Looking at the Tehachapi rail cams this morning, I was able to discern a bit of a story. Apparently a boxcar went on the ground a bit east of the east end of Woodford siding, in of course a single-track stretch. This must have been around midnight or a bit after. On the museum cam replay, you could see some vehicles show up at the UP building right east of Green Street starting around oneish or a bit after. Not too long afterwards, several of the UP work trucks from there hit the road.
Later, on the replay of the loop railcam, one could see the crews working on the mess, though not clearly because the track was in a cut there and trees were also in the line of sight. It also appeared that the switch at the east end of Woodford siding was getting some serious attention Sunday morning.
It looked like trains started moving through around lunchtime, though not very quickly. The replay of the afternoon up until darkness seemed like a dispatcher's nightmare, also a big pain to any crew running a manifest train, as IM trains were running by and around stopped manifests.
The glamour of railroading, I guess.
"...Long time ago, in that galaxy far,far,away..." Growing up in Memphis, I had a number of acquaintances in jobs on the railroad, [a as well also police and firefighters] each group seems to have descriptive 'sayings' and 'colorful lines' that escribed some of their work casreers and circumstances that they were required to work in.
The men I knew who worked at the Frisco Yards, used to say "... It never rains on the railroad..." Usually spoken in the face of having to get out in the most miserable of conditions; weather or otherwise. Funny, then, I'd hear the same phrase uttered by acquaintances at the roundhouse on the IC RR at Johnston Yard.. Never knew any iof the MOW guys, back then; but I am sure they can or could be as equally descriptive and colorful!
24/7/365 when the railroad calls....
(1) Trainman got lonely, looking for company in BFE.
(2) panel party!
(3) when physics becomes a "thing". Gravity works.
Or as BossHen would tell the DS - "Go wake-up another roadmaster; You called the one here out 2 hours ago."
mudchickenOr as BossHen would tell the DS - "Go wake-up another roadmaster; You called the one here out 2 hours ago."
Whenever a bad incident takes place on the railroad it is almost guaranteed to happen in the worst weather of the applicaple season.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDWhenever a bad incident takes place on the railroad it is almost guaranteed to happen in the worst weather of the applicaple season.
Yesterday afternoon I was watching some MOW crew members doing some scheduled work at the Barstow station on the East cam. I checked the weather conditions at the time and the Daggett airport was reporting 107° which is no picnic for labor in the sun. They were at it again this morning when it was a balmy 97° instead. Yesterday's low humidity was 9% while it was up to 20% today, so, yes, it was a "dry" heat.
It isn't just a "bad incident" that comes up in lousy weather, I guess.
ChuckCobleigh BaltACD Whenever a bad incident takes place on the railroad it is almost guaranteed to happen in the worst weather of the applicaple season. Yesterday afternoon I was watching some MOW crew members doing some scheduled work at the Barstow station on the East cam. I checked the weather conditions at the time and the Daggett airport was reporting 107° which is no picnic for labor in the sun. They were at it again this morning when it was a balmy 97° instead. Yesterday's low humidity was 9% while it was up to 20% today, so, yes, it was a "dry" heat. It isn't just a "bad incident" that comes up in lousy weather, I guess.
BaltACD
Bad incidents make the weather seem worse!
BaltACD Whenever a bad incident takes place on the railroad it is almost guaranteed to happen in the worst weather of the applicaple season.
Gumperson's Law (A corrollary to Murphy's Law): If anything can go wrong, it will, and at the worst possible time.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
I bet Hulcher likes those calls. The clock starts as soon as they pick up the phone.
Jeff
jeffhergertI bet Hulcher likes those calls. The clock starts as soon as they pick up the phone. Jeff
Hulcher, Cranemasters and all the other wreck clearance contractors.
Having had the opportunity to be involved in working derailments both with the normal wreck train and their heavy lift crane as well as working a comparable deraiment with Hulcher - it is no wonder the carriers have moved to contractor with off track equipment for wreck clearance.
Roadmasters hate seeing Hulcher/Filsinger/Corman et all show up. Track damage doubles (or worse) and then the operating bubbas can't figure out why the damage figures zoom beyond the FRA reportable levels. (the cat skinners and yellow cowboys destroy everything with their cat tracks)
mudchicken Roadmasters hate seeing Hulcher/Filsinger/Corman et all show up. Track damage doubles (or worse) and then the operating bubbas can't figure out why the damage figures zoom beyond the FRA reportable levels. (the cat skinners and yellow cowboys destroy everything with their cat tracks)
Watched Hulcher change out a GE frozen traction motor on a siding with an idler . The damage to the main was unbelievable. About 3(?) months later one rail of the Main was replaced for about 50 - 60 feet at that location. Had to wonder why the tracked units could not have rubber treads that I've seen on identical yellow vehicles ?
When I worked at a company that had lots of fiber optic cable on the ROW we had much more of a risk during cleanup vs. the actual derailment.
rdamon When I worked at a company that had lots of fiber optic cable on the ROW we had much more of a risk during cleanup vs. the actual derailment.
Just like the Cal-Nev pipeline at Duffy Street
"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)
ericsp rdamon When I worked at a company that had lots of fiber optic cable on the ROW we had much more of a risk during cleanup vs. the actual derailment. Just like the Cal-Nev pipeline at Duffy Street
That is a textbook case.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bernardino_train_disaster
I have not yet figured out how, even in Gray Davis' California, people conceived of the idea of a pressurized high-octane gasoline pipeline going through a residential neighborhood. Let alone adjacent to a known dangerous railroad curve on a known severe railroad grade. Let alone at a depth, and of a construction, susceptible to nicking or impact damage from casual use of construction equipment.
mudchickenRoadmasters hate seeing Hulcher/Filsinger/Corman et all show up. Track damage doubles (or worse) and then the operating bubbas can't figure out why the damage figures zoom beyond the FRA reportable levels. (the cat skinners and yellow cowboys destroy everything with their cat tracks)
If you need Hulcher's - chances are you already blew past the reportable level.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Overmod I have not yet figured out how, even in Gray Davis' California, people conceived of the idea of a pressurized high-octane gasoline pipeline going through a residential neighborhood. Let alone adjacent to a known dangerous railroad curve on a known severe railroad grade. Let alone at a depth, and of a construction, susceptible to nicking or impact damage from casual use of construction equipment.
My guess is that the pipe was there first
rdamon Overmod I have not yet figured out how, even in Gray Davis' California, people conceived of the idea of a pressurized high-octane gasoline pipeline going through a residential neighborhood. Let alone adjacent to a known dangerous railroad curve on a known severe railroad grade. Let alone at a depth, and of a construction, susceptible to nicking or impact damage from casual use of construction equipment. My guess is that the pipe was there first
When the rail line was constructed - gasoline wasn't even a product, let alone a product to be transported by pipeline.
OvermodI have not yet figured out how, even in Gray Davis' California, people conceived of the idea of a pressurized high-octane gasoline pipeline going through a residential neighborhood. Let alone adjacent to a known dangerous railroad curve on a known severe railroad grade. Let alone at a depth, and of a construction, susceptible to nicking or impact damage from casual use of construction equipment.
The housing development probably went in between 1960 and 1970, judging by the houses, probably closer to 1960 with the one-car garages. Pipeline probably predated that. SP rail line in 19th century no doubt predated the pipeline by many decades. Figure the pipeline going in after Las Vegas "took off" as a metro area.
Just as an aside, that all occurred in something other than Grey Davis' California, long before that development. (I was going to add the Chester A. Riley "revolting" to that, but I left it out not because it was inappropriate but rather to restrain from a direct political commentary on the state of our state.)
ChuckCobleighThe housing development probably went in between 1960 and 1970, judging by the houses, probably closer to 1960 with the one-car garages. Pipeline probably predated that.
https://books.google.com/books?id=dG1pE5dns1IC&pg=PA326
OvermodTestimony to Congress puts pipeline construction circa 1970. There is no excuse.
Froim RAR9002, the NTSB report on the incident, starting at page 81, a presumably more accurate summary of the development timeline:
Development of Land Adjacent to the SP Railroad and the Calnev Pipeline. -- The area affected by the May 12 derailment and the May 25 pipeline rupture was planned in 1955 for residential use, and the subdivision plat was recorded with San Bernardino County on November 10, 1955. On October 1, 1957, the subdivision was annexed by the City of San Bernardino and incorporated within the city limits. In 1967, the SP constructed the portion of its railroad where the train derailment occurred, and at that time, no houses were located on Duffy Street.
By October 1967, houses had been constructed within the eastern portion of the subdivision, but no houses were on either side of that portion of Duffy Street that paralleled the proposed railroad. In 1969 and 1970, when the Calnev pipeline was constructed along the eastern edge of the SP right-of-way, no houses had yet been erected on that portion of Duffy Street that paralleled the railroad; only a few houses had been built within the subdivision. According to recollections of long-term residents, intensive construction within the area occurred from 1970 to 1972.
The City of San Bernardino's General Plan for land use is a policy document that establishes goals, objectives, and policies for the future. The specific standards for a development are to be guided by this Plan and included in the zoning ordinances or development codes. The subject of land use control because of its proximity to railroad mainline tracks or to high pressure liquid or other pipelines is not specifically addressed.
Before these accidents, the City had developed a proposed revision to its Plan, subsequently conducted public hearings on the proposal, and approved a revised plan. A statement with the proposal advised that, in part, this plan is a foundation policy document that defines the framework for decisions by the City on the use of its land for the protection of residents from natural and human-caused hazards. Neither the proposal nor the newly adopted plan specifically addressed the use of land near mainline railroads or high pressure pipelines.
Thanks for the info.
I thought they bought up all the homes in the area after the wreck, but it looks like a few stayed.
rdamonI thought they bought up all the homes in the area after the wreck, but it looks like a few stayed.
Looking at Google Earth™ history pictures, it appears a couple of houses were built after the "clearing" including one on the west side of Duffy Street.
rdamon Thanks for the info. I thought they bought up all the homes in the area after the wreck, but it looks like a few stayed.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
:) I am sure we were six feet apart at all times!!
Octane ratings are a measure of the gasoline's likelihood not to pre-detonate in the cylinder. It is completely irrelevant here.
ericsp Overmod I have not yet figured out how, even in Gray Davis' California, people conceived of the idea of a pressurized high-octane gasoline pipeline going through a residential neighborhood. Let alone adjacent to a known dangerous railroad curve on a known severe railroad grade. Let alone at a depth, and of a construction, susceptible to nicking or impact damage from casual use of construction equipment. Octane ratings are a measure of the gasoline's likelihood not to pre-detonate in the cylinder. It is completely irrelevant here.
Agreed on octane ratings as irrelevant, as high octane gasoline by definition requires a higher ignition temperature. OTOH, gasoline has the lowest flash point of any major petroleum product that is liquid at standard atmospheric pressure and temperature.
As an aside, the accident occurred during Deukmejian's second term and the pipeline was built during Reagan's first term. As the Calnev pipeline was an interstate pipeline it presumably would have been built under ICC rules although Cal PUC might have had some say. The pipeline WAS built after the Colton cut-off, so the onus was on the pipeline company to make sure that it could be safely operated under the SP tracks. MC may have a few things to say about how to do this correctly.
OM did have a valid point that a pipeline built through a heavily populated area should NOT be operated at a high pressure and allowing such a design was a failure on the part of the agencies approving the pipeline's design.
I was thinking that high-octane had a higher vapor pressure ... but on reflection, I think I am indeed reporting a comparatively unimportant but highly prejudicial innuendo about the 'high-octane' detail. Note that saying "premium" would not have the same implication. I'll be watching more carefully for sneaky rhetorical bias the next time I read these sources...
Yes, I am aware of the primary purposes of higher-octane fuel, and of its progressively lower overall heat content per unit weight compared to higher-carbon-content fuels. You might not guess that from the wording I adopted...
Someone not catching on that the railroad and the pipeline operation were owned by one of the same?
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