Southwest Chief derails

[eolafan]

[B)]According to an article in the Chicago Tribune (Metro section) today, the Amtrak Southwest Chief (westbound) derailed two reefers on the tail end of the train yesterday afternoon at about 4:30 p.m. in the IL town of Somanauk which is about twenty miles west of here (Aurora) and about 65 miles west of CUS. The article stated that the last two cars were reefers and derailed on the east side of Somonauk and were dragged about a mile to the western edge of town but mangled track, switches and a signal tower they passed under. No injuries were reported either on the train or in the town. The derailed cars were removed from the train and it continued on westward at about 8:00 p.m.[:D]

[Modelcar]

...Sounds like Amtrak lucked out...along with the passengers being safe....By such I refer of not having any passenger equipment destroyed.

[Anonymous]

Hmm. That must have been a little bit of a drag on a otherwise good day.

[Train 284]

Oh boy. Amtrak got out lucky!

[jeaton]

Hopefully, they will drag the freight cars off the right-of-way and leave then rot. Or maybe somebody could salvage the reefer units and finally get AC into the house.

[eolafan]

Lucky seems to be a very appropriate word for this situation, as Amtrak trains routinely do 70 mph per (and seemingly more to the naked eye) on this stretch of Chicago to Denver mainline. I have been to Somonauk on several occassions and can tell you from observation that they could have had a real nightmare on their hands had things gove differently.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eolafan

Lucky seems to be a very appropriate word for this situation, as Amtrak trains routinely do 70 mph per (and seemingly more to the naked eye) on this stretch of Chicago to Denver mainline. I have been to Somonauk on several occassions and can tell you from observation that they could have had a real nightmare on their hands had things gove differently.

Not to mention that rt. 34 runs about 50 feet south of and along the tracks where that happened. Busy stretch of road+derailing 80mph Amtrak train=ugly mess.

[MP173]

Is the Southwest Chief running via Aurora to Galesburg these days, instead of Joliet? Makes sense, I guess, as there is a larger population base.

ed

[senshi]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MP173

Is the Southwest Chief running via Aurora to Galesburg these days, instead of Joliet? Makes sense, I guess, as there is a larger population base.

ed

After BNSF completed their Cameron connection just west of Galesburg they switched the route over. Still on the the old Santa Fe west of Galesburg and on the old CB&Q east.

[Anonymous]

3(14) took down the Plano Signal Bridge, the Crossovers and a bunch of Switch Heaters. Currently only Main 1 is open.

[Chris30]

I don't hear any critics today who think that the refer/express cars should be placed ahead of the passenger cars.

CC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chris30

I don't hear any critics today who think that the refer/express cars should be placed ahead of the passenger cars.

CC

Oh They will find more things to complian about Amtrak trust me.

[DrummingTrainfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chris30

I don't hear any critics today who think that the refer/express cars should be placed ahead of the passenger cars.

CC

If you think about it, if the rear cars would've derailed anyway, if the reefers were up front then passenger cars would've derailed and there would've definately have been injuries.

[AntonioFP45]

I don't understand something here.

Other than baggage/material handling cars, I thought that Amtrak gave up hauling express and other non-passenger equipment because David Gunn wanted to concentrate on speedy passenger service.

[eolafan]

So did I, but virtually every SWC has at least one or two MHC's on the rear end. Same can seemingly be said for the CZ.

[DrummingTrainfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

I don't understand something here.

Other than baggage/material handling cars, I thought that Amtrak gave up hauling express and other non-passenger equipment because David Gunn wanted to concentrate on speedy passenger service.

I think that all that they have now are reefers, I'm not sure what they carry though.

I was wondering why Gunn quit carrying freight on the trains because I had read somewhere that Amtrak made most of their money off that freight service. Unfortunately I forget what book or magazine I thought I read this in. Can anyone verify this claim?

[dldance]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

I don't understand something here.

Other than baggage/material handling cars, I thought that Amtrak gave up hauling express and other non-passenger equipment because David Gunn wanted to concentrate on speedy passenger service.

Existing contractual obligations ensure that a few freight cars will be on some Amtrak trains for some time to come. Too soon to tell what new mgmt will do.

dd

[narig01]

I read (trains I think) that Amtrak wants out of the reefer business as well.
Maybe this was one way out ,toss the cars off the train.
Honestly at least no one was hurt.
Rgds IGN

[eolafan]

Amtrak was REALLY lucky from what I just heard. Just heard from a buddy of mine that the westbound Chief that derailed last week had about five private cars tacked on the rear end of hte Chief but forward of the reefers. He also said he had spoken to somebody who saw this train come into and out of Naperville about forty minutes before the derailment and that guys had said he thought the reefers (at least one of them) brakes seemed to be dragging! If true, this could be at least partially responsible for the derailment...NO?