N-S derailment East of Gary In.

[spikejones52002]

Some shots of the derailment of the West bound Northfork and Southern on there high speed tracks around the lake in Burns Harbor, Porter co., Indiana which is just East of Gary In. 12/21/2007 early morning

Looking East from RT 12

 

 

 

Looking West on East overpass to harbor

Looking East on West overpass to harbor

The first two engines all trucks were on the rails. You see what the third engine did.

I wonder what the crew felt. The train stopped very quickly. The crew had to be plastered to the window. I do not think they wear seat belts.

I sure would like to hear a recording of what the crew heard.

What the news stated today is it was major UPS shippment. UPS had several Simi's at road side to take what they could.

From what I observed. The clean up crew never gave anything a chance. They had a a grabbing claw on their (lost of discription) backhoe and it just scooped or clamped down on every thing and dumped it away.

 Problem the S.S. spotted a string of gondolas on the spir to block views of the derailment.

 

[passengerfan]

Looks like Santa is going to be a little late for some this year.

Guess it will lighten thr load for Rudolph and the others this Xmas. I wonder why no one has ever started an effort to organize the reindeer for their obviously to heavy annual burden?

[Anonymous]

Mail generally isnt that heavy. Ive hauled it at times and maybe 12,000 pounds in the box and a high horse engine makes quick work of it.

There is one trailer in that pile ripped open. Looks like ALOT of mail inside that one is going to be beyond saving.

Whadda mess.

Makes me wonder which areas are affected by this loss Im expecting a package from Connecticut...

[ndbprr]

Another thread said it was a UPS trains from Secaucus New Jersey andthere would be a mesage posted regarding the affected packages on their tracking site. Sombodys fruit cake is gong to be late!

[cnwfan51]

    Its nice to see that the Union Pacific isnt the only one who can derail and take out both mainlines   Larry

[spikejones52002]

There was many trailers totall destroyed all in a big ball or pile of wreckage.

[wabash1]

the reason for just clamping down on it and not giving it a chance is once it hits the ground its paid for the main thing any railroad does in a derailment is move everything off the right of way fix the tracks and start moving freight,  then they clean up the mess.  they probley will let the post office have the mail and ups will possibly get the  undamaged stuff , but the rest is thrown away.

[spikejones52002]

I fully understand the reason for getting the right of way open as soon as possable.

I was just stating that what ever hit the ground. There was no attempt to salvage.

it would take days to sort through. Plus the hazzard to personal attempting to search through the rubble.

[wabash1]

there never is a attempt to salvage moving freight is number 1. it pays mor on delivery than having men try and salvage whats there, they will come back and allow people to go thru that stuff after freight is moving normal, and what is left over is buried right on the spot.

[Anonymous]

Stick a massive billboard sign "FREE" next to the stuff and it will all vanish.

Crowd control, Police and other associated problems with large mobs non-withstanding.

Yet another good reason to insure all domestic mail.

[Trainmaster.Curt]

What actually caused this accident in the first place??

[Railfan1]

I was trying to figure that out myself..?