Derailment in St Paul on the Main Line

[herdebu]

There is a derailmednt on the mainline line in St Paul MN you can see flashing lights

on the SPUD CAM.  Radio chatter has a unit try to pull the rear end bac.k 

[Lithonia Operator]

Which railroad is that?

[dpeltier]

Lithonia Operator

Which railroad is that?

 

I believe a CP train collided with a UP train. The collision happened on Main 2, which is either owned and maintained by CP or owned and maintained by BNSF, depending on whether you're east or west of the line painted on a nearby wall. The control point to the west is maintained by BNSF signal, while the control point to the east is maintained by CP signal. One of the trains involved in the initial collision derailed and collided with a BNSF train on the adjacent Main 1, which is owned and maintained by BNSF.

All of the mainline and other CTC tracks are dispatched by BNSF.

It's a complicated place down there. Probably 90% of all the rail freight that passes through the Twin Cities goes through this area in one way or another.

Dan

[Justicar]

Here's my recollection of the territory. CP's River sub, ex-MILW, coming West out of Hastings crossed the BN's St Paul sub at St Croix and ran roughly parallel all the way to Hoffman Ave, about 30 miles, and they used to cross yet again at Newport. Both lines were single track. At some point the two railroads decided to run this near 30 miles as double track with the BN operating and dispatching but each railroad continuing to maintain its own original track. So the crossings were taken out of St Croix and Newport and replaced with crossovers. So, since Division Street, location of the collision, is West of Hoffman Ave, the double track there is owned by BNSF. From the looks of things and the radio traffic, I'd speculate the BNSF train on Main 1 was stopped or going very slowly since it appears just one car was knocked off by the CP power.

[wjstix]

CP's former Milwaukee Road mainline from Minneapolis to Chicago runs along the south edge of downtown St.Paul, parallel to the Mississippi River. BNSF's Minneapolis to Chicago mainline runs on the north edge of downtown St.Paul, then swings south along the east side and meets up with the CP line at the wye near St.Paul Union Depot. Then as noted, the lines run as a joint line for 25 miles or so along the Mississippi. The accident happened just east of the east leg of the wye. Although only the one car tipped over, apparently one of the engines leaked diesel fuel.

[jeffhergert]

From another site.  CP train 296 struck UP train MSSDM (Manifest South St.Paul to Des Moines) and then either the CP train derailed into, or caused the UP train to derail into BNSF train HNTWBRC.

NTSB investigating Minn. freight train collision; none hurt - StarTribune.com

Jeff

[Justicar]

Thanks, Jeff, for the symbols. HNTWBRC - Priority Manifest Minneapolis Northtown Yard to BRC Clearing Yard