UP/ WPSX coal train derailment in Fond Du lac,Wi

[Anonymous]

On Monday September 20,2004,at 3:45 p.m., a loaded UP/ WPSX coal train bound for Green Bay,derailed 9 cars of the 101 car coal train on the industrial lead track in South Fond Du Lac,Wi.[:O],shutting down the main line for about a hour and a half. The 2 UP units were SD90MAC's #'s 5970 and 5872.Talks on the scanner,from CN stated thet there were 4 breaks in the train,when there were actually 5 that had been done. WC helper unit # 7498 came to pull back 50 cars of 76 that remained upright away from the derailment and pull them off of Scott St. and shove them into a siding to avoid futher blockage of the rail-crossing,and main line.Luckily the main line was not damaged, just a few tracks that are used to store cars for the local industries in FDL,and the surrounding area for Quad Graphics,and other businesses. At 7:30 p.m.,IC SD40-2 unit # 6130 pulled the remaining 26 cars from the derailment,and put them in a yard track to be sent on a train to Green Bay later. At 12 midnight Hulcher crews came in with 6 semis loaded with 4 Caterpillar dozers,and a crawler loader,along with other equipment used to rerail the hopper cars.It took Hulcher 2 hours to unload their equipment,and from that time till 6a.m. Tuesday,Hulcher had rerailed 2 cars,WPSX 1099 And1048. By 3p.m. all nine cars were rerailed and CN M.O.W.crews were putting in track and aligning the track for use later in the day.[:D] The WPSX cars that derailed were #'s 1143,1038,686,582,753,1099,1048,and 2 cars that I was unable to get the numbers due to marsh brush in the way.I have a few good pix of the derailment that I took from Highway 45,which parallels the entire mainline and yard of CN,here in Fond Du Lac.The sad part is that this incident was not even mentioned on the local news or newspaper[:(],and security was pretty tight around the area of this derailment,though NO emergency crews were called in to assist and keep on-lookers from the area. If anyone is interested in seeing these pix please let me know and I'll send you what I have.
Andrew

[Noah Hofrichter]

Andrew, Very interesting. Hadn't heard about this derailment. I would like to see pics if you want to send them, [e-mail] Always interested to here about derailments in WI

Noah

[Anonymous]

[e-mail] is mine.

[Anonymous]

Those r good pics.

[Junctionfan]

I wonder why the train derailed.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

I wonder why the train derailed.

My guess is that it could have been too much coal in a few cars,a weakness in a rail or ?. All I know right at this time is that Sperry Rail has a truck that has been checking that certain area of track right at this moment. I am though very shocked that CN did not report this incident to local media,nor have I seen ANY personnel from the FRA,or NTSB as of yet. It also is very upsetting to know that here was a "small" incident that occured,yet what would have happened if there was a chemical leak from a tank car that is carrying acid,would CN keep hush about this as well?! Just like my friend Randy had said to me,when I had talked to him...CN is a [censored] railroad that doesn't care.