A bumpy and dangerous ride.

[Willy2]

In Fremont near the crossing where we wait for trains there is a really dangerous piece of track. All of the ballast has been washed out from under it and the ground is being eroded from under it too. So when trains go over it the thing bounces down about 4 or 5 inches and then back up. These are loaded coal trains going at 50 mph that go over that track. Once the trains get going fast enough the couplers begin to bang really loud and the cars sway so bad that coal rolls out of them. I really think that there may be derailment at that location soon. It's been like that for months but each time we go to Fremont it is worse.

My question is why doesn't UP repair it? Could there be a potential major derailment on the way?

Just want to get some insight on the problem and see if anybody else would consider the situation to be dangerous.

Willy

[JoeKoh]

Willy
First and foremost be very careful.2nd i would find the trainmaster or call up and give then the milepost location of the problem and tell them what you saw.you might have mom or dad do it for you.
stay safe young man
Joe

[Willy2]

Joe - We always stay a good distance from the tracks when we watch trains at that location. I will find out what milepost that is at the location and have my mom or dad give the trainmaster a call.

Willy

[JoeKoh]

very Good
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

Most tracks and sidings, except for yard tracks are federally required to be inspected twice a week. The bouncing up and down, although leary, is fairly normal if you ever watch closley. I would say that unless the track department is being grossly negligant, that everytrhing is probably fine. Especially if the track has been that way for months. If it were really dangerous the train crews would not be doing 50mph over it, regardless if there was a restriction or not.

[Modelcar]

....We always have the chance for human error....and this just may be one of them. I agree this situation needs to be reported to the RR authority. If it's ok, nothing lost but if not, then it will be doing a valuable service and possibly preventing a potential accident.

[Willy2]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rgemd

Most tracks and sidings, except for yard tracks are federally required to be inspected twice a week. The bouncing up and down, although leary, is fairly normal if you ever watch closley. I would say that unless the track department is being grossly negligant, that everytrhing is probably fine. Especially if the track has been that way for months. If it were really dangerous the train crews would not be doing 50mph over it, regardless if there was a restriction or not.

I've seen the regular bounce, but this is by far the worst I've ever seen. It's no regular bouncy piece of track. Going over the tracks I can even see a bit of bend down and then up in the rail where the problem is. A few months ago it was just a big bounce. Then about a month ago the couplers began banging, and now yesterday it was the worst yet with the couplers really snapping up and down and banging very loudly.

Willy

[wabash1]

is this straight track? if it is they wont be as apt to come out and fix it. they do regular inspections and ( at least our road) the track men ride the trains. they feel and inspect every bounce , jar , sway we feel. there are places where the rail will drop 4-5 inches and riding the engine sometimes it will be noticed sometimes not. there is a place on the road i run where i have stood and watch the rail drop 5 inches but it never is noticed in the engine . i have watched some railroad crossings and wondered how the cars stayed on the rails. its probley not a issue and would not report it.

[tree68]

While doing a bit of trainwatching on a CSX line in noticed a joint next to a crossing was doing a lot of flexing, which could be heard quite well as each wheel passed over it. I know the line is inspected (I usually hear the foreman getting orders while I'm on my way to work each day), but doubt that his hi-rail vehicle is heavy enough to cause the flexing. I actually reported it indirectly - my daughter has a friend whose father works for CSX, but not on that line. He reported it - it was found to be a problem and was fixed (as reported back through the same chain and through my own observation). The joint is one and the same as the picture of the compromise bar I posted a while back on a track equipment thread.

[Willy2]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wabash1

is this straight track? if it is they wont be as apt to come out and fix it. they do regular inspections and ( at least our road) the track men ride the trains. they feel and inspect every bounce , jar , sway we feel. there are places where the rail will drop 4-5 inches and riding the engine sometimes it will be noticed sometimes not. there is a place on the road i run where i have stood and watch the rail drop 5 inches but it never is noticed in the engine . i have watched some railroad crossings and wondered how the cars stayed on the rails. its probley not a issue and would not report it.

No, the track is not straight. The curve is not very sharp but there is somewhat of a curve.

Willy

[mudchicken]

Willy -

Go ahead and report it. UP will respond if they have a why and a where. That DOT number on the 6 x 8 blue plate or stencilled on the relay house is every bit as good a location as giving the railroad a milepost location. A roadmaster ( "MTM" in Union Pacific supervision jargon) is going to go find a problem reported by the public pretty pronto. Sounds like typical subgrade problems around a road crossing that needs to be addressed. (Fixed by the roadcrossing, the only place a track can flex is just off the crossing where the support is not as strong and the ballast is not as well consolidated.) To respond to the others:

-Tree has it right about the weight of an inspection vehicle, however there are other tell-tales a good track inspector will pick up on such as pumping mud, raised spikes, down ties, etc. (it's not rocket science)..

- Frequency of inspection (minimum rate) is determined by train frequency, tonnage and number of passenger trains on a main track. One of the great behind the scenes wars most folks don't see is the track maintenance people trying to get track time to do their inspections from the dispatcher and operating people. Not fun - but in the end it's the roadmaster's track and track has been known to be taken "out of service" to ensure compliance. It's the railroad version of rock/scissors/paper.

-Like LC states, roadmasters and track inspectors are supposed to ride the trains over their territory on a monthly basis (company basis, no federal rule) and UP & BNSF both keep tabs on who has been over what territory and the most recent trip. Train crews report rough track to the DS who then pass it on by e-mail or telephone to the appropriate maintenance people. A good supervisor will check this out immediately (and yes there are train crews known to cry wolf a little to frequently - lonely?)

Remediation may either take the form of a slow order or some simple tamping. FRA does NOT take kindly to people not reacting to a track safety defect and railroaders don't like anything that threatens their safety driven culture.

Make the call.

[Anonymous]

You've got nothing too lose by calling it in.

[Anonymous]

And take a camera, if you take a picture of a train derailing the investigaters may need the pictures or just take picts of the track . And yes call it in ASAP!

[Mookie]

Willy - I think we saw that track this weekend. Is it the one that is east of Fremont a little ways? It made us both look because of the noise and the cars looked like a bad fair ride. I had forgotten about it until I just read your post. It isn't that far out of town and is bad enough - surely someone knows about it. But just to be safe, you best call.

Mookie

[Willy2]

Mookie - The track is on the South Union Street grade crossing. That is the next crossing east of the Main Street Crossing. I think you probably saw the same one.

By the way... Yesterday evening my Dad gave UP a call and they said that they would check it. We'll see if it is any better the next time.

Willy

[Anonymous]

Truly, I think they must have had a reason. Possible Abandonment? Soon lyaing new track?

It just seems odd that they would leave a highly use track in poor shape...

[eolafan]

Guys and gals, I think we saw this track on Saturday, just a bit North of the UP depot on the main track. What I saw was a bad job of ballasting a rail joint and the cars would have pumped mud if it has been raining.