On 09/25/2014, on the UP's line between Canton and Galva Kansas. An Eastbound and West bound pair of container trains collided. According to reports this line see about 20 trains a day.
Apparently, one was going into a siding and the other was passing it. Derailed were two locomotive on one train and about 15 cars, while the other train had five cars and 1 locomotive derailed. Both trains were en route from Chicago to Los Angeles/Los Angeles to Chicago.
Linke to a story with photos and a video @ http://kansasfirstnews.com/2014/09/25/2-freight-trains-collide-in-kansas-no-injuries/
NOTE: Added link to Google Map of location @ Galva, Ks.:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir//38.3844969,-97.4805319/@38.3839,-97.480838,1610m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m3!4m2!1m0!1m0?hl=en-US
Rear end collision. Restricted speed means just that!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
You are right, Balt: Restricted Speed was not adhered to. Must...restrain...myself...from going further on this.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Actually both wrong.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman Actually both wrong.
So the trailing train had a better signal indication that permitted more than restricted speed with a train immediately ahead?
This is on the "Cotton Rock " former CRIP / SSW/ SP Golden State transcon south of Salina, KS (UP KP line) and SW of Herrington KS where there has been considerable relocation of sidings from Galva & Canton into one location plus construction of a new Ag loop track for corn and oil loading.
(Diningcar and I know this place as where the Rock and the Santa Fe McPherson District (now gone) ran side by side)
BaltACD dehusman Actually both wrong. So the trailing train had a better signal indication that permitted more than restricted speed with a train immediately ahead?
dehusman BaltACD dehusman Actually both wrong. So the trailing train had a better signal indication that permitted more than restricted speed with a train immediately ahead? No trailing train.
Overmod dehusman BaltACD dehusman Actually both wrong. So the trailing train had a better signal indication that permitted more than restricted speed with a train immediately ahead? No trailing train. I think the confusion comes from people not having read a poorly-worded story carefully enough. The story said that "Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis says an eastbound train hit the back of a westbound train that was moving onto a side track to let the other train pass." You will note that even an engineer who used to drive for Swift would have trouble accomplishing this as a rear-end collision, no matter what the signal indication... I read this as the eastbound running into the last few cars of a westbound that hadn't cleared, with the 'westbound' derailed locomotive being DPU.
So it was simply running a STOP signal.
Does UP employ that mind numbing "trip-optimizer"? The question always comes to mind when I hear of a signal violation. In my experience, when using this system, it is very easy to get distracted/lose focus/get sleepy.
I had been going on the premise of a rear-end collision.People will warn me of jumping to conclusions too soon, but if the facts are as stated, it was almost certainly a question of fatigue. As I said in the last one, no railroader would consciously disobey one or more signals in the course of his (or her) run. So if it wasn't done consciously, it must have been done...It's fortunate for the crew of the train on the main that they survived. May they become living, breathing examples of why employee fatigue needs to be addressed!(It will be interesting to note whether the crew of the train taking siding noted any speed issues with the train on the main.)
CShaveRR(It will be interesting to note whether the crew of the train taking siding noted any speed issues with the train on the main.)
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