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Head on collision on NS in Kentucky late Sunday (03/18/18) night.

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Head on collision on NS in Kentucky late Sunday (03/18/18) night.
Posted by jeffhergert on Monday, March 19, 2018 7:51 PM

It's listed on the Trains' Newswire, but no one else has posted it here yet.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/scott-county/article205810789.html 

On another site, someone said PTC is active on this line.  That doesn't necessarily mean that one or both trains involved had working PTC.  We have PTC active in my territory, but not all engines are equipped yet.  If an engine has working PTC, we run using it.  

Jeff

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, March 19, 2018 8:51 PM

The trains collided where two parallel tracks turn into one track, according to video. The northbound train ran through a switch where the tracks split and hit a stopped southbound train head-on, according to WKYT, the Herald-Leader’s reporting partner.

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, March 19, 2018 9:15 PM

Here, I think:  N 38 10' 28" W 84 32' 27"

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Monday, March 19, 2018 10:17 PM
GEORGE BENSON
I heard though the media (who knows if this is right) that the first train stopped suddenly and the second train hit him from behind. Could the first train have gone into emergency and the second one was following too close? How could this happen on the CNO&TP? My response:

NS trains collide in Kentucky, four injuries reported

RELATED TOPICS: DERAILMENTS/WRECKS | NORFOLK SOUTHERN | SOUTH
 
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On scene at the train collision. 2 trains have collided near Lisle Road. Crews are on scene and evaluating. The initial fire has been extinguished.

 
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — First responders and Norfolk Southern remain on the site of an overnight train collision involving two freight trains in a residential area of Georgetown, Ky., Lexington NBC affiliate WLEX-18 reports.

The collision took place at around 11 p.m. local time Sunday night and involved two trains. Residential evacuations were ordered after the collision for precautionary reasons, however local residents were allowed to return home in the predawn hours Monday.

Lexington Fire officials say one train collided into a second one that was stopped. Four injuries were reported, including minor injuries to the on-board train crew, but the nature of those injuries could not be confirmed. A small fire was also visible at the derailment site as of late Sunday night with first responders reporting an undetermined amount of spilled diesel fuel and vegetable oil from a tank car.

Trains News Wire has reached out to Norfolk Southern for details on the incident.

The incident took place on NS’ Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway near control point Akers. The route is an important corridor for the railroad, linking Cincinnati and the Midwest with rail lines and industries in Atlanta and the southeast.
 
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3 COMMENTS
 
 
ED BURNS
Yahoo said that this was a head-on collision. A photo shows an NS locomotive at a 45 degree angle and that will probably be scrapped due to the damage. I can't tell about the BNSF locomotive.

Retired professional railroader
 
 
Link to the TV news of the accident. 
http://www.lex18.com/clip/14208296/4-hurt-in-train-derailment

Depending on whether NS was using Distributed Power, video looks like a head on collision. Four crew injured tends to corroborate a head on. Suspect some one blew a signal.

 

 

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Posted by rrnut282 on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 12:25 PM

Read an account of this accident in a local paper, and afterward had no clue as to railroad, line, train, or location. Confused Journalism at its finest.  It was a free sample to get me to subscribe.  Since I had to come here to get the basic who, where, how and why answered, you can guess where my money went.  

Mike (2-8-2)
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Posted by rrnut282 on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 12:35 PM

According to the information I have CP Akers is at the South end of a stretch of two-main track.  If the train was Northbound, it was on single main entering double.  

If it was a head-on collision, why was the switch lined to the occupied track?  If it were a rear-end collision, it would make sense that the leading train had an uncommanded emergency stop.  I live near a permanent speed restriction (a town) and many times I hear the crew of the "leading" train call the following train if they have an issue and aren't in Notch 8 pulling away.  

That said, have they confirmed train symbols involved? 

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Posted by jeffhergert on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 1:14 PM

rrnut282

According to the information I have CP Akers is at the South end of a stretch of two-main track.  If the train was Northbound, it was on single main entering double.  

If it was a head-on collision, why was the switch lined to the occupied track?  If it were a rear-end collision, it would make sense that the leading train had an uncommanded emergency stop.  I live near a permanent speed restriction (a town) and many times I hear the crew of the "leading" train call the following train if they have an issue and aren't in Notch 8 pulling away.  

That said, have they confirmed train symbols involved? 

 

To me it looks like a glancing head on collision.  It appears that the one leaving the two tracks ran past the signal just as the other one reached the switch and started through the divirging route.

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 2:10 PM

jeffhergert
To me it looks like a glancing head on collision.  It appears that the one leaving the two tracks ran past the signal just as the other one reached the switch and started through the divirging route.

Like this?

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Posted by rrnut282 on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 2:24 PM

That's possible, except the account I read stated the Southbound was stationary.  I wouldn't take that to the bank.  So far, details seem long on speculation and short on facts.  

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 2:40 PM

Info I have recieved is that the SB had trouble controlling his train in response to the STOP signal - and had communicated with the NB who stopped just short of the Control Point.  SB slid through the STOP Signal.

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Posted by jeffhergert on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 1:16 AM

BaltACD

Info I have recieved is that the SB had trouble controlling his train in response to the STOP signal - and had communicated with the NB who stopped just short of the Control Point.  SB slid through the STOP Signal.

 

It looks like both are in the CP.  The NB signal appears to be resting on a tank car behind the engine consist.  I would say the frog for the switch was about where the BNSF engine is.

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Posted by rrnut282 on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 2:29 PM

BaltACD

Info I have recieved is that the SB had trouble controlling his train in response to the STOP signal - and had communicated with the NB who stopped just short of the Control Point.  SB slid through the STOP Signal.

 

That fits better with what I'm seeing vs. what I read elsewhere. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 6:32 PM

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 6:41 PM

That does not look like a "head on" collision... unless the NS unit was being run Long Hood forward.  That looks like the train with the BNSF engine ran into the rear of the NS train.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by RDG467 on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 7:30 PM

Yeee-ouch!  Someone get that loco a new Cannon Shell.

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 9:04 PM

Semper Vaporo
That does not look like a "head on" collision... unless the NS unit was being run Long Hood forward.  That looks like the train with the BNSF engine ran into the rear of the NS train.

My understanding from another forum was the BNSF was the leader of the NB.  The frame was the leader of the SB, the 2nd unit of the SB is the one in the air.  How the SB crew survived, the Almighty only knows.

I wasn't there so everything I have said could be wrong.

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Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, March 22, 2018 11:22 PM

BaltACD

 

 
Semper Vaporo
That does not look like a "head on" collision... unless the NS unit was being run Long Hood forward.  That looks like the train with the BNSF engine ran into the rear of the NS train.

 

My understanding from another forum was the BNSF was the leader of the NB.  The frame was the leader of the SB, the 2nd unit of the SB is the one in the air.  How the SB crew survived, the Almighty only knows.

I wasn't there so everything I have said could be wrong.

 

From another site.

Train on double ran his stop. Train on single (running on approach diverging) hit the stopped train.

Perfect storm. The train on single was to close when the train on double announced they were by it. Word is they were running out the back door. Emergency at 38mph & hit at 32.  

Also on this site, they are talking that the engineer who overran the stop signal did so once before and served time off.  That this location is the same place where his first violation happened.

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Posted by samfp1943 on Friday, March 23, 2018 11:00 AM

jeffhergert

 

 
BaltACD

 

 
Semper Vaporo
That does not look like a "head on" collision... unless the NS unit was being run Long Hood forward.  That looks like the train with the BNSF engine ran into the rear of the NS train.

 

My understanding from another forum was the BNSF was the leader of the NB.  The frame was the leader of the SB, the 2nd unit of the SB is the one in the air.  How the SB crew survived, the Almighty only knows.

I wasn't there so everything I have said could be wrong.

 

 

 

From another site.

Train on double ran his stop. Train on single (running on approach diverging) hit the stopped train.

Perfect storm. The train on single was to close when the train on double announced they were by it. Word is they were running out the back door. Emergency at 38mph & hit at 32.  

"...Also on this site, they are talking that the engineer who overran the stop signal did so once before and served time off.  That this location is the same place where his first violation happened..."

Jeff

Call me a little paranoidHuh?, but it seems to suggest, that on the basis of the time [local: 11PM], and no indications of limitions to his vision; there may be an underlaying undiagnosed medical condition in the  'overrunning engineer' ?      Might even be a problem with distance of the signal's visibility; due to, maybe, some local condition? 

 

 

 


 

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, March 23, 2018 11:19 AM

samfp1943
Call me a little paranoid, but it seems to suggest, that on the basis of the time [local: 11PM], and no indications of limitions to his vision; there may be an underlaying undiagnosed medical condition in the  'overrunning engineer' ?      Might even be a problem with distance of the signal's visibility; due to, maybe, some local condition? 

I would tend to wonder if the previous incident occurred under similar conditions - as you say, it might be something this particular individual has a problem with.

Or, if there is something in the physical characteristics that causes a problem.  I wouldn't think it's a signal issue - the train would have gotten an approach aspect of one sort or another at an earlier signal, and assuming familiarity with the line, the engineer would have known where to make the stop.

So I wonder if he miscalculated speed/weight/stopping distance.  I've never been faced with a pending collision, but there have been times when I wondered if that application I put on was ever going to take...

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Posted by petitnj on Friday, March 23, 2018 12:27 PM

Crew saw the stop signal when they woke up. Another fatigue caused accident. 

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Saturday, March 24, 2018 4:13 AM

Anti climbers do not alway work do they ?

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 24, 2018 9:15 AM

I think it is a known fakt that anticlimbers don't always work as intended. The 2011 Red Oak accident is an example.

Research by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center of the US DoT have shown that push-back couplers and deformable anticlimbers show better results.

That is on reason that passenger locomotives like EMD F125, Siemens Sprinter and Charger are equipped with push-back couplers and Crash Energy Management Anticlimbers. Animation conventional versus CEM couplers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPXtOUWPWWg

And a report: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/12370/dot_12370_DS1.pdf?

Regards, Volker

Edit: Replaced the second identical link with the right one

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Posted by zardoz on Saturday, March 24, 2018 11:48 AM

blue streak 1

Anti climbers do not alway work do they ?

 

Perhaps it depends on which system is used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlqZDkOTUDQ

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 24, 2018 12:00 PM

Thank you for posting. The video is much easier understood than my links.

BTW what you see in the video are CEM constructions according to European standards.
Regards, Volker

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Posted by edblysard on Saturday, March 24, 2018 8:46 PM
What is the average weight in imperial tons of a European freight locomotive?

23 17 46 11

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Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, March 25, 2018 8:26 AM

And comparing the tests in the video to the actual NS collision is also a illusion.

1 car vs 1 car and even 5 cars vs 5 cars.  One question not illuminated in the video - was the standing car(s) secured by hand brake?

In the NS collision you are dealing with a probably 10K ton or more train that is stopped, most likely with air still applied and a 10K or more train moving at 30 or so MPH.  Real world vs the tests are apples and oranges.

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 25, 2018 9:30 AM

edblysard
What is the average weight in imperial tons of a European freight locomotive?

four-axle locomotives around 100 tons, six-axle units about 140 tons.

The question was the failure of the convenional FRA-compliant anticlimber. There are a lot of accident reports and tests showing that this kind of anticlimber often doesn't work as intended.

The push-back coupler and the deformable anticlimber allow the vehicles to interlock and prevent overriding, while the FRA-anticlimber inhere the danger that a vehicle is deflected upward.

And so far this is independent of locomotive weight. In this case the push-back deformable anticlimber combination is not used as CEM element but an overriding prevention.
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Posted by rdamon on Sunday, March 25, 2018 9:56 AM

BaltACD

Real world vs the tests are apples and oranges.

 

More like apples and battleships.

It seems like a left or right diversion would be better in this case. Aside from fouling another line, which usually happens anyway with the other cars.

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 25, 2018 10:10 AM

BaltACD
And comparing the tests in the video to the actual NS collision is also a illusion.

First of all we were talking about the overridung problem and nothing more. Push-back couplers and deformable anticlimbers can avoid it.

BaltACD
In the NS collision you are dealing with a probably 10K ton or more train that is stopped, most likely with air still applied and a 10K or more train moving at 30 or so MPH. Real world vs the tests are apples and oranges.

The other question, could CEM have minimized the damage and saved the live of the crew? I don't know.

As I said before there are accidents the best crashworthiness design can handle.

When Europe developed its EN 15277 the commitee checked about 900 accident reports. The EN crash scenarios would have covered about 80%. The FRA has similar scenarios in their Alternative crashwortiness design.

If the NS collisions falls into the not to handle category I don't know.

You can design a CEM system to run against an unmovable wall. Up to which energy (mass and speed) depends on the availabe space and material.

The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center of the US DoT and others have done a lot research on CEM crashworthiness design that led to the FRA Alternative Crashworthiness Design and passenger car CEM requirements.

One of the results was that you are better of in CEM passenger cars than in conventional American equipment: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/2125

Hopefully the number of these kinds of accidents will be reduced by PTC.
Regards, Volker

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Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, March 25, 2018 12:12 PM

VOLKER LANDWEHR
 
BaltACD
And comparing the tests in the video to the actual NS collision is also a illusion. 

First of all we were talking about the overridung problem and nothing more. Push-back couplers and deformable anticlimbers can avoid it. 

BaltACD
In the NS collision you are dealing with a probably 10K ton or more train that is stopped, most likely with air still applied and a 10K or more train moving at 30 or so MPH. Real world vs the tests are apples and oranges. 

The other question, could CEM have minimized the damage and saved the live of the crew? I don't know.

As I said before there are accidents the best crashworthiness design can handle.

When Europe developed its EN 15277 the commitee checked about 900 accident reports. The EN crash scenarios would have covered about 80%. The FRA has similar scenarios in their Alternative crashwortiness design.

If the NS collisions falls into the not to handle category I don't know.

You can design a CEM system to run against an unmovable wall. Up to which energy (mass and speed) depends on the availabe space and material.

The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center of the US DoT and others have done a lot research on CEM crashworthiness design that led to the FRA Alternative Crashworthiness Design and passenger car CEM requirements.

One of the results was that you are better of in CEM passenger cars than in conventional American equipment: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/2125

Hopefully the number of these kinds of accidents will be reduced by PTC.
Regards, Volker

The tonnages of todays Class 1 freight trains posess more force in their momentum than virtually ANYTHING designed and built by man can withstand at the point of impact.

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