Derailers...Primary purpose

[kehoesj]

Can anyone tell me what the main reason is that a "derailer" is installed on the rail, usually in close proximity of a switch, siding ...is it to keep competition off, or to keep a parked car from fouling the switch. I have noticed more of these devices locally and see that they are locked. Appreciate your help.

[jchnhtfd]

The derailer is there, in place, locked, when the switch is lined for the main. It's purpose is to keep any rolling stock which might get loose -- maybe a brake isn't set tight, the wind blows, who knows -- it happens -- from rolling through the switch onto the main and causing problems. If the derailer is there, the rolling stock will go on the ground -- clear of the fouling point -- and stop, provided it isn't moving too fast.

[kehoesj]

Thanks for the info! SAFETY FIRST. Expect Equipment to Move on Any Track, In Any Direction, At Any Time.

[csxengineer98]

they also have portable ones that can be put on a track when it is blue flaged to protect mechanical personel should eqipment gets past the blue flag....they will derail equimpment befor the moving eqipment hits the eqimpment that is being worked on...
csx engineer

[adrianspeeder]

Lesser of two bad things will happen when a derail is forced to do its deed. ie: few slow moving cars go down instead of a mainline wreck.

Adrianspeeder

[Rustyrex]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kehoesj

Can anyone tell me what the main reason is that a "derailer" is installed on the rail, usually in close proximity of a switch, siding ...is it to keep competition off.

[:D]Hope they don't get any ideas, maybe a trackage rights deal gone sour???[:)]

[Anonymous]

In rail speak the pronounciation is "DEE rail." To qoute our superintendent, upon his arrival at the scene of a car having been run through a derail,"Yep. They work every time."
Mitch

[mudchicken]

Gravity works!

[Anonymous]

Here in England they are usually worked in conjunction with a ground signal....if you pass the signal whilst it is still ON,you come off the road....simple but effective.

[88gta350]

Sensitive areas that happen to have rail lines (i.e. nuclear power plants) use them to keep malicious trains from entering the facility, as the line usually runs to the interior of one or more buildings.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I have also seen derails, usually of the split-rail variety, on the approaches to movable bridges. The one with which I am most familiar is the 21st Street vertical lift bridge on the south approach to Chicago Union Station.

Instead of derails, the Chicago Transit Authority has a switch to a very short stub track with a solid bumper on the approaches to the Lake Street and Wells Street bridges.

[BNSFGP38]

Lets say a car got loose and was derailed. Who is responsible for the cost to rerail it and repair of that car. RR,shipper? I would think the RR would be.

[DTomajko]

At the intermodal ramp in Pittsburgh there are actually two sets of derails on both loading tracks. The yellow derails are used exclusively by the ramp employees and are locked with non-railroad locks. The blue set is for use by the car inspectors and the block truck when working on the cars. These derails serve a dual purpose since the ramp tracks are connected to an active secondary track, keeping our cars off the main and the trains off the ramp. One thing not mentioned is the use of blue flags along with the derails to warn all concerned that the derails are applied and the cars are actively being worked. Also, when there are occassionally too many cars for the tracks and the derails are fouled,(usually the west end of the yard), the car inspector will use a portable derail & blue flag and lock the switch into the ramp. Violation of these rules is also an FRA fine if caught. Good luck and stay safe.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSFGP38

Lets say a car got loose and was derailed. Who is responsible for the cost to rerail it and repair of that car. RR,shipper? I would think the RR would be.

Or... You can get a re-railing frog from the engine if it happens to you, or get some old ties and build a small ramp. That should do it before the trainmaster finds out. Once back on the rails the hole crew is supposed to applaud.
Mitch

[Anonymous]

Does anyone out there have an idea when derails were first used by rrs? Nobody I've asked doesn't know. Just curious.

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

The railroad on which the derailment occurred.

except on industry owned trackage when the car was spotted and turned over to the industry......basically the same issue as an industry that shoves railcars through the wheelstops, track bumper or whatever occupies the end of a stub track. (Grain elevators are famous for this stunt, as are certain witless switch crews shoving blind.)

Once you bleed the air off and release the brakes, you become liable.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DTomajko

At the intermodal ramp in Pittsburgh there are actually two sets of derails on both loading tracks. The yellow derails are used exclusively by the ramp employees and are locked with non-railroad locks. The blue set is for use by the car inspectors and the block truck when working on the cars. These derails serve a dual purpose since the ramp tracks are connected to an active secondary track, keeping our cars off the main and the trains off the ramp. One thing not mentioned is the use of blue flags along with the derails to warn all concerned that the derails are applied and the cars are actively being worked. Also, when there are occassionally too many cars for the tracks and the derails are fouled,(usually the west end of the yard), the car inspector will use a portable derail & blue flag and lock the switch into the ramp. Violation of these rules is also an FRA fine if caught. Good luck and stay safe.

yea dan..i mentioned the derails with blue flag protection... and if the crew should go past the blue flag..and hit the derail... they are held out of service for blue flag violation.....going past a blue flag is just as serious offence as going past an absolute signal displaying stop without dispatachters prermistion...
csx engineer

[alcodave]

is this still a common thing that happens?do any class 1 roads put re-railing frogs on locomotives?

QUOTE: Originally posted by artmark

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSFGP38

Lets say a car got loose and was derailed. Who is responsible for the cost to rerail it and repair of that car. RR,shipper? I would think the RR would be.

Or... You can get a re-railing frog from the engine if it happens to you, or get some old ties and build a small ramp. That should do it before the trainmaster finds out. Once back on the rails the hole crew is supposed to applaud.
Mitch

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by artmark

In rail speak the pronounciation is "DEE rail." To qoute our superintendent, upon his arrival at the scene of a car having been run through a derail,"Yep. They work every time."
Mitch

[:0]Contrary to what your superintendant says, derails do not work every time. Vandals let loose the hand brakes on a covered hopper loaded with crushed emery on a short line not too far from my house. The car traveled about 100 yards picking up speed before it hit the derail. It just rode right up & over and continued straight through the center of town, over 3 grade crossings, into an industrial siding, over/through a trackmobile and into the river. Lucky nobody was killed. After that, they always left the cars in the yard parked closer to the derail so they wouldn't have the chance to pick up that much speed if vandals struck again.

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GU1001

QUOTE: Originally posted by artmark

In rail speak the pronounciation is "DEE rail." To qoute our superintendent, upon his arrival at the scene of a car having been run through a derail,"Yep. They work every time."
Mitch

[:0]Contrary to what your superintendant says, derails do not work every time. Vandals let loose the hand brakes on a covered hopper loaded with crushed emery on a short line not too far from my house. The car traveled about 100 yards picking up speed before it hit the derail. It just rode right up & over and continued straight through the center of town, over 3 grade crossings, into an industrial siding, over/through a trackmobile and into the river. Lucky nobody was killed. After that, they always left the cars in the yard parked closer to the derail so they wouldn't have the chance to pick up that much speed if vandals struck again.

...and now you know how flopover derails got the nickname "hop-toads". wanna stop that car? - go get an "alligator" (split point derail).......lesson over

[Anonymous]

Back in 1983 when I worked for Cargill Flour Milling in KS, The Wichita Terminal Assocation just began using pakset radios. Anyway they are switching at the mill one day making a shoving movement on the feed trk. This area is not inside but sits between buildings on both sides of the trks. Because of poor reception, a hopper car was shoved over the wheel stops and through a metal wall. No one was hurt but what a mess. The rr then went back to hand signals when spotting the dock trks until better radios became available.