TV alert 6/24: MegaDisasters-Glow Train Disaster

[zardoz]

Glow Train Catastrophe
Examining the potential for disaster in Las Vegas, if a railway accident befell nuclear waste being transported for permanent storage below Nevada's Yucca Mountain.

9pm CDT on the History channel; repeats 4 hours later.

=======================================================

Sounds to me like it might be rather sensationalistic, but it might have some interesting bits.

[rrnut282]

Just by the name, you can tell what their opinion is going to be.  What are thy trying to imply, if you get close to it, you'll glow in the dark, too?  I'm surprised they didn't call it "Chernobyl Train" or "Last train from Chernobyl".  If I could work China Syndrome into something, I'd have another possible title.

[Convicted One]

I'll have to admit, I found their special about how Union Pacific is now equiping it's locomotives with shackles to protect their crews from being abducted by space aliens, to be very informative.

The claims about Rail America, however, alledging that they were shanghai'ing hoboes and sport freeloaders and forcing them into servitude in massive team track encampments, seemed a little far fetched.

[eolafan]

...and if a train loaded with fresh fruit were to derail at speed in Las Vegas many, many gamblers just might be drowned in thousands of tons of fruit salad!...the chances of this happening are about the same as the nuclear accident potential so let's move on to a more realistic subject.

[edbenton]

Considering the casks that they use to transport the spent fuel rods can take a hit from a LOCOMOTIVE and not even being breached having one of them derail and come apart is VERY VERY FAR FECTHED.  The locomotive in that test had more damage than the cask.

[chatanuga]

I'll have to admit, I found their special about how Union Pacific is now equiping it's locomotives with shackles to protect their crews from being abducted by space aliens, to be very informative.

Say what?!?!?!

Kevin

[Anonymous]

Did you notice that in one of the "teaser" clips advertising the special, they show a computer-generated sequence of a steam locomotive crossing a bridge, pulling what I guess was the nuclear cargo??

Let's get the public all whipped-up here - they're pulling nuclear cargo with steam engines...

[jeaton]

I would watch the show, but I have an oppurtunity to be hung up in one of the shackle cars for a couple of hours while the show is on.  The shackles are a much more fun form of torture.

[ButchKnouse]

Even I know that trains carrying nuclear materials travel at a slow speed and are immediately preceded by a decoy train in case of track sabotage or attack.

Isn't it amazing that the same people who are fanatical about global warming are equally fanatical in their opposition to nuclear power, which DOES NOT emit carbon.

These tree huggers are constantly telling us about how everything is done better in Europe, but Europe, especially France, relies on nuclear power.

I imagine this anti-nuke propaganda on the tube tonight is to whip up the anti-nuke frenzy again.

[Convicted One]

Say what?!?!?!

Kevin

 

Personally, I think that the whole "alien" nonsense is just a clever cover story. I suspect the true motive behind the cab shackles to be more along the lines of UP  now taking a more literal interpretation on the concept of a crew "dying on hours" worked.

[Anonymous]

Even I know that trains carrying nuclear materials travel at a slow speed and are immediately preceded by a decoy train in case of track sabotage or attack.

Isn't it amazing that the same people who are fanatical about global warming are equally fanatical in their opposition to nuclear power, which DOES NOT emit carbon.

These tree huggers are constantly telling us about how everything is done better in Europe, but Europe, especially France, relies on nuclear power.

I imagine this anti-nuke propaganda on the tube tonight is to whip up the anti-nuke frenzy again.

I believe France gets somewhere near 75% of their power from nuclear reactors:

http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf40.html

[rrnut282]

Did you notice that in one of the "teaser" clips advertising the special, they show a computer-generated sequence of a steam locomotive crossing a bridge, pulling what I guess was the nuclear cargo??

Let's get the public all whipped-up here - they're pulling nuclear cargo with steam engines...

 

See, Mr Sol was right.  Only instead of coal, they're using spent rods to heat water to steam.

p.s. Michael, I was not intending to slam you, just the unconvinced.

[greyhounds]

Airs on Tuesday June 24 10:00 PM (EDT)

The U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission plan to transport 77,000 tons of nuclear waste to a permanent storage facility 950 feet below Nevada's Yucca Mountain. If the plan goes through, much of the cargo will travel through Las Vegas, making an accident there a very disturbing possibility. If history has taught us anything, it's that transporting dangerous goods can sometimes have catastrophic results. Take a look at the potential disaster that such a rail accident would have in Las Vegas.

 I guess Salt Lake City is of no never mind. 

I mean what is the worst thing that could happen if the train derailed at 20 MPH right next to the Rio?  Do you think the show's producers came up with this so they could get a free trip to Vegas?

 

[tomikawaTT]

Airs on Tuesday June 24 10:00 PM (EDT)

The U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission plan to transport 77,000 tons of nuclear waste to a permanent storage facility 950 feet below Nevada's Yucca Mountain. If the plan goes through, much of the cargo will travel through Las Vegas, making an accident there a very disturbing possibility. If history has taught us anything, it's that transporting dangerous goods can sometimes have catastrophic results. Take a look at the potential disaster that such a rail accident would have in Las Vegas.

 I guess Salt Lake City is of no never mind. 

I mean what is the worst thing that could happen if the train derailed at 20 MPH right next to the Rio?  Do you think the show's producers came up with this so they could get a free trip to Vegas?

I LIVE in Las Vegas, and I am not the least bit concerned with the Hysterical Channel's dumb donkey pronouncements on this or any other subject.  These are the same people who push, "We have to take drastic action to stop global warming," at every opportunity and were really on top of the Y2K computer disaster that wasn't.

If they were REALLY concerned about public safety, they would have looked at a REAL danger, the hundreds of diamond-placarded trucks that pass through Sin City DAILY on I-15.  Only, who would care about a bunch of 'see em every day' 18-wheelers.

Chicken Little lives, and writes scripts for the History Channel.

Chuck

[zardoz]

So after posting this, I completely forgot about it.

Did anyone actually watch this silliness?

[blhanel]

Yep, and that's pretty much what it was.  Their scenario for disaster would require multiple mistakes/defects and bad luck on location (under a bridge).

[mudchicken]

Soon to be seen: 'Fearmongering In America", film at 11.....only on the Hysterical Channel.

[eolafan]

Unfortunately I fell asleep about two thirds of the way through the show but all I recall seeing was lots about OTHER rail accidents and derailments such as Weyauwega, WI and the Baltimore Tunnel occurrence years ago and VERY LITTLE about potential nuclear waste problems.  Fear mongering at its best/worst and a clear attempt at TV networks looking for ratings points.

[zardoz]

Soon to be seen: 'Fearmongering In America", film at 11.....only on the Hysterical Channel.

[CNW 6000]

Soon to be seen: 'Fearmongering In America", film at 11.....only on the Hysterical Channel.

+1

[Kathi Kube]

It really was a joke. There was a touch of valid information, but it was always couched with the fear-mongering, and the DOE wasn't given an opportunity to respond to several outlandish proposals.

For instance, the casks that will be used to transport the spent fuel are currently under design and, of course, will be designed to meet the requirements set forth. The panic people want to see them now and demand proof that they will meet the requirements. Um, duh?

Some of the graphics were absurd, too, including the steam engine leading the train and the semaphore trackside.

The most outlandish part I saw was their final supposition: A unit train of propane will be coming through Las Vegas the same moment a nuclear train does. The propane train's engineer will be running behind schedule and will blow through at 50 mph or more, completely ignoring the speed limit on the line. He'll also take his train through this narrow area underneath a highway bridge despite federal regulations that two haz-mat trains not pass here. The propane train will, of course, derail and the nuclear train will slam into it. As the propane tankcars explode, the highway overpass will fall on a nuclear cask (whose design is yet to be finalized), crushing it, and releasing nuclear waste.

The engineer will speed with a propane unit train because he's running late???? These people obviously know nothing about railroading!

The guy from the department of energy mentioned how the nation has been moving spent nuclear fuel for 30 years without a single release, but no one mentioned HOW it has been moving. They showed UP and SP trains hauling waste — and even showed an engine with a modified FEC logo apparently running through the Nevada desert — but didn't expand at all on current operations.

The whole thing was just silly, I thought. Right now I'm working on a feature for our November issue about the engineering involved with building the railroad through the desert to the Yucca Mountain site. Should be interesting.

Take care!
Kathi

[Ted Marshall]

Soon to be seen: 'Fearmongering In America", film at 11.....only on the Hysterical Channel.

I must agree... What I saw last night nothing less that fear-tv at its worst. 

[fredswain]

Did you notice that in one of the "teaser" clips advertising the special, they show a computer-generated sequence of a steam locomotive crossing a bridge, pulling what I guess was the nuclear cargo??

Let's get the public all whipped-up here - they're pulling nuclear cargo with steam engines...

It was 3 rail! Lionel is now pulling nuclear cargo.

[Soo 6604]

It really was a joke. There was a touch of valid information, but it was always couched with the fear-mongering, and the DOE wasn't given an opportunity to respond to several outlandish proposals.

For instance, the casks that will be used to transport the spent fuel are currently under design and, of course, will be designed to meet the requirements set forth. The panic people want to see them now and demand proof that they will meet the requirements. Um, duh?

Some of the graphics were absurd, too, including the steam engine leading the train and the semaphore trackside.

The most outlandish part I saw was their final supposition: A unit train of propane will be coming through Las Vegas the same moment a nuclear train does. The propane train's engineer will be running behind schedule and will blow through at 50 mph or more, completely ignoring the speed limit on the line. He'll also take his train through this narrow area underneath a highway bridge despite federal regulations that two haz-mat trains not pass here. The propane train will, of course, derail and the nuclear train will slam into it. As the propane tankcars explode, the highway overpass will fall on a nuclear cask (whose design is yet to be finalized), crushing it, and releasing nuclear waste.

The engineer will speed with a propane unit train because he's running late???? These people obviously know nothing about railroading!



Take care!
Kathi

HOLY CRAP!!! I'M DOWNWIND FROM THERE!!!!

[Anonymous]

Mega disasters used to be a good show..untill the flood episode...but i knew this was going to be a pile of bull....I mean who would use STEAM IN THIS ERA to transport ANYTHING  espically nuclear waste.

[trainfan1221]

The History Channel has many good shows, the Mega disasters series is interesting but all leads up to the most drmatic what if scenario at the end of the show.  I haven't seen this one but will keep an eye out.

[ChuckCobleigh]

Unfortunately I fell asleep about two thirds of the way through the show....

I love history, really, even minored in it with my first (but useless) BA degree.  Unfortunately, the History channel has the same effect on me most of the time.  Even when they are tackling a factual rather than speculative subject, they take ten minutes worth of information and stretch it out into an hour show, making it the ideal vehicle for snoozing through.

I want actual history, I find a book by a reputable author and get my insight from that.  I want to take a nap, I turn on the History Channel. 

[erikem]

The whole thing was just silly, I thought. Right now I'm working on a feature for our November issue about the engineering involved with building the railroad through the desert to the Yucca Mountain site. Should be interesting.

Sounds interesting, looking forward to reading the article.

Thanks for the heads up.

- Erik 

[Mr_Ash]

Only shows worth watching on History channel are Battle 360 and Cities of the Underworld all the rest is pure garbage, same goes for Discovery only good show on that channel is Myth Busters

[eolafan]

Unfortunately I fell asleep about two thirds of the way through the show....

I love history, really, even minored in it with my first (but useless) BA degree.  Unfortunately, the History channel has the same effect on me most of the time.  Even when they are tackling a factual rather than speculative subject, they take ten minutes worth of information and stretch it out into an hour show, making it the ideal vehicle for snoozing through.

I want actual history, I find a book by a reputable author and get my insight from that.  I want to take a nap, I turn on the History Channel. 

I recently found the "History International" channel on my cable lineup and found it more interesting than the basic "History Channel".