNSF tells more I guess. Hope the crews are ok.
Maybe it was rear-ended... Mountain RRing can be beautiful, but difficult, and the challenges increase exponentially when a derailment occurs... Rio Grande/SP experienced a fatal derailment in 1991, in a most isolated section of track, in the most rugged territory you could imagine...
I'm still poking around. Asking for more details. What is unfortunate, is that with the recent loss of Ken Good, an excellent link in our local railfan info network has gone. I would guess that if head on, the other power would be out of the picture at left. Numerous news and rumor sources have now stated it is head on. We'll know more when Gus, et al, decide to release any "facts." Shannon- Since GN RY days, the line is all CTC. No train orders. Use of those was abolished by BN in 1987. Just a few TW. There is one exception. A brief section of TWC from Whitefish to Conkelley. This is due to the branch line junction at Columbia Falls, and further east, the trackage for the aluminum plant at Conkelley. Boxcab E50
How do two trains end up nose to nose in CTC? If this is a "crew fatigue" issue, the FRA needs to do someting. Strike that, FRA needs to do something anyone. Like increase the rest periods from 8 to 12 hours I bet would work wonders, and save money over time.
We get 8 hours rest at the away from home terminal.But at the home terminal we get 10 hours of undisturbed rest.That means we can't get called until after the 10 hour mark at home.That seems to be a great rest cycle.We all want to get home as soon as we can so we dont complain about the 8 hour rest cycle at the away from home terminal.As far as 2 trains ending up nose to nose on CTC territory,It only takes 1 train to run a red block to end up this way.I am betting one train was stopped and the other got through a red block.It really looks like a rear ending from the pics.But you can only see 2 engines and cars down the hill.The one car that is down the hill is crumpled up pretty good like it was rear ended.My $0.02 worth for right now.Waiting to hear the rest of the story.
Thanks Ed, is the 10 hours at home FRA or company policy? Other than those really busy times when everyone is going everyday, what is the average time you spend at home?
Location is just barely east, and outside of a brief segment of TWC. So being at a boundary like that, (TWC/CTC), who knows? Hard to say if we'll ever get the straight info. We know they've stated none of the freight fell into the river. But that photo I linked earlier clearly shows otherwise. Listening in, it sounds like they started moving several trains through a few hours ago. Here is part of what BNSF was officially saying today: "There were no major injuries to the four crew members in the head-on crash, said BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas. The cause of the collision in Badrock Canyon was being investigated. Melonas said three locomotives and four cars from the 68-car westbound train derailed, with two of the cars going down an embankment toward the Flathead River. The cars were carrying bird seed, feed and grain from Minneapolis to Pasco, Wash., but none of the freight reached the river. The 88-car eastbound train had three of its four locomotives derail, along with one car loaded with various types of freight, Melonas said. That train was traveling from Portland, Ore. to Chicago." Boxcab E50
Well, further info. The section of TWC I was thinking still existed, was previously abolished. So it is now all CTC. The problem that MAY have occured: Conkelley is the dividing line between two dispatchers territories. CTC was not functioning properly east of Conkelley. A westbound was being talked down the hill to Conkelley by one DS. As an eastbound was let go from Conkelley by another DS. Miscommunication between two DS. Bang........ Crews were apparently well experienced. Injuries- Unconfirmed. Sounds like at least one is serious. Possible broken back. That one car in the photo I'd linked, that looked so short, was a 70 foot bulkhead. Shortened to 30 feet long. Weight of the following train at a sudden stop. Boxcab E50
Can you say 'Accordion effect'? Wow. Good to hear there were no fatalities, but keep the one guy with back injuries in your prayers.
