K. P. Harrier BaltACD (5-3): You made a good assessment of the situation. The below link may (“may”) be the location, as it is about the said distance southeast from Roswell. https://www.google.com/maps/@33.2785774,-104.4313388,401m/data=!3m1!1e3 I personally have a hard time believing an on duty trainman left the switch open, as that wouldn’t jive with the rhythm of switching operations. A disgruntled ex-railroader sounds plausible. Or, a trainman locked the switch in normal position, but because of mechanical issues, the lock didn’t really lock. A kid might have walked by, from the scattered residential houses in the area, saw the lock sort of unlocked, and threw the switch and force-locked it with some trouble, not realizing the gravity of his actions, but probably he will never confess his actions that only he knows about. The NTSF may never solve the case, and it will go down as a mysterious “probable cause” situation. Sad, but I think that is what will happen. Take care, K.P.
BaltACD (5-3):
You made a good assessment of the situation.
The below link may (“may”) be the location, as it is about the said distance southeast from Roswell.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.2785774,-104.4313388,401m/data=!3m1!1e3
I personally have a hard time believing an on duty trainman left the switch open, as that wouldn’t jive with the rhythm of switching operations. A disgruntled ex-railroader sounds plausible. Or, a trainman locked the switch in normal position, but because of mechanical issues, the lock didn’t really lock. A kid might have walked by, from the scattered residential houses in the area, saw the lock sort of unlocked, and threw the switch and force-locked it with some trouble, not realizing the gravity of his actions, but probably he will never confess his actions that only he knows about. The NTSF may never solve the case, and it will go down as a mysterious “probable cause” situation.
Sad, but I think that is what will happen.
Take care,
K.P.
Not as deserted an area as I had expected.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
K. P. Harrier Tim: I am not a TRAINS Magazine subscriber currently, so your link didn’t work for me. However, with the info you provided, I was able to find an article, linked below. Just scroll down in the link. http://newsok.com/ntsb-train-worker-likely-to-survive-if-he-hadnt-jumped/article/feed/833050 One outfit had a photo showing the train had BNSF and Mexican safety cabbed power. The worker killed was undoubtedly NOT a railfan, hence, probably didn’t know his chances were better staying in the cab instead of jumping. Thanks for the info and effort, K.P.
Tim:
I am not a TRAINS Magazine subscriber currently, so your link didn’t work for me. However, with the info you provided, I was able to find an article, linked below. Just scroll down in the link.
http://newsok.com/ntsb-train-worker-likely-to-survive-if-he-hadnt-jumped/article/feed/833050
One outfit had a photo showing the train had BNSF and Mexican safety cabbed power. The worker killed was undoubtedly NOT a railfan, hence, probably didn’t know his chances were better staying in the cab instead of jumping.
Thanks for the info and effort,
With the NTSB stating that the switch to enter the siding was locked in place, the question becomes was it locked in place by on duty rail personnel in accordance with dispatchers instructions or was it left in the siding position by the crew that entered the siding but not restored to the Main track position as required by most operating rule books that I have ever seen. If the Dispatcher had instructed the crew to leave the switch lined for the siding, then the Dispatcher did not protect the switch alignment with the following train or the following train overlooked the information the Dispatcher had provided for the alignment of the switch.
The other alternative is that some vandal with a switch key, lined the switch to the siding and locked it in place.
Investigation will determine the facts.
Here is article about Roswell wreck .http://trn.trains.com/…/ntsb-finds-open-switch-at-site-of-f…
I did not relize my Flickr page was linked to this forum . But I guess it would since it is same company that also has Model Railroader . I don't use much of fourms of Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Anyways I'm not in Law enforcement ,but do have friends that are or retired from . Anyways I do lot of modeling and I also take photos of other things in area I live in .
~ Tim .
To see photos of my HO scale / 1/64 scale layout and diorama photos base in the present day . http://www.flickr.com/photos/icr140/
Hi, again, Tim!
OK, got the picture …
Since you linked some of your flickr.com photos, I perused a page or two. Heavy on model and real cop cars! Are you a sheriff? The Mrs. acts dragon-like once and a while, and goes to sites with a police escort, and what she says everybody knows she means business! And, then she comes home and is sweet … usually …
About the BNSF arrangement … Didn’t BNSF contract with Southwestern Railroad (or whoever) to operate the branch from Roswell to Silver City and NOT a trackage rights arrangement?
Here in Southern California BNSF crews run the locals, but yet some locals are contracted out to small outfits. Quite a change from yesteryear when everything was under one corporate umbrella!
Oh, by the way, what kind of derailment incident happened in Roswell? Hope everybody was OK.
Best,
I know my inquiry is a little strange , But since it was sme company inovled I thoughht it might jog someones member of Silver City wreck that is on the other side of the state . Southwestern Railroad what I'm know just has Trackage rights off of BNSF .
Hi, Tim!
Your inquiry is a little strange, as those two cities are somewhere around 300 miles apart, and in wide open New Mexico. Are there any railfans in New Mexico? Let’s see … Roswell, NM. Hmmm. An incident happened there today? Flying saucers and little alien creatures weren’t involved, were they? I just had to throw that in …
Isn’t Southwestern Railroad an ex-Santa Fe track outfit?
With todays derailment near ROSWELL, NM .I was wondering if anyone heard what happen in the derailment near Silver City NM in 2013 ?
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