East of Reno train hit a ready mix truck. Truck must have been empty as it was turned over and Charger not too much damage but enough that UP sending relief. Two Amtrak employees hurt probably engineer and another ?
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0eZ3QTqpEt-X93QlYUXShV5bA
Charger damage
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0pa3FjPNnzU67LOk8mmbyPwCg
We may need to start pushing congress to supply additional funds to get about 20 extra Chargers. It seems that this carnage on Amtrak locos is not oing to stop.
Will this one just go on to Sacremento so Siemens can fix it ?
Can others get more details ?
I think that was 5, the in-service California Zephyr. It left Chicago on the 18th with two back-to-back Chargers and a P42, along with en extra baggage car.
The testing's working; this is part of the standard LD experience...
Hope the crew recovers soon.
blue streak 1Charger damage https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0pa3FjPNnzU67LOk8mmbyPwCg We may need to start pushing congress to supply additional funds to get about 20 extra Chargers. It seems that this carnage on Amtrak locos is not oing to stop. Will this one just go on to Sacremento so Siemens can fix it ? Can others get more details ?
Safe-lite should be able to repair the glass damage and a roll or two of duct tape and it will be good to go.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Why does it seem like Amtrak trains hit more vehicles/people/etc. than freight trains? Is it because drivers aren't expecting trains to come through that fast (freight trains are usually more speed-restricted than passenger), or that the media just gives passenger train accidents more attention? Either way, seems like some people are too stupid to cross train tracks safely.
Matthew Cheng
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Trainzguy2472 Why does it seem like Amtrak trains hit more vehicles/people/etc. than freight trains? Is it because drivers aren't expecting trains to come through that fast (freight trains are usually more speed-restricted than passenger), or that the media just gives passenger train accidents more attention? Either way, seems like some people are too stupid to cross train tracks safely.
Passenger train accidents give a whole herd of people a front-row seat to the carnage. In today's world of social media the news spreads fast, and gets picked up by 'mainstream' outlets.
Numerous crossing accidents involving freight trains happen each and every day in North America alone. They are common enough that they are about as interesting to the News as a single-fatality car accident.
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'Dude, you hit the nail on the head. A good corollary is ship sinkings. Plenty of ocean-going cargo vessels are lost each year but their loss attracts little or no attention, super-tankers excepted.
It's only the passenger ship mishaps and disasters that attract attention. Think Costa Concordia.
Costa Concordia- now there was a case of vetting, training and supervision-- not.
matthewsaggie Costa Concordia- now there was a case of vetting, training and supervision-- not.
Old mariners rule, "If you can see it, it's too close! Unless it's the destination."
"Captain Crunch" Schettino forgot that, or never learned it to begin with.
I wonder if it's even fixable. Looks pretty minor, but that was a pretty substantial truck that it hit and as we've seen several times in the 2000's with modern passenger power in the US, looks can be deceiving where structual integrity is concerned.
I'm no engineer, but how these machines are built to absorb energy to protect the crew and their monocoque design means it's not always obvious from the ground when they've been tweaked too much to be viewed as having an adequate margin of safety to absorb energy and protect the crew in the next big impact.
I doubt this one has too much to worry about, but you never know.
It might depend on whether the concrete truck was loaded or empty at the time of the collision. It will be interesting to see how the electronics and the prime mover handled the sudden deceleration. At least the train remained on the rails. A case of the immovable object meeting the irresistible force? Glad the crew survived.
As Northwest stated, there were two Chargers plus a P42 as seen in this video.
https://www.kolotv.com/content/news/minor-injuries-reported-in-train-vs-cement-truck-crash-on-i-80-568047281.html
SD70Dude Trainzguy2472 Why does it seem like Amtrak trains hit more vehicles/people/etc. than freight trains? Is it because drivers aren't expecting trains to come through that fast (freight trains are usually more speed-restricted than passenger), or that the media just gives passenger train accidents more attention? Either way, seems like some people are too stupid to cross train tracks safely. Passenger train accidents give a whole herd of people a front-row seat to the carnage. In today's world of social media the news spreads fast, and gets picked up by 'mainstream' outlets. Numerous crossing accidents involving freight trains happen each and every day in North America alone. They are common enough that they are about as interesting to the News as a single-fatality car accident.
While any train can be involved, I've noticed something on our line across Iowa. It's not scientific by any means, just an observation. Many times when there's a grade crossing accident, it's often one of our Z trains that's involved.
The Z trains, like passenger trains, usually are running a lot faster than most others. I think part of the reason is people are expecting a slower train, thinking they can beat it and then find out they can't.
I'm sure there's a lot of truth that a passenger train accident gets noticed. But casual observation makes me think the train's speed also plays into it.
Jeff
Have any of you noticed a phenomenon that I've noticed? That is, looking at the headlight on an oncoming train, how it just seems to hang there, and hang there, and hang there, looking like it's not moving, and then WHAM it's right on top of you?
I think this is something that people should be made aware of, especially in Driver's Ed classes. "Don't assume anything as far as the speed of an approaching train is concerned, it's coming faster than you think it is!"
Flintlock76Have any of you noticed a phenomenon that I've noticed? That is, looking at the headlight on an oncoming train, how it just seems to hang there, and hang there, and hang there, looking like it's not moving, and then WHAM it's right on top of you? I think this is something that people should be made aware of, especially in Driver's Ed classes. "Don't assume anything as far as the speed of an approaching train is concerned, it's coming faster than you think it is!"
That is the phenomena that ditch lights were supposedly the cure for.
Part of the situation is that it's almost impossible to determine approximate speed from a single headlight coming directly at the viewer. There is little to no visible motion. Ditch lights help but only when the train is fairly close.
True and it's another reason why grade crossings are especially dangerous at night
Flintlock76Have any of you noticed a phenomenon that I've noticed? That is, looking at the headlight on an oncoming train, how it just seems to hang there, and hang there, and hang there, looking like it's not moving, and then WHAM it's right on top of you?
It's like watching a jet come in to a landing head-on. Looks like it's barely moving.
Power of perspective?
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
zugmann Flintlock76 Have any of you noticed a phenomenon that I've noticed? That is, looking at the headlight on an oncoming train, how it just seems to hang there, and hang there, and hang there, looking like it's not moving, and then WHAM it's right on top of you? It's like watching a jet come in to a landing head-on. Looks like it's barely moving. Power of perspective?
Flintlock76 Have any of you noticed a phenomenon that I've noticed? That is, looking at the headlight on an oncoming train, how it just seems to hang there, and hang there, and hang there, looking like it's not moving, and then WHAM it's right on top of you?
Maybe. I can't explain the phenomenon, but I know it exists having experienced it myself. And no, ditch lights don't seem to make much of a difference, except for calling a little more attention to the fact a train's coming.
Another thing that impresses me, and that more people should be made aware of is, depending on terrain, just how silently a train can approach. Scary.
Flintlock76Another thing that impresses me, and that more people should be made aware of is, depending on terrain, just how silently a train can approach. Scary.
And remember - the manufacturers have been making conscious efforts to make locomotives even quieter over the years.
In my Maryland home I am about 1/2 a mile from CSX's Old Main Line. I hear trains sounding for the two local road crossings - I rarely hear them 'working the grade'. Westbounds are climbing, Eastbounds descending and with coal or other bulk commodity trains will be using dynamic brakes.
charlie hebdo True and it's another reason why grade crossings are especially dangerous at night
This is why locomotives and cars all have reflective striping on their sides. Because of multiple incidents where vehicles drove into the side of moving trains at level crossings without automatic warning devices.
BaltACD Flintlock76 Another thing that impresses me, and that more people should be made aware of is, depending on terrain, just how silently a train can approach. Scary. And remember - the manufacturers have been making conscious efforts to make locomotives even quieter over the years. In my Maryland home I am about 1/2 a mile from CSX's Old Main Line. I hear trains sounding for the two local road crossings - I rarely hear them 'working the grade'. Westbounds are climbing, Eastbounds descending and with coal or other bulk commodity trains will be using dynamic brakes.
Flintlock76 Another thing that impresses me, and that more people should be made aware of is, depending on terrain, just how silently a train can approach. Scary.
Interesting. I live about a mile-and-a-half, maybe two as the crow flies, from the CSX James River Line, the old "Loads east, empties west" coal road. Position wise the house faces the line at about 90 degrees, so the trains go "past" but not straight at us. I can hear them blow for grade crossings, and can hear the rumble of the cars, but can't hear the locomotives at all.
I should add whether I hear the trains or not depends on the time of day. At night and if it's quiet, yes. During the day, no, unless it's early morning.
A good argument for steam.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Paul of CovingtonA good argument for steam.
Modern roller-bearing steam drifting downhill with proper steam or drifting-valve setting can be quieter than an idling diesel-electric, and certainly quieter than a locomotive in dynamic braking.
Overmod Paul of Covington A good argument for steam. Modern roller-bearing steam drifting downhill with proper steam or drifting-valve setting can be quieter than an idling diesel-electric, and certainly quieter than a locomotive in dynamic braking.
Paul of Covington A good argument for steam.
True. Personal experience, I was in Roanoke back in the 90's for a Norfolk-Southern steam excursion and Mighty 611 drifted past where we were standing. I was amazed at how quiet it was when it wasn't working hard.
Just a gentle "woosh-woosh-woosh" as it rolled past.
When UP 4014 was enroute to West Chicago, my daughter-in-law mentioned how quiet it was as it passed through Elmhurst. It's also hard to be much quieter than a set of MU cars, something I observed quite early with the South Shore.
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