I certainly understand. I grew up along the side of a very busy NP branch line. I cannot count how many times I saw log cars going past with defective banding. Steel dragging, sparks a-plenty. Wondering about fires starting and knowing fires could follow, thereafter. No ifs, ands or buts, people who stand close are gambling with their lives.
Here's the FRA report DERAILMENT on Oct 18 2010 CSX Transportation [CSX ] RR Report 000081328 LATITUDE: 0.000000 LONGITUDE: 0.000000 Involving YARD/SWITCHING at 11:35AM Locos(Total/derailed) 2/0 in Louisiana Illinois Central RR Co. [IC ] Track Maintenance RR Cars(Total/derailed) 91/6 County of JEFFERSON Speed 005 Eqp Dmg $76,000 Near or in HARAHAN ....................Track information.................... Yard Damage $0 Milepost 0906.1 FRA Class 1 Total Casualties: 0 Deaths and 0 Injured ....Method(s) of operation ....Cause(s).... Other than main track rules Transverse/compound fissure Y10518 WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DELIVERING G67609 GRAIN TRAIN TO THE CNRR, MAYS YARD. IN THE PROCESS OF PULLING INTO NEW #1 TRACK, THE CREW DERAILED THE SIXTH CAR IN THE TRAIN WHICH CAUSED A SUBSEQUENT DERAILMENT OF THE TWO TRAILING CARS AND T HREE PRECEDING CARS. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF SIX CARS DERAILED AND FOUR CARS ON THEIR SIDE. AT THE TIME OF DERAILMENT, THE REMAINDER OF THE TRAIN HAD EAST BRIDGE BLOCKED, WHICH IS THE FOOT OF THE HUEY P LONG BRIDGE. THE BRIDGE WAS CLEARED BY 16:00 CSX TIME. THE CAUSE OF THE DERAILMENT WAS BROKEN RAIL. THE DOWNLOAD SHOWED THE TRAIN WAS TRAVELLING AT 5MPH IN THR OTTLE POSITION 3, AND NO BRAKES APPLIED. ICRR TRACK DAMAGES = $27916. ****Additional Report(s) filed by other railroads, or because of involvement of other equipment or track**** DERAILMENT on Oct 18 2010 Illinois Central RR Co. [IC ] RR Report 687143 LATITUDE: 0.000000 LONGITUDE: 0.000000 Involving NOT RPD OR N/A at 11:35AM CSX Transportation [CSX ] Locos(Total/derailed) 0/0 in Louisiana Illinois Central RR Co. [IC ] Track Maintenance RR Cars(Total/derailed) 0/0 County of JEFFERSON Speed 000 Eqp Dmg $0 Near or in HARAHAN ....................Track information.................... Yard Damage $27,850 Milepost 903.13 FRA Class 1 Total Casualties: 0 Deaths and 0 Injured ....Method(s) of operation ....Cause(s).... Other than main track rules Transverse/compound fissure CSX -Y10518 WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DELIVERING 91 LOADS OF GRAIN, COMING THRU NEW ONE TRACK ON THE SOUTH OF MAYS YARD WHEN 6 CARS DERAILED ACCOUNT A BROKEN RAIL ON CWR TRACK. CARS DERAILED: CSXT 259335, 248247, 259236, 251964, 260412, 260300 CSX REPORTED $76,000 IN EQUIPMENT DAMAGE.
Thanks for posting this. It's interesting to read how the accident was reconstructed by both railroads.
Devil's advocate. Individuals will have to assess risks while standing near a moving train just as most situations in life (remember that dying is the easy part of living). I believe that in most instances, there is probably no more risk than standing on a sidewalk next to a busy street. The possibility of someone losing control and hitting you is there but the probability is low. Indeed, while it's been 30 years, this area experienced a derailment which caused mass evacuations. That day the risks stretched miles. … just sayin.
I'm just not certain that all 'fans are qualified to assess trackside risks and in the case of the woman recently killed trackside on the UP and a man in AZ some years ago, individuals assume they're knowledgeable, but are not. I agree that life is full of hazards, but we can make choices to lessen our exposure to injury. Even something as simple as wearing safety glasses or a seat belt is a choice that can avert blindness … or worse. I just want us to all stay safe out there.
A pair of rebuilt Geeps lead a local west on CP at the point where US-2 and US-52 split west of Minot, ND:
I hope you don't mind Hemi, but I just sent that photo to my wife knowing that she'd enjoy seeing it as much as I did. We so much want to take an epic car trip west to see these sights for ourselves. We'll have to wait some years though until she retires …. In the interim, keep those excellent and inspirational images coming!
Your last of the reflection in the railhead is a fascinating, and lovely shot. I like your eye for interest.
Must be a low-use line, huh. I love the red-with-white-lettering scheme of the CP. Same with the red and black Rock Island scheme. Both very striking. Doug
Thanks for compliment. Yogi Berra is credited with "you can observe a lot by just looking" or words to that effect. Most of my railfanning and shots are "seat of the pants", literally, as I'm often on a bicycle. Over the years, I've scoped out locations for various shots per traffic (CSX and NS parallel each other 'tween Cincinnati & Dayton but are often run on opposite sides of a river valley and only come within a roadbed's width from each other in a handful of spots before diverging completely in downtown Dayton) and rely on traffic "patterns" as opposed to schedules or radios, and as such, have spent hours just waiting... and sometimes noticing tidbits like the reflection. I don't know the history of the building pictured here, but it's proximity to the rail (CSX at Tipp City, OH) and apparent age suggests railroad, and it seems to be "in sync" with the rails so I took the shot.
