TripleCrown pulled off track at Muncie...

[Modelcar]

TripleCrown traveling south to Florida pulled 11 cars full of auto parts off the track Friday morning here in Muncie. I just read the account of the happening in the Muncie StarPress. Trying to figure out what the paper's account of what happened was a bit difficult but in my opinion this is what I think happened. The train had 136 trailers and it had to stop on a wide sweeping curve before it gets to the point where it crosses the CSX [former Conrail], line...After traffic cleared the TripleCrown units attempted to start and resume the journey and for some reason 11 cars were pulled off the tracks an on their side on the inside of the curve.....What happened...? Just guessing. Extreme length of it wrapped around the curve and it pulled itself off rails trying to start...or Is it possible rear brakes weren't fully released before power was applied to move train and pulled itself off the rails...Just guessing. 11 trailers were removed from site of rails and after many hours remaining units of train continued on. I haven't been to the site but an aerial view shows two large wrecker trucks and a large back hoe at site working to get wrecked trailers off RoW.....About 25 trains use the north - south NS each day.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

TripleCrown traveling south to Florida pulled 11 cars full of auto parts off the track Friday morning here in Muncie. I just read the account of the happening in the Muncie StarPress. Trying to figure out what the paper's account of what happened was a bit difficult but in my opinion this is what I think happened. The train had 136 trailers and it had to stop on a wide sweeping curve before it gets to the point where it crosses the CSX [former Conrail], line...After traffic cleared the TripleCrown units attempted to start and resume the journey and for some reason 11 cars were pulled off the tracks an on their side on the inside of the curve.....What happened...? Just guessing. Extreme length of it wrapped around the curve and it pulled itself off rails trying to start...or Is it possible rear brakes weren't fully released before power was applied to move train and pulled itself off the rails...Just guessing. 11 trailers were removed from site of rails and after many hours remaining units of train continued on. I haven't been to the site but an aerial view shows two large wrecker trucks and a large back hoe at site working to get wrecked trailers off RoW.....About 25 trains use the north - south NS each day.

sounds like a classic example of a string line derailment... engineer might have put to much power to fast while trying to pull out....
csx engineer

[csxengineer98]

oh yea.... one question..is this Muncie in PA... not far from willamsport?
csx engineer

[Modelcar]

....No.....Strange though as I am a Pennsylvania native but this derailment was in Muncie, In. Yes, your thoughts are certainally the way it looks to me too. The location is on a very large and sweeping curve and slightly upgrade to attain height to go over an overpass to bring it into the city above the street grade. And it was 136 trailers long...!

[Anonymous]

that happened with my layout[:p]
i had a double sp daylight consist (heavyweight cars and streamliners)
the engine couldnt take it so the middle of the train fell off[:p][:p]

[Allen Jenkins]

I could say that a 53' trailer, loaded with 25 ton of automotive parts could tend to be a might top-heavy, but I don't know. I had a severly supperelevated layout, however the only cause for stringline incidents, was when the rear end of a train became captured, by touching it whilst in motion. Usually tring to rerail a car near the end of train.acj.

[Modelcar]

...I believe the theory of applying too much power while trying to start forward movement with train is a good bet of what happened. Generally a TripleCrown train of that length has two engines and plenty of power. Just the day before I had to stop for the same train heading south at one of our city crossings and it had a very long string of trailers and was powered by two engines.

[rrnut282]

I'd be willing to bet the brakes had something to do with it. IIRC that curve is almost 180 degrees and if the brakes are still holding at the rear of the train....

Here's the article Modelcar was talking about :
http://www.thestarpress.com/articles/3/024112-3983-004.html
in the photo the double-track line is the CSX (NYC B-line) Cleveland Indy St. Louis line and South is up in the photo.

TC trains routinely are delayed out of FortWayne for brake problems (usually it's a problem with the E.T. or the the head-end box). At one time TC trailers used highway-sized air hoses in the brake system which caused problems.

[Anonymous]

Can't cut the crossings with a roadrailer can you? Or can you?
Also if the trailers are empty then they would be very light wouldn't they?

[Modelcar]

....Just the day before the derail I had to wait at a crossing on 12th street for the same train heading south and I did notice the brake lines seemed to be the normal size of other railroad cars. That train had a very long consist of trailers too. But I too wondered if the rear brakes were fully released when they tried to restart after waiting for the activity on CSX which they have to cross....

[Modelcar]

...Trailers were loaded.

[rrnut282]

I should clarify that I was told that (small air hoses) by an employee. It looks to me like they are refitted with normal sized hoses, also, but I don't have the opportunity to crawl under every one I see (obviously).

[Modelcar]

....The hose part of the brake system is highly visible as they feed out through the wheel truck and around to the front of the trailer, etc....I'm assuming the remaining circuit would be a brake pipe along the bottom of the trailer.