Trains.com

Possible Arkansas train collision

1739 views
9 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 2:29 PM

NJ Transits 'leaf defense'

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, October 18, 2014 11:42 AM

Actually, Balt, I was referring to what I considered a misuse of the word, "excess," which implied that the user knew just how many leaves were just enough, and, perhaps, one leaf more was the leaf that made the locomotive slip--and many more made it stall.

You made an excellent statement about the problem posed by leaves on the track. When I walk for exercise, I walk as fast as I am able, given the terrain--and I watch for such things as wet leaves, and take care about them. Several years ago, I was walking on a sidewalk with new-fallen snow--until I stepped on a spot with ice from the previous snow beneath the new snow, and came to grief. I was about 3/4 of a mile from home, but I did make it home.

Johnny

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, October 18, 2014 9:25 AM

Deggesty

Thanks; now I can sleep tonight.Smile

 

There is no 'set amount' that will trigger a train to stall account leaves on the track.  Normally dry leaves won't present a problem.  Wet leaves are a different story.  The surrounding terrain creates the conditions that make a particular area suseptable to leaf problems.  Normal areas are cuts surrounded by forests on both sides of the right of way.  The cut creates a natural repository for the falling leaves.  As long as there is a steady parade of traffic over the territory, leaves don't present much of a problem (except when you are dealing with light rail or similar kinds of vehicles and they will have trouble with their braking distances). 

Where this accident happend, I suspect, the traffic was at best two trains daily and maybe not even that.

I feel certain when the final report comes out it will state something to the effect 'We had a failure to accurately communicate and understand the position of the stalled train'.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Friday, October 17, 2014 12:52 PM

Thanks; now I can sleep tonight.Smile

Johnny

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, October 17, 2014 12:16 PM

Deggesty
 
BaltACD

 

from the news story-- "The trains collided Thursday morning when the passenger train stalled on a small grade, apparently because of excess leaves on the track, according to police."

 

What is the maximum number of leaves allowed on a track?

 

Less than the amount required to stall.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Friday, October 17, 2014 11:16 AM

BaltACD

from the news story-- "The trains collided Thursday morning when the passenger train stalled on a small grade, apparently because of excess leaves on the track, according to police."

What is the maximum number of leaves allowed on a track?

Johnny

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, October 17, 2014 7:23 AM

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • 6,099 posts
Posted by Phoebe Vet on Thursday, October 16, 2014 2:20 PM

The passenger train was carrying tourists on a sight-seeing trip, known as an "excursion train," operated by Arkansas & Missouri Railroad.

An official from the county told the station that the passenger train, which left from Springdale and en route to Van Buren, a 134-mile trip, stalled and the other train was sent to assist. But somehow the assisting train collided with the stalled one,

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Georgia USA SW of Atlanta
  • 11,919 posts
Posted by blue streak 1 on Thursday, October 16, 2014 2:02 PM

News wire now reports it is an A&M freight and passenger train.

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Georgia USA SW of Atlanta
  • 11,919 posts
Possible Arkansas train collision
Posted by blue streak 1 on Thursday, October 16, 2014 1:32 PM

Anyone with confirmation ?  Find it strange no other report ?Now is reported on news wire.

 

http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/2014/10/16/passenger-train-freight-train-collide-in-northwest-arkansas/17358277/

 

 

 

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