General Discussion

zardoz:

bubbajustin:

One thing sure is for sure, someone from a higher power was watching over that train that day.

If 'someone' was truly watching over the train, wouldn't 'they' have caused the tornado to go away, or cause the train be delayed so as to not have been there at all during the tornado, or perhaps had the train going faster so it would pass the area before the tornado, or perhaps .....etc.......

And to answer your railroad question: correct. The EOT will indicate both air pressure as well as motion (or lack thereof).

Well, some things I just can't answer... Nevertheless of the diffrence of thought, don't you agree that it's a good thing that that hopper was in the way? I mean, it would have just plowed into the locomotive. Sure, the hopper did too, but it was coupled.

richg1998:

Here is a little follow up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YSKv4KZlrA

DennisHeld:

richg1998:

Here is a little follow up.

Here's a YouTube of the actual tornado, but not near the Lawrence train scene. BTW, they just showed the YouTube of the derailment of WGN, Chicago on the news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YSKv4KZlrA

 

zardoz:

WSOR 3801:

the PCS cuts the power when the air goes.   

Is that feature still operational these days? Many years ago there were many discussions on the old CNW regarding the desireability of this feature.  It was concluded that having it active is a really bad idea; consequently, the PCS was disabled on our locomotives.

Every engine I've been on has it functional.  Even UP engines on rock trains, and the ones WSOR bought at the UP scrap sales.  One of our customers had a SW1 that seemed to predate the PCS feature.  They would try to drag around empty boxcars that were dumped.  Many other things they would do out there.  

jeaton:

DennisHeld:

richg1998:

Here is a little follow up.

Here's a YouTube of the actual tornado, but not near the Lawrence train scene. BTW, they just showed the YouTube of the derailment of WGN, Chicago on the news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YSKv4KZlrA

 

Thanks for activating my link. The Harvard tornado shown was just after passing Lawrence. Harvard is my hometown and i grew up 2 miles north of the tornado's path. My mother lives in a house that was 2 miles south of the tornado. The police cruiser seen by the overturned semi was driven by my nephew, a Harvard policeman. He was pulled from the semi scene to help with the hazmat evacuation at the Lawrence derailment. The storm chasers had the highway wrong. Highway 23 doesn't go north of Harvard. They were actually on highway 14.

bubbajustin:

Well, some things I just can't answer...

bubbajustin:

don't you agree that it's a good thing that that hopper was in the way?

WSOR 3801:

zardoz:

WSOR 3801:

the PCS cuts the power when the air goes.   

Is that feature still operational these days? Many years ago there were many discussions on the old CNW regarding the desireability of this feature.  It was concluded that having it active is a really bad idea; consequently, the PCS was disabled on our locomotives.

 

Every engine I've been on has it functional.  Even UP engines on rock trains, and the ones WSOR bought at the UP scrap sales.  One of our customers had a SW1 that seemed to predate the PCS feature.  They would try to drag around empty boxcars that were dumped.  Many other things they would do out there.  

If the emergency is initiated back in the train, many UP engines now have a 20 second delay before losing power when the PCS opens.

Jeff 

The senior Engineers 6 decades ago said that they could put a steam engine on a freight train into emergency from the brake stand for, say, a truck at a crossing, which then cleared, and go back to Release, then Running, and carry on as before with no stop.

K3 Brakes were much more common then, and trains shorter in the mountains.

With Diesels and 24RL equipments, most Engineers would block down the bail ring on the Independant to keep the locomotive brakes unapplied from the Automatic, but, still answering the independant handle.

A dire thought is of the rest of the train, a la that tank car in the video, catching up with several thousand tons.

Apparently, in the glory days of steam, a train stalled in a long tunnel amidst the sound of the exhaust and the smoke filling the cab.

The Engineer, hunched in his seat with the window closed against the fumes, never shut off, and noticed nothing awry until the Conductor, who had walked up from the Caboose tapped him on the shoulder wondering why they had stopped in the tunnel.

The drivers had cut down to the ties, so they say.

Some crews bled compressed air into the cab, the compressor intakes below the running boards.

Kootenay Central:

The senior Engineers 6 decades ago said that they could put a steam engine on a freight train into emergency from the brake stand for, say, a truck at a crossing, which then cleared, and go back to Release, then Running, and carry on as before with no stop.

Some of the 24RL brake valves had a 'full release' feature on the opposite side of the 'emergency' portion.  This feature would put 'straight air' directly into the trainline, causing a much faster release; however there was always a danger of overcharging the trainline by doing this, as main drum pressure (~130psi) was sent through.

Kootenay Central:

Apparently, in the glory days of steam, a train stalled in a long tunnel amidst the sound of the exhaust and the smoke filling the cab.

The Engineer, hunched in his seat with the window closed against the fumes, never shut off, and noticed nothing awry until the Conductor, who had walked up from the Caboose tapped him on the shoulder wondering why they had stopped in the tunnel.

The drivers had cut down to the ties, so they say.

I have often wondered: just how do you get the engine and train out? Jack sufficient wheels up to give working room, remove the damaged rails, and put new rails in?

Johnny

trainfan1221:

 I didn't get a clear impression the train was trying to stop, only that it definitely ran into something.  A tornado that close might not be all that visible, also it might have run into it just forming. Either way, the engine seemed to remain intact, at least until the rest of the train came running after it.

I thought the US Weather Service would have giving the warning to the R.R. and able to stop the train. Like everyone say's "January". oh boy!

Awesome!:

trainfan1221:

 I didn't get a clear impression the train was trying to stop, only that it definitely ran into something.  A tornado that close might not be all that visible, also it might have run into it just forming. Either way, the engine seemed to remain intact, at least until the rest of the train came running after it.

I thought the US Weather Service would have giving the warning to the R.R. and able to stop the train. Like everyone say's "January". oh boy!

Even though the tornado was on the ground in Poplar Grove, IL (15 miles to the SW) the sirens didn't sound in Harvard until the tornado had passed. So, residents didn't get a warning. But a January tornado in northern IL is extremely rare.