A couple of days ago, a southbound freight train reported a signal mast at Chicago Jct near Nevada IA had been knocked over and was laying on the ground. The last train going past that signal was a wind turbine blade train.
They had the blade train stop and inspect. Sure enough they found the culprit. Somehow the securing gear for the tip of a blade had allowed the tip to swing out further than it was supposed to. It had speared the signal head directly on. Part of the signal housing was still hanging on the tip of the blade when they found it.
Jeff
Jeff; does UP have shifted load detectors anywhere near this area?
Curt
No shifted/wide load detectors anywhere near me. One was supposed to be installed at an existing defect detector location to protect a bridge, but it's never been placed in service.
We had a big move of wind turbines to northwestern Alberta about 10 years ago, they were actually destined to somewhere in B.C. but would not fit through a tightly curved tunnel just west of Brule, Alberta (thanks Canadian Northern).
A number of yard switchstands had to be removed in order for them to move on the chosen route, they were unloaded at Rycroft, Alberta and trucked the rest of the way.
When more blades showed up a few years later CN decided not to remove the switchstands and had the blades unloaded earlier in the trip, in the railyard at Edson, Alberta, resulting in a much longer truck haul.
I don't know of any instances of the blades actually hitting anything out here.
We are currently moving a lot of dimensional loads in the form of 48" diameter pipe for several oil and gas projects (don't tell the protesters). And new LRT cars for Edmonton.
A lot of the pipe loads are classified as D5, while the LRT cars are D6. It's a good thing they are both heading west, since those classes are not permitted to meet each other on double track.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
So I guess it really did hit the fan this time.
I wonder if the score is really 0-0. It sounds like there was some damage to the blade also. They have to be in perfect balance. I have seen a video of a set of wind turbine blades self destruct.
Blade was put on injured reserve (IR)
Those blades also float. Barge to rail tranfer operation at Camanche, IA (On CP just below Clinton, IA) saw a couple get loose during a Mississippi River flood)
You normally won't see high-wide detectors in the midwest unless there is something fixed that needs protection.
MidlandMike I wonder if the score is really 0-0. It sounds like there was some damage to the blade also. They have to be in perfect balance. I have seen a video of a set of wind turbine blades self destruct.
A coworker said the same thing. That instead of one blade gone, all three scheduled for that turbine would be useless.
Mid-American Energy has had three turbines that have had a blade snapped off within the last year/13 months in Iowa. They think all three had suffered lightning strikes before they failed, even though the turbines are equipped to ground lightning. All were made by Vestas and they have taken a number turbines out of service until they can be inspected.
(ruffled feathers at Windsor, CO???)
jeffhergertA coworker said the same thing. That instead of one blade gone, all three scheduled for that turbine would be useless.
A turbine near here had one blade fail - they think it was lightning but reports were "we don't know." I drove by that turbine several times after and did see the damaged blade.
I don't know that they replaced all three. It's up and running now.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 jeffhergert A coworker said the same thing. That instead of one blade gone, all three scheduled for that turbine would be useless. A turbine near here had one blade fail - they think it was lightning but reports were "we don't know." I drove by that turbine several times after and did see the damaged blade. I don't know that they replaced all three. It's up and running now.
jeffhergert A coworker said the same thing. That instead of one blade gone, all three scheduled for that turbine would be useless.
I suspect the entire operating mechanism has the ability to have balance adjusted to account for the manufacturing tolerance that routinely occurs as the blades most likely have differing weights. Damage to one blade does not make the remaing blades on the unit scrap.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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