UP derailment in Missouri

[Anonymous]

Wait, it turns out that only the conductor was asleep. the female engineer was KNITTING!!! Needless to say, both are now unemployed

[Anonymous]

Here is what happened:
5:48 AM- The crew falls asleep before entering the town of Pacific, Missouri, with a loaded coal train.
5:49 AM- The train runs the red block and enters the town without whistling at the 4 crossings.
5:50 AM- It slams into the other loaded coal train at 44 miles per hour. The engine event recorder showed no signs of braking attempts before the impact. The stopped train was waiting at a double red signal at Dozier crossover, just east of Pacific.
5:51 AM- A westbound empty coal train on the other track collides into the wreckage close to 50 MPH, after appliing the emergency brake.
5:52 AM- Twisted aluminum, steel, coal, diesel feul, and engine shreads lay in a silent heap, blocking route 66, both mainlines, and a silica mine. The neighboring BNSF Cuba Sub had coal mixed in with its ballast, but nothing to slow a train for.
6:00 AM- the local news. Emergency vehicles arrive, as does the press.

The mainline was opened the next day after 3 engines were totally destroyed and 3 others damaged. with 76 mixed coal cars in twisted heaps being torched up and hauled away in simi trucks.
Yeah, I got pictures.

[Anonymous]

At least 10 million lost just in engine damage/destrudtion. add the 76 coal cars involved and it will be a pretty big number. Up has had a lot of derailments on the Jefferson City Sub, most of them big. One outside of St. Louis spilled coal into people's front yards, and nocked down a signal bridge as well as ground signals and a crossing. Another at Labadie, ten miles west from Pacific, which was carrying a special load behind the engine with a long freight behind it, derailed spilling mail, pepsi, dog food, automotive parts, and Campbell's Soup, as well as the special load.This one was in the middle of nowhere on a high fill above a creek valley. The car carying the special load derailed and drug for 3 miles until it caught on the switch off to UP's 11 largest customer destroying it, two more switches, and taking 5 signals with it. Last year, a broken rail at the same spot, derailed a coal train going onto the busy spur, and spilled coal off a high bridge, covering a road and filling the creek. Amazingly, no one was killed in any one of these accidents.

[Anonymous]

I hope Union Pacific had insurance on all these new locomotives...A lot of money lost

[Anonymous]

I'll try to get pictures to all of you. It may take a week or two. I haven't sent any pictures yet. The three totaled locomotives were the two on the point of the first colliding train and the first on the point of the second colliding train.
There was no DP unit on the parked train. If you have any other questions, e mail me at:

[e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Brian i deleted some e mail by mistake dont know if you sent pictures please resend.Hoyle sd90mac@
aol.com

[Anonymous]

If you guys want to know about crew, here is the lowdown. Conductor was pulled out, injuries not to severe. Engineer was trapped in cab for some time and had to be cut out. As previously stated, not much public news was available about this incident. Pictures would say alot as to extent of damage. I hear the UP 90mac in the rear DP position on the coal train that was rear ended will be scapped. The lead unit and trailing unit (GE and another 90mac) are heavily damaged. GE will see scapper. Don't know about other 90mac. Off to Jenks maybe??

[Anonymous]

i looked at all the news sites and could only find it mentioned once. it stated that 2 were seriously injured and taken to the hospital, 4 more were treated at the scene. i would love some pictures. my email is: [e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Brian,
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE SOME PICTURES TOO:
MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS [e-mail]
THANKS RUSSELL

[BRAKIE]

I do hope no one was hurt or worst! At least I pry no one was hurt.

[Anonymous]

Brian
Do you have any pictures you could send me? I would really like to see the locomotive carnage. News of the wreck came, but not much information. My email is [e-mail]
Thanks
Don L.

[Anonymous]

UP was running several southbound trains on the usually northbound UP main thru Hoxie Ark. on Saturday. I am sure they were detours.

[Anonymous]

An Eastbound UP loaded coal train was stopped at a red signal just East of Pacific. When another coal train slammed into it from behind. Before word could get out, a westbound emty coal train plowed into the wreckage on the other track. 6 engines and 76 cars derailed and the double tracked, 38 trains a day, including Amtrak, mainline was blocked under a heaping pile of coal and diesel feul. The engines were 2 SD 90 Macs, both totaled, 1 AC 6000, and 3 AC 4400s - one totaled. The lead unit on the first colliding coal train was an SD 90 Mac. It looks like it was put in a shreader. It's in about 5 dozen pieces with half the body sitting on the feul tank, and the traction motors and everything else in lying in a ditch in front of it. If possible try to get to see it. Once in a lifetime experience.

[Anonymous]

What derailment? Haven't heard a thing.

[Anonymous]

I live near Pacific, where it happened, and if anyone would like information about it, ask me a question.