CShaveRR BaltACD Well, that explains the circumstances that led to the car's untimely departure. Did the "thinking" involve duct tape? I would think that any repairs that involved chains would scream out "Rear End Only!"
BaltACD
Well, that explains the circumstances that led to the car's untimely departure. Did the "thinking" involve duct tape? I would think that any repairs that involved chains would scream out "Rear End Only!"
Repair did not involve chains - a lot of welding, but no chains.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDThe car department 'thought' they had applied repairs sufficient for the car to reach its owner's territory--obviously they were mistaken.
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)
Ah! So there was a pre-existing defect. Makes sense, from what I have heard the knuckle is deliberately designed to be the weakest link so it will break first in case of an overstress, and is relatively easy to replace/fix compared to a pulled/broken drawbar or major failure like this.
Train building seems to be getting worse and worse these days, out here CN likes to put autoracks and centrebeams on the head end of a loaded grain train for some reason... and then they act all surprised when it comes apart even when the Engineer does everything right.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Mookie Balt: That was very clear. Thank you. So - since it was to be home shopped and they knew that it had an underframe defect, this should have been place more toward the end of the train? So there wouldn't be as much pull on the already defective car? And I won't even ask anyone to speculate on why it pulled apart, until we get the "report"...
Balt: That was very clear. Thank you. So - since it was to be home shopped and they knew that it had an underframe defect, this should have been place more toward the end of the train? So there wouldn't be as much pull on the already defective car? And I won't even ask anyone to speculate on why it pulled apart, until we get the "report"...
There will be no 'report'. No HAZMAT or loss of life was involved, just another day of recovering from what reality throws at an operating Class 1 railroad, someplace or another. There may be some revised local operating instructions, or not - the Car Dept. may get some revised instructions, or not.
The train was loaded within 74 tons of the 10800 ton limit for head end powered trains on Baltimore's Belt Line, through the Howard Street Tunnel. Set off about 2K tons at Bayview and picked about 6K tons. Car involved was in the pick up. When train stopped at the East End of Bayview Yard to perform its work, the rear of the train fouled the West End. The pickup consisted of 3 tracks off the yard - yard is downhill to the East and each track of the pickup was secured by 10% hand brakes + 3 as required by local rules. Set off and remaining train on Main track also had to be secured by 10% hand brakes + 3. The time to accomplish all this work was approximately 4 hours.
tree68 Mookie With four to five trains daily, we don't have quite the potential for such mayhem as a busier route would...
Mookie
With four to five trains daily, we don't have quite the potential for such mayhem as a busier route would...
Approximately 15 trains, including primere Intermodals had to be recrewed. The car department 'thought' they had applied repairs sufficient for the car to reach it's owner's territory - obviously they were mistaken.
There was enough of an underframe defect for a private industry to see. What would that entail--a car off center? or, more likely, a crack in the underframe or drawbar area? This undrframe defect should not have been a surprise to anyone making up or inspecting a train in Baltimore. So someone apparently inspected the car in the yard and either missed this defect in spite of the notation, or okayed it to be carried with about 10,000 trailing tons. An inbound inspection should have revealed at least what caused the car to be rejected in the first place, and resulted in the car being bad-ordered. Instead, probably after having been switched around a bit in Baltimore, it was placed in an outbound block for pickup by a Selkirk-bound train (or, alternatively, placed into a Baltimore-to-Selkirk train). How did this defect miss an outbound inspection? How was it handled from the plant to Baltimore? Doesn't anyone communicate?
BOB WITHORNBet the car dept. rethinks, (with some attention getting from somewhere higher up), their decision on restrictions.
Then again, there's a lot of older cars out there, and running these monster 12,000ton+ slop freights...
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
MookieWhy?
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 That would have caused some excitement here in the north woods if it decided to let go here on the St Lawrence sub...
That would have caused some excitement here in the north woods if it decided to let go here on the St Lawrence sub...
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Mookie I understand over all what happened, but can someone explain to me in a little more detail? Like placement; what was it used for (looks like a grain hopper to me); and how it may have been pulled apart?
I understand over all what happened, but can someone explain to me in a little more detail? Like placement; what was it used for (looks like a grain hopper to me); and how it may have been pulled apart?
Car was a empty covered hopper that was built in 1979 and has been used most recently hauling alumina ore from Hawkins Point pier in Baltimore to the Alcoa Aluminum refienry in Massena, NY. When it was most recently spotted for loading at Hawkins Point, it was rejected account a underframe defect and was classified as a 'Home Shop' which caused it to be classified to return to Alcoa at Massena empty. The car was picked up by at train at Bayview Yard in Baltimore in the Selkirk classification block to move to Selkirk Yard (near Albany, NY) where it would be switched into a train for Massena; the car was 28 from the engines of a total of 184 cars in the train departing Bayview. One end of the car - truck, center plate, part of the center sill and end of the car itself separated from the balance of the car - the car was 'pulled in two'. Off track equipment was summoned and about 10 hours after the happening, traffic was moving again on the single track line where the incident happened.
The car had been picked up at Bayview yard in Baltimore after having been rejected for loading of alumina ore for Alcoa at Massena, NY. Was the 28th car of 184 in train that was almost 15K tons. Car Dept. did not place any restrictions on the car concerning it's placement in train.
mudchickenGee - the old rule about handling at the end of the train might have applied?
But on CSX, they might have handled it at the *wrong* end of the train. Didn't they intentionally kill a couple of rusted MP54s with that stunt?
Gee - the old rule about handling at the end of the train might have applied?
OvermodI'm still trying to figure out how they got both the draft gear AND the truck to come out like that. Musta been LOTS of rust all around in there...
Not the first hopper I've seen do that.
When the good lord calls them to come home, it's time!
zugmannCan't shop a shop!
But you can sure have one-stop shopping... just watch that first stop, it's a Duesie... to paraphrase Daffy, they could only do it once.
I'm still trying to figure out how they got both the draft gear AND the truck to come out like that. Musta been LOTS of rust all around in there...
zugmann BaltACD Private owner empty covered hopper that was moving as a 'Home Shop' for repairs in the middle of a 12000 foot 10600 ton train. No wheels were off the rail. Can't shop a shop!
BaltACD Private owner empty covered hopper that was moving as a 'Home Shop' for repairs in the middle of a 12000 foot 10600 ton train. No wheels were off the rail.
Private owner empty covered hopper that was moving as a 'Home Shop' for repairs in the middle of a 12000 foot 10600 ton train. No wheels were off the rail.
Can't shop a shop!
Being scrpped in place.
Somebody gonna get yelled at for bad train handling.
Norm
CSX had what appears to be either a center sill failure. First though it may be truck pivot but ? Anyone know ?
http://delawarefreenews.org/2016/07/17/csx-train-derails-in-wilmington/
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