Trains.com

Derail Locomotive

2851 views
12 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 851 posts
Derail Locomotive
Posted by Awesome! on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:30 PM

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=83492

I never thought a truck could derail a locomotive...Confused [%-)]

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Mooresville, NC
  • 90 posts
Posted by FTGT725 on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 11:53 PM
Trucks have caused some very serious railroad accidents. You try hitting 80,000 lbs and see what happens.
In my experience, the light at the end of the tunnel is usually the train.
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • 164 posts
Posted by blade on Thursday, March 20, 2008 7:44 AM
neither can i when usually it is the other way around especially when you consider the differences in wieght.
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Southington, CT
  • 1,326 posts
Posted by DMUinCT on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:05 AM
   Nobody said the Truck Won!  Just that the reinforced steel truck frame went under the locomotive wheels.   A snow plow on the locomotive will usually prevent this.

Don U. TCA 73-5735

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: BC, CANADA
  • 1,279 posts
Posted by Pathfinder on Thursday, March 20, 2008 6:09 PM
A rail could have broken as a result of the accident too.  Not enough info to say the truck derailed the loco.
Keep on Trucking, By Train! Where I Live: BC Hobbies: Model Railroading (HO): CP in the 70's in BC and logging in BC
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Thursday, March 20, 2008 6:46 PM
My guess is that a combination of factors caused what we see.  The truck's weight, its angle to the axis of advance of the locomotive, its centre of gravity, the condition of the roadbed and the rails under the leading truck of the diesel.....
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:22 PM
Certainly any kind of obsruction can derail a locomotive if the circumstances are right.  I know of one case where a single spike derailed a locomotive and wrecked its train.
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
  • 2,385 posts
Posted by trainfan1221 on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 5:03 PM
I can believe that, after all spikes ain't soft.  Usually a train will plow through anything but a tractor trailer is always a worthy opponent.  If its the accident I saw on the news the other day then believe me the truck didn't win.
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, March 27, 2008 2:14 PM
 Awesome wrote:

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=83492

I never thought a truck could derail a locomotive...

Hard Water, under the right circumstances is capable of derailing a locomotive.  Mud packed ice in road crossing flangeways have derailed many a locomotive and many, many more cars.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Redneck Land(Little Rock), Arkansas
  • 919 posts
Posted by arkansasrailfan on Thursday, March 27, 2008 3:58 PM
Look at the engine. Besides from some damage on the front and lead truck damage, the train has practical won yet again. That truck was likely destroyed
-Michael It's baaaacccckkkk!!!!!! www.youtube.com/user/wyomingrailfan
  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: heart of the Pere Marquette
  • 847 posts
Posted by J. Edgar on Thursday, March 27, 2008 4:11 PM

for whats its worth.....

 in 1999 a westbound CP run-thru out of Grand Rapids hit a county salt truck....the train was doing track speed....around 50......3 SD-40-2'S and 4 or 5 cars derailed....truck was demolished....truck was a International single axle dump that weighs about 20,000# empty....plus the 15,000# of salt.......after the fact come to find out the truck driver comitted suicide....there was a note in the cab of the truck

i love the smell of coal smoke in the morning Photobucket
  • Member since
    January 2002
  • 229 posts
Posted by Ham549 on Thursday, April 3, 2008 9:05 PM
I know with P42's it dosen't take much to put them on the ground. just look at http://www.sptimes.com/2007/07/18/Hillsborough/Amtrak__Two_days__two.shtml I have seen lots of photos of P42's derailed after hitting relitivety small vehiceals
Save the F40PH!
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 281 posts
Posted by rogruth on Thursday, April 3, 2008 11:10 PM
In the late 1970's or early 1980's near Claxton,Georgia a SCL train hit a log truck.Three locos and several cars were de-railed.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy