Barstow to Stockton manifest train derailed around 2130 at Walong. Fire has broken out with reports of explosions:tb-confused: I looked at the train list... lots of nasty, nasty stuff on board. No reports of injuries, evacuations in progress. I was called to go east and had my call busted after the derailment. More info if I hear anything.
I have seen elsewhere on the net photos taken during the night of big flames at tunnel 9, which is the one under the loop itself. Reports of a few homes being evacuated due fumes from the fire, and reports of explosions. Man, if tunnel 9 is destroyed, so is the loop. :tb-sad:
Jim- I haven't seen those photos. Can you link them? Has anyone even guessed what happened? Boxcab E50
From the looks of the photo, the loop will be down for a while until they determine how much damage was done to the tunnel liner.
That looks nasty. And in the worst possible place for the loop. Thankful for no injuries and minimal evacuations. Jamie
Oy. Well, if that fire report is correct and it's "just" Alcohol, at least the toxicity will be minimal.
It's concrete lined, but with that much concentrated heat, the concrete "plastering" has been breaking up. There are very old wood reinforcements behind the concrete. They say the alcohol(ethanol) cars have stopped burning, but the car load of plastic pellets was still on fire as of a couple of hours ago. We'll see what the engineering guy they flew out says about the structural integrity of the tunnel once everything cools down.
I'd be surprised if the concrete lining didn't spall due to heat. If by chance anyone tries to put that plastics car out, and there's water involved, there'll be even more damage. Boxcab E50
They just showed video of the fire on our local news (in KY!). All I've got to say is, WOW! I'm glad nobody got hurt, and I hope the tunnel isn't damaged too badly. They only said it was "a tunnel near Bakersfield, CA".
Here is a video I found online. http://www.turnto23.com/news/22625921/detail.html Can you imagine if one of those cars decided to copy Murdock.. Tunnel 9 would be history. :shock:
Looks like they plan to open the line back up tonight. They have already deadheaded a bunch of crews over to Barstow.
Any word on what repairs are being done? I know the tunnel is short and it's all man made, not through natural mountain, so that probably makes it easier. Who is being hurt by this more? UP or BNSF? and who ends up making and paying for repairs? I assume UP makes the repairs and BNSF pays for them. I assume BNSF is hurt more since UP can always detour over the coast line.
