Today at 1:23 PM an Amtrak F40PH plowed through two passenger cars, knocking them, and rolling stock on the adjacent track, off.
After some careful investigation by railroad personell, a detached brake line was found to be the culprit.
Says UP railroad spokesperson Jeff Jefferson "This was a freak accident. Well, no, actually not. The brake line was not attached like it should have been and the engineer was travelling way faster than he should have been. The tracks to the silo have a 15mph restriction on them. Every engineer in this subdivision knows that."
Fortunatly there were no injuries. "I cut my thumb getting out of the locomotive" said Robby Grey, engineer of the train on the adjacent track to the accident. "I need some time off now. Maybe some workers comp."
District officer of UP's new subdivision (ZXNMVBC--UP officals have yet to decied on an offical name.) who wishes to remain unnamed at this point, was frustrated. "Come on, people! This subdivision isn't even offically open yet and already we have had a serious accident. We need to set out our priorities... but I think we can wait to reopen the line until morning. It's late and that line hardly ever gets used anyway."
[Name of newspaper here] will keep you informed on the progress of the accident.
The timbers beneath the rails are not the only ties that bind on the railroad. --Robert S. McGonigal
OR I guess I might have left the power on in that block without knowing it...
Sorry for the crummy photos, my phone doesn;t have the best camera in low light. THis was too good to pass up, though.
Acela
"Fortunately there were no injuries........."
What?! With a Superliner unit laying on its side?
1. So was the F40 being switched on to an empty batch of passenger cars in preparation for it's run?
2. Was this an official Amtrak train, or a transfer move?
3. Has the FRA been contacted yet? If so, have qualified inspectors arrived on the scene yet?
4. Any impact on nearby residential neighborhoods or vehicular traffic?
5. Have the locomotives and cars been inspected yet for hazard related damages?
6. Any potential environmental hazards or damages? (any fuel or lubricative fluid spillage from the locomotive due to punctures? Any spillage from the passenger equipment from toilet tanks?
7. Did the railroad officials debrief the crew yet? Has the train crew been drug tested?
8. Any determination as to why the brake line was not connected? Was the conductor questioned regarding the disconnected brake line?
9. Any early indications as to why the collision occurred? Was sabotage a factor?
10. Has the railroad's public relations representative been briefed yet on the details before he/she talks to hard-charging news reporters?
11. Any early estimates as to the financial costs of this collision to the railroad(s) involved?
Operations oriented model railroading can be so much fun......and involved!
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
AntonioFP45 "Fortunately there were no injuries........." What?! With a Superliner unit laying on its side? 1. So was the F40 being switched on to an empty batch of passenger cars in preparation for it's run? 2. Was this an official Amtrak train, or a transfer move? 3. Has the FRA been contacted yet? If so, have qualified inspectors arrived on the scene yet? 4. Any impact on nearby residential neighborhoods or vehicular traffic? 5. Have the locomotives and cars been inspected yet for hazard related damages? 6. Any potential environmental hazards or damages? (any fuel or lubricative fluid spillage from the locomotive due to punctures? Any spillage from the passenger equipment from toilet tanks? 7. Did the railroad officials debrief the crew yet? Has the train crew been drug tested? 8. Any determination as to why the brake line was not connected? Was the conductor questioned regarding the disconnected brake line? 9. Any early indications as to why the collision occurred? Was sabotage a factor? 10. Has the railroad's public relations representative been briefed yet on the details before he/she talks to hard-charging news reporters? 11. Any early estimates as to the financial costs of this collision to the railroad(s) involved?
The local papers are currently working on stories to give a more detailed look into the accident. Until then, we are waitng for a press release. Expect a full detail story later this week.
Hey-I just reached 200 posts!
LOL that is good. I did something like this back when I was in the Tidewater Modular club. I was running a high speed freight, good clear track ahead of me for miles and she was pulling about 70 MPH. I came across a revene at twin bridges and the tracks were damaged and no one had yet flag this area for slow running. I lost 5 cars total when they derailed and 2 even ended up down the revene.
I made up an incident report, investigation report, and a public press report over the incident. I made sure to take photos of the scene. I had detailed cost fugures for the cleanup, equipment damage and also for environmental damage as well. I presented my findings at the next meeting of our club, and we all got a good laugh about it. I even got pics of the wreck crew recovering the 2 cars that went down the revene.
The owner fixed the damaged track that night and full speed running was once again possible on the layout.
Massey
A Veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."
Monon freight train blew a single. One car did hit the floor.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
So just wondering if the engineer and conductor will be sent for "random" drug testing? Sorry had to be asked. It's an OHS issue. This area has now been declared an unsafe work environment until the official Work Safe Investigation is complete (due to the severe thumb injury) as well as the wrecked train thingy.....
Dan
If you cannot fix it with a hammer;
You have an electrical problem!
Say it ain't so!!!
Don't you just HATE when that happens?
DO the surviving passengers get free tickets for a new train ride on any UP service across the country or at least their money for this trip refunded to them???
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
galaxyDO the surviving passengers get free tickets for a new train ride on any UP service across the country or at least their money for this trip refunded to them???
Why is it that you are offered a free ticket when things go wrong but you had to pay for it to go wrong in the first place? I had a US Air flight that went wrong from the minute I boarded the plane and I just wanted to get home and away from these people. Lets just say that what happened to me would take too much space on this forum. They wanted me to give up my son's seat because they overbooked the plane and were going to offer me a free ticket anywhere in the US for it. After my 12 hour flight from Seattle to Norfolk was going into the 19th hour (because of the airline) I was made this offer again! What part of no and I will never fly on your airline again do you not understand.
Now you need to ask yourself if you had a really bad experience with service "A" would you go with them again free or not or would you send your business to service "B"?
I vote B
Sorry for all the building anticipation! Maybe this weekend I can gather some time for an offical press release.
The engineer was problably talking on the phone and or taking pictures of the scenery with it, and not paying attention to his duties.
The FRA's investigation will conclude that human error was cause of accident. Engineer may be suspended and or terminated. How sad.
Truck.
When an engineer on a model railroad is 'terminated' is he really, uh, . . . . TERMINATED!
Being an Underwriter for a large WC carrier I got to ask did he file a claim and has it been settled or contraverted (challenged) yet? LOL
Joe Staten Island West
Oh, dear! Shame on me!
Uhhh, is this weekend okay for a press release?
joe323 Fortunatly there were no injuries. "I cut my thumb getting out of the locomotive" said Robby Grey, engineer of the train on the adjacent track to the accident. "I need some time off now. Maybe some workers comp." Being an Underwriter for a large WC carrier I got to ask did he file a claim and has it been settled or contraverted (challenged) yet? LOL
Yes, he should DEFINITELY file a claim, receive two months off with full pay from worker's comp.
I DO hope he was taken to seek medical help in an ambulance from the scene fo the accident.
If he required stitches for the cut, he needs at least 3 months to heal and rehabilitate his injured thumb through massage therapy and occupational therapy.
Naturally, all medical bills should be covered.
And, of course, his job should be held for him until he is able to return to work fully recovered and rehabilitated, with his work record intact and time on the job for the three months or rehab accrued towards his pension.
Should he decide to, he could seek a payout for "pain and suffering", and for "mental anguish", and for "distressful rectitude {correctness of procedure}".