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Strasburg 475 accident

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 7:18 PM

In some cases cast iron can be welded, TIG welded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usRMtTFKpmI

 

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, November 10, 2022 9:24 AM

zugmann
Not surprising.  They have Lerro charters for 611 this week/611 excursions this weekend.  I'm sure 475 is lined up to take part.

Strasburg has installed footboards 'to make 475 look more representative of the era when it might have run alongside Js', and the ex-SP 6-chime whistle has been replaced with a N&W freight whistle for the occasion...

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 10:40 PM

rixflix
In Vietnam a guy in our in our service battery hit a Lambretta 3-wheel truck with his 5-ton. After the inquiry he painted six cone-hatted stick figures on his driver side door. Some of us "heroes" were very ugly people. War begets sick humor.

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Posted by rixflix on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 9:34 PM

In Vietnam a guy in our in our service battery hit a Lambretta 3-wheel truck with his 5-ton. After the inquiry he painted six cone-hatted stick figures on his driver side door. Some of us "heroes" were very ugly people. War begets sick humor.

Rick 

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 5:46 PM

SD70Dude
 
Flintlock76

And now 475 has the distinction of being the only operational steam locomotive in the US with duelling scars!   Wink 

Among the many jokes was a picture of the excavator with a small cartoon steam locomotive sticker, in the same vein as bomber crews adding another mark for each completed mission.  

Perhaps 475 should get a little excavator painted under the cab window.....

A cartoon for either would not be appropriate - neither was a 'kill'.  The 'marks' for war birds were awarded for verified 'kills'.

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Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 4:02 PM

Flintlock76

And now 475 has the distinction of being the only operational steam locomotive in the US with duelling scars!   Wink

Among the many jokes was a picture of the excavator with a small cartoon steam locomotive sticker, in the same vein as bomber crews adding another mark for each completed mission.  

Perhaps 475 should get a little excavator painted under the cab window.....

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 3:21 PM

kgbw49
Not quite the same as repairing the USS Yorktown in three days after the Battle of the Coral Sea, but very, very impressive turnaround time nonetheless.

Guys who were there told me "Don't kid yourself, there were a hell of a lot of jury rigs on that ship!"  But I see your point!  

Anyway, I'm not surprised at the speed of 475's repairs, the Strasburg crew can fix anything but a rainy day!

And now 475 has the distinction of being the only operational steam locomotive in the US with duelling scars!   Wink

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 1:49 PM

You're right about that but I've observed that Formula 1 pit crews have more men over the wall than NASCAR.

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 12:40 PM

kgbw49
Frankenstein's locomotive lives.

Quite an amazing job by the Strasburg shop forces.

Not quite the same as repairing the USS Yorktown in three days after the Battle of the Coral Sea, but very, very impressive turnaround time nonetheless.

Maybe the steam locomotive equivalent of a NASCAR pit stop would be a better metaphor.

Shake and bake!

NASCAR is so slow compared to F1.

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Posted by kgbw49 on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 11:48 AM

Frankenstein's locomotive lives.

Quite an amazing job by the Strasburg shop forces.

Not quite the same as repairing the USS Yorktown in three days after the Battle of the Coral Sea, but very, very impressive turnaround time nonetheless.

Maybe the steam locomotive equivalent of a NASCAR pit stop would be a better metaphor.

Shake and bake!

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Posted by kgbw49 on Monday, November 7, 2022 6:44 PM

Sounds like they stuck the landing.

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Posted by zugmann on Monday, November 7, 2022 1:50 PM

Not surprising.  They have Lerro charters for 611 this week/611 excursions this weekend.  I'm sure 475 is lined up to take part. 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, November 7, 2022 1:33 PM

Aaaand, 475 is back in service (per Trains newswire).

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Posted by Shadow the Cats owner on Friday, November 4, 2022 9:26 PM

No it's possible to weld cast iron just harder than hell to do it properly as the metal itself isn't pure enough for welding.  Henceforth why brazing is the preferred method to repair cracks and if done properly is just as good.  

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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, November 4, 2022 9:09 PM

tree68
 
BaltACD
is that cast iron cannot be 'welded'; it can be brazed as a repair method. 

Thanks for the correction.  Not my area of expertise.

Not really mine either, however, I have been watching a number of YouTube channels detailing repairs to all manner of equipment made from all forms of materials - cast iron, steel, aluminum, copper, and other forms.

Haven't seen anything with Beryllium, since F1 outlawed its use since its 'dust' is a carcinogen.

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, November 4, 2022 7:46 PM

BaltACD
is that cast iron cannot be 'welded'; it can be brazed as a repair method.

Thanks for the correction.  Not my area of expertise.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, November 4, 2022 4:16 PM

SD70Dude

 

 
Overmod

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.

 

Yeah, it looks like the Internet's going wild over this.  I got a link from the 'Dude with some examples.  Some of the memes are pretty clever but others look like they were done by 13-year-olds that just learned some new dirty words and want to share them with the world or others equally immature. 

I'm not offended mind you, I've been around, but I won't post the link in deference to those who might be offended. And this IS supposed to be a family-friendly site after all. 

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Posted by wjstix on Friday, November 4, 2022 1:48 PM

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. 

 

  

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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Posted by SD70Dude on Friday, November 4, 2022 1:41 PM

Overmod

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.

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Posted by ns145 on Friday, November 4, 2022 12:34 PM

Overmod

 

 
ns145

 

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 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!

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, November 4, 2022 10:40 AM

.

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Posted by zugmann on Friday, November 4, 2022 10:37 AM

Nevermind.  Had my RRs mixed up. 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, November 4, 2022 10:35 AM

ns145

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.

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Posted by ns145 on Friday, November 4, 2022 10:18 AM

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

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, November 4, 2022 10:13 AM

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.

On re-reading what you wrote, I understand it better.  I don't think anyone deserves to 'lose their job' over this -- but it's assuredly more than one teachable moment, both for Strasburg and the industry.

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.  

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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, November 4, 2022 8:52 AM

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.

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, November 4, 2022 8:13 AM

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.

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, November 4, 2022 7:20 AM

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'.

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, November 3, 2022 11:08 PM

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.

LarryWhistling
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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...

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