Blow over wreck in Kansas?

[Anonymous]

The Weather Channel reported 50 freight cars blown over somewhere in Kansas. They showed double stacks on their sides, but didn't say what road or where???

[wallyworld]

It must have been some incredibly powerful wind. Local news link below

http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=4882006

[blhanel]

The Weather Channel had some footage of the blown-over cars last night. The story says they were empty- not so hard to blow over then.

[wallyworld]

Didnt the Milwaukee Road have a wind speed indicator ( was it in Oregon?) on one of it's major bridges tied to a approach signal? I wonder what is the wind speed danger zone is for empty double stacks.

[youngengineer]

it was ten cars that went on the ground, it was traveling west, I had just gone through belle plaines on a east bound train 20 minutes before, winds were gusting upto 80 mph in the area sustained 55-65. any sustained wind over 55 can have conseguences on any non loaded non hopper train.

[Anonymous]

Happened in Kansas? Not to hard to believe from a state that uses 6' lengths of 1/2" log chain for windsocks.[:o)][:D]

[trainboyH16-44]

QUOTE: Originally posted by capt_turk

Happened in Kansas? Not to hard to believe from a state that uses 6' lengths of 1/2" log chain for windsocks.[:o)][:D]

Did you know that when they say on the forcast that there's a 'stiff breeze' that means that when you hang one of those chains out the window, it goes completely horizontal?

[Anonymous]

How do they hold doublestacks together? [%-)]

[solzrules]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wallyworld

Didnt the Milwaukee Road have a wind speed indicator ( was it in Oregon?) on one of it's major bridges tied to a approach signal? I wonder what is the wind speed danger zone is for empty double stacks.

I THINK (could be wrong) you are referring to the Columbia river bridge near Beverly, Washington.

[Anonymous]

The total derailment, per the BNSF initial service advisory was 35 cars. 10 went over on their side, the rest did an accordian job. Took only about 14 hrs to clear it. It was an empty intl. stack train from LPC (Chicago/Joliet) to So. Cal. Unfortunatey its still single track at Belle Plaine, but they used the Avard cut off to get around it with some Z trains. See below- the version on their website now says 16 cars.

UP had a blow over a day later in Arkansas.

On the UP (former CNW), the Omaha dispatchers still have wind speed read outs for a number of locations including the old Kate Shelly bridge near Boone/Ames IA.

http://newdomino.bnsf.com/website/updates.nsf/updates-service-consumer/7987573BDB2957D3862571690051D336?Open
Back Customer Updates Home

Customer Updates are designed to inform BNSF customers of new developments or changes
relating to BNSF products, services, tools, prices or facilities.

To:

05/09/2006

Derailment - Belle Plain, Kansas


At 3:40 a.m. CT on Tuesday, May 9, 2006, train S LPCLUB1 07 derailed 16 cars blocking the single main track at Belle Plain, KS. This location is 15 miles east of Wellington, KS.

BNSF has established a reroute around the affected area between Augusta, KS and Avard, OK.

Due to heavy congestion, customers may experience delays up to 24 hours on traffic moving through this corridor.

[canazar]

QUOTE: Originally posted by yohandiesel7

How do they hold doublestacks together? [%-)]

Between each container they have a metal clamp the slips in between them. The conatainers have holes at each corner, top and bottom. They insert it and flip a lever that causes it to expand and lock the two together. The device is about half the size of a bowling ball.

Thats the quick back of the box version [:)]

[Anonymous]

About once a yr, strong straight winds do blow over rail cars in KS. Last yr, several empty grain hoppers on a unit train were blown over by 95 mph winds near Dodge City. Back in the 1980's, a string of cars tied down at Santa Fe North Wichita yd were pushed down a yd trk a short distance, again by strong stright line winds. This is what KS weather is like in the Jayhawk state.