How do you know all the cars in the train are empty? Was there a locomotive(s) further back in the train? If the train was held, how could there be a derailment caused by a rail failure? How do you know there was a rail failure?
For that matter, if a train of empties were long enough, it could still have enough friction to cause the stringlining.
I surely don't KNOW it was stringlining. But it looks more like that than a track failure. To me.
Ed
7j43kThe video shows no failure of or damage to the track. Yes, it could be small enough that it doesn't show. The story says the cars were empty. The curve radius is roughly 300 feet. It looks like stringlining to me. I would surely like to hear details about the rest of the train. Ed
The story says the cars were empty.
The curve radius is roughly 300 feet.
It looks like stringlining to me. I would surely like to hear details about the rest of the train.
If is is stringlining - that would mean the rear of the EMPTY train still had brakes applied when the head end started to move. The head end is facing a Absolute signal and the train may have been held for a higher priority movement on the main tracks.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
The video shows no failure of or damage to the track. Yes, it could be small enough that it doesn't show.
View from Maryland Heights.
Electroliner 1935A case of stringlining? Or rail defect?
My GUESS - broken rail - it was in the low 20's to the teens when it happened.
There is a curve on that bridge. Broken rails on tangents are generally operated over without incident. Broken rails in curves CAN permit the rail ends to displace horizontally from each other.
Time will tell - and most likely we will never be advised of the official cause. No deaths, no Hazmat, no evacuations, no NTSB investigation.
From my experience - broken rails were highest in number on the first night or two of temperatures staying below freezing. Most were 'discovered' after a train moved out of a track occupancy circuit and the circuit stayed occupied on the Train Dispatchers model board. MofW and Signals would be dispatched to investigate. The track that this incident happened on is DARK. No track circuits.
A case of stringlining? Or rail defect?
Grain empties headed from Winchester, VA to Brunswick, MD and then they would be taken back to their origin - most likely through Chicago.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/train-derails-into-potomac-river-near-harpers-ferry/2190541/?fbclid=IwAR2uztqygR82cyLD78G8k6C4UfvnG2FDsaRzAOa7RIzIS519Fh6CP_072hc
Train crossing the river at Harper's Ferry derailed, several cars fell into the river. Was not the main line bridge, was the branch line bridge.
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