Engine hit a small rail mounted excavator while running around the train at Leaman Place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UblnTe6T6Lc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h060-zhhDD8
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Ouch someone forgot to check the switch to make sure it was set right. Hopefully 475 can be repaired fairly quickly and looks like no injuries. But I wouldn't want to be that crew.
So many mistakes there.
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...
Who was operating the excavator? Strasburg or a contractor hired by Strasburg?
Where was the Flagman that is normally required when a contractor is operating on railroad property?
There are more than enough mistakes made by ALL employees and organizations that are involved in the incident.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
It looks like there may have been just two employees involved in the cause of this incident. Apparently there may have been some distraction involved.
SD70Dude Engine hit a small rail mounted excavator while running around the train at Leaman Place. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UblnTe6T6Lc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h060-zhhDD8
o boy
I posted a "short form" of the incident under "Preservation" before seeing this.
Looks like the 'Dude's got the long-form version.
My take:
From what I can see, the backhoe was parked on a stub track, not on the main. I think the old steam crane you can see on that cam is parked there all of the time.
This raises the question of why the switch was left lined for said stub track. It also raises the question of why the crew of 475 didn't notice the mis-alignment of the points.
And, if the target showed the switch aligned for the main/passing siding, why did no one notice the discrepancy?
As Balt says, plenty of blame to spread around.
I would opine that the smokebox door, etc were cast, which would explain why they broke the way they did.
I posted this on Preservation, too.
To my mind the crux of the incident is who owns/operates the excavator? Is the excavator a contractors' piece of equipment operated by a contractor's employee? Or is it Strasbug own & operated equipment.
My experience with CSX was the contractor was REQUIRED to have Qualified Railroad Flagmen when operating on railroad property. Qualified meaning that the Flagman knows the routine operations in the area he is protecting and was in contact with whatever authority was controlling movements in the area being protected - ie. not having a switch lined into the excavator.
I will have to assume that Strawsbug has some form of Timetable Special Instruction governing the 'normal' alignment of switches at the location.
As I previously said - there is more than enough failures for every person involved in the incident - including personnel not present at the time of the happening.
That backhoe folded up into a battering ram. I would not be surprised if there were damage to the flues on the inside. That is a lot of force pressing against that ram after it punctured into the interior.
FYI.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ThatLookedExpensive/comments/yk9nwj/bad_day_on_the_strasburg_railroad/
https://csrail.org/harz/2015/9/1/the-master-mechanics-front-end
Thank You.
kgbw49That backhoe folded up into a battering ram. I would not be surprised if there were damage to the flues on the inside. That is a lot of force pressing against that ram after it punctured into the interior.
Looking at the side shot stills, it doesn't appear that the backhoe boom proceeded into the smokebox even as far as the stack. Suspect the flues end short of reaching the stack to allow the smokebox to perform its functions.
Flues, tubes, and header end well short of the stack. Believe it or not, according to Kelly Anderson, who should know, there is NO petticoat pipe at all, just a hole in the wrapper under the stack (!) and yet "it's one of their best steamers -- go figure". This is apparently a pre-Master Mechanics front end.
If the boom had been stowed slightly lower, or the excavator not free to slide a few yards, the front tubesheet might indeed have been pushed in along with the cinder screen and we might well have seen a major steam release. I think they were far luckier than most of the folks on RyPN say.
The Switch Target IS obstructed by Catenary Support and sign as Movement approches.
FWIW.
In recent years CPR has greatly enlarged many of it's RED Switch Stand Targets.
NDGThe Engineer was relaxed and waving until well down the straight on Diverging Route.
Well, you know how it is. You do the same thing on the same route day after day, week after week, month after month, and nothing ever happens.
Until the day SOMETHING happens, because someone in the chain didn't do what he was supposed to do.
Monday morning quarterbacking I know, I can see how a head-end crew can get complacent but complacency is something you just can't have when working with heavy equipment of any kind.
As far as someone in the chain is concerned the best rule is the one I follow when driving, NEVER expect anyone else on the road to do the right thing.
Flintlock76Well, you know how it is. You do the same thing on the same route day after day, week after week, month after month, and nothing ever happens.
They run three trains a day weekdays, and seven trains Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, on average, plus any special trains. Same thing, day in, day out. That's based on their website.
As noted, one can get complacent under such circumstances. One shouldn't, but it can happen. And now we know one possible result...
One further question -
Where was the Brakeman? Brakeman would have been at the point the engine cut away from the train and most likely would have stepped on the engine to ride to the switch to throw it for the engine to go down the siding for the run-around of the train. Why wasn't the Brakeman riding the lead end of the engine as he would be required to throw the switch behind the train to facilitate the ending to complete the run-around move. Were the Brakemen riding the point he would (or should) have seen the switch on the siding lined to the track the excavator occupied.Whoever the 'ground man' was with the excavator set the entire incident in motion when he DID NOT close the switch for a route other than directly to the excavator. Lack of vigilance by everyone else brought it to its crashing conclusion.
BaltACDWhere was the Brakeman? Brakeman would have been at the point the engine cut away from the train and most likely would have stepped on the engine to ride to the switch to throw it for the engine to go down the siding for the run-around of the train
Spring switches.
Looks like normal ops is for one trainman to stay at the one end, while another trainman waits at the other end of the train. Paradise Railcam shows it every time.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Strasburg RR has released a statement on the incident.
The backhoe was apparently spotted on the stub the previous evening. The railroad said the MOW crew failed to reline and lock the switch.
The train crew "did not notice" the misaligned switch and entered the stub siding at 10 MPH - the designated limit for the track.
Images with the explanation apparently show welding already going on on the smokebox door, etc.
I'm sure there's some time off (maybe even permanent) in the offing.
tree68I'm sure there's some time off (maybe even permanent) in the offing.
Overmod tree68 I'm sure there's some time off (maybe even permanent) in the offing. Kelly Anderson said the estimated repair time would be 'one or two weeks'.
tree68 I'm sure there's some time off (maybe even permanent) in the offing.
Kelly Anderson said the estimated repair time would be 'one or two weeks'.
I was referring to the crews, although I figured they would have to find a new smokebox cover. Apparently it's being welded.
tree68 Overmod tree68 I'm sure there's some time off (maybe even permanent) in the offing. Kelly Anderson said the estimated repair time would be 'one or two weeks'. I was referring to the crews, although I figured they would have to find a new smokebox cover. Apparently it's being welded.
If the smokebox cover is infact cast iron - my understanding, from watching a number of machine repair YouTube channels. is that cast iron cannot be 'welded'; it can be brazed as a repair method. Welding involves bringing the base metals to a liquid state and having those liquid 'puddles' fuse together to create a solid part. Brazing by contrast heats the base metals to the point that the medal from the appropriate brazing rod can attach itself to the crystalline structures of cast iron. Brazing is a method more similar to soldiering than welding.
The following picture shows the Strasburg technician in the act of brazing the smokebox. The Oxy-Acetylene torch for heating and brazing rod are in full view.
Smokebox is probably being brazed, judging by the color of the visible beads. I don't know whether they're going to beat out or cast a new smokebox front, but either way that shop can get it done.
Not the first time something like this has happened at a preservation railway. There was a somewhat similiar incident on the Great Central Railway. The signaller couldn't pull the signal off and gave the train crew permission to pass the signal at danger. The signaller forgot to line the trap points (derail) for the siding and the footplate crew didn't check its position before starting off. And just like the Strasburg incident, the whole embarrasing scene was recorded for the world to see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhsMAjSqg7I
ns145 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhsMAjSqg7I
But this is the same kind of complacency and assumption. The crew was cleared to pass the SPAD, and ASSumed that also meant that someone had attended to the associated derail. So they open the throttle, and off they go... and off they went! At Strasburg, they're used to spring switches for the runaround, so back they come, waving as they go. And MOW has thrown them an unexpected curve ball.
I'm still fuming at those two engine crew that caused the Cayce wreck. There is a special form, the SPAF, that has to be filled out every time a mainline switch is thrown open. Just to protect against this kind of mistake. They faked it, probably as a piece of routine bureaucracy, and good people died as a result. Mercifully, this time at Strasburg it was relatively low-speed and the pressure vessel didn't come open. Mercifully.
Nevermind. Had my RRs mixed up.
.
Overmod ns145 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhsMAjSqg7I I confess I laugh every time I see that clip, even though there's nothing funny about it. I think just about every Thomas meme that could be thought of has been applied to comments at one time or another... But this is the same kind of complacency and assumption. The crew was cleared to pass the SPAD, and ASSumed that also meant that someone had attended to the associated derail. So they open the throttle, and off they go... and off they went! At Strasburg, they're used to spring switches for the runaround, so back they come, waving as they go. And MOW has thrown them an unexpected curve ball. I'm still fuming at those two engine crew that caused the Cayce wreck. There is a special form, the SPAF, that has to be filled out every time a mainline switch is thrown open. Just to protect against this kind of mistake. They faked it, probably as a piece of routine bureaucracy, and good people died as a result. Mercifully, this time at Strasburg it was relatively low-speed and the pressure vessel didn't come open. Mercifully.
I confess I laugh every time I see that clip, even though there's nothing funny about it. I think just about every Thomas meme that could be thought of has been applied to comments at one time or another...
I have always wondered if the reason that the signaller wasn't able to pull the signal off to begin with was that the trap points hadn't been set properly. The mechanical interlocking did its job just to be defeated by ignorance and complacency.
Reminds me of story that a CSX operator at North Yard in Danville, IL told me in the early 90's. The NS had a double track line that crossed CSX at grade in Danville. A new female operator flying solo for the first time tried to line up a westbound NS train on the CTC machine and couldn't get the signal to come in. Perplexed at what was going on, she asked the NS train if they had a signal in the field. Nope it was still all red. Then she had a brilliant idea and lined up the westbound signal on the adjacent track. Now you have a signal! It took quite awhile for the NS crew to explain to her that things didn't work that way. If the interlocking doesn't allow you to line a signal, there is a reason why!
Overmod I think just about every Thomas meme that could be thought of has been applied to comments at one time or another...
I think just about every Thomas meme that could be thought of has been applied to comments at one time or another...
One of the jokes flowing from this Strasburg incident has the music from the climactic scene in 'Thomas Comes to Breakfast' playing over the crash video.
zugmann BaltACD Where was the Brakeman? Brakeman would have been at the point the engine cut away from the train and most likely would have stepped on the engine to ride to the switch to throw it for the engine to go down the siding for the run-around of the train Spring switches. Looks like normal ops is for one trainman to stay at the one end, while another trainman waits at the other end of the train. Paradise Railcam shows it every time.
BaltACD Where was the Brakeman? Brakeman would have been at the point the engine cut away from the train and most likely would have stepped on the engine to ride to the switch to throw it for the engine to go down the siding for the run-around of the train
I've seen many trains on the "Virtual Railfan" railcam for Paradise PA over the past year or so, it's a good one to watch. I've never seen the switch the engine ran through ever being set that way before. It only leads to a fairly short spur track, it has nothing to do with the runaround move.
In normal operations, the passenger cars are stopped in the middle of the main track, and the enigine runs maybe 100 yards ahead (towards the road bridge) and goes through a switch, runs around the train maybe 50-100 yards on the other side, and couples up to the other side of the cars. As noted, I believe both switches involved in runarounds are spring switches.
BTW several hundred yards beyond the first switch - going towards the roadbridge - is where the Strasburg connects to the outside rail world. That stretch of track is what has been being worked on the last week or so.
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