BNSF 5942 wreck

[ChrisBARailfan]

I was at Mid-American Car today here in Kansas City and up on a flatbed is BNSF 5942 with very bad damage from an accident.  It looks to be totaled.  The cab is completely destroyed, frame is bent in back and it rolled hard onto its side.  Anyone know where and what happened?

[Datafever]

From a discussion on trainorder.com--- 

(The accident happened at Etter, Tx) 

"The lead locomotive had a camera and I happened to see the video of the wreck. Let me say that it is the most horrible thing I've ever seen. The train is just going down the track at I assume 45mph because it is a loaded coal train(TOB restriction). Everything is normal as they ring the bell and blow the whistle for the crossings then suddenly, you can see a pots signal with a solid red aspect. You can hear the engineer plug it and seeing the train lined for the siding/auxiliary track with cement loads will stay with me forever. The train goes into the track and slams into the cars and the camera keeps recording as you can see the windshield cracking and pieces flying everywhere and whats worse is that you can still hear all the crashing. This after having just gone off duty. Apparently, a previous crew did not restore the main track switch for main track movement nor did the dispatcher verify that the switch had been lined for the main and that the position of switch form had been complied with by both conductor and engineer. I know there isn't anything anyone can do once plugging it but what must go through one's mind as they sit and wait with tens of thousands of trailing tons about to slam into a cut of loads? We must all be professional and watch out for each other and ourselves. We are all brothers out here like an extended family. Be careful out there and be safe."

[Datafever]

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=45717

[blhanel]

I wonder if maybe it was one of the locos involved in a collision near Barstow back in June(?)- did some searching on locophotos.com and found this shot:

The caption states, "BNSF 4479 lies broken in the dirt with 11 other locomotives on a sunny CA morning. She was the Lead unit on the U-SBDPKC when she was struck head on by her sister train M-RICBAR Lead BNSF 4059 when she was about to take the siding. it was a 40 vs 20 MPH Hit in CTC Territory...Can you believe it ALL Crew members lived. Thank god!"

EDIT: OK, I'm not quick enough on the draw here... 

[Rodney Beck]

Yes the BNSF 5942 was wrecked in Etter Texas, the train was stopped by the defect detector and was getting back on the move, this was in TWC (dark) no signals, the coal train hit the cars in the sideing at aprox 30mph. Here is the reason that the unit was wrecked, a local crew set the cars in the sideing and forgot to line the switch but they placed the derail back in the derailing position, yes the engineer big holed the train but with about 18,000 tons of coal pushing not much can be done, the coal train was not given an x in box 20 be prepaired to stop at the following switches untill knowen to be in the normal position. I had to watch the video of this accdent yes the engine had a camera. I think that the unit will be rebulit being it is new.

 

Rodney

[ericsp]

I wonder if maybe it was one of the locos involved in a collision near Barstow back in June(?)- did some searching on locophotos.com and found this shot:

The caption states, "BNSF 4479 lies broken in the dirt with 11 other locomotives on a sunny CA morning. She was the Lead unit on the U-SBDPKC when she was struck head on by her sister train M-RICBAR Lead BNSF 4059 when she was about to take the siding. it was a 40 vs 20 MPH Hit in CTC Territory...Can you believe it ALL Crew members lived. Thank god!"

EDIT: OK, I'm not quick enough on the draw here... 

That was the collision at Kismet, CA. It is probably about 30 miles north of Fresno Yard. The collision was at the south end of the siding. They moved the locomotives to the north end of the siding, where there is a smaller siding coming off of the main siding. It appears that they occasionally unload grain there. This second siding is where they put the locomotives in order to prepare them to be moved.

Kismet is approximately 273.22 miles from Barstow (via roads).

Here is a link to the thread about that wreck.

[ChrisBARailfan]

If it will be rebuilt because it is new will Mid-America do the rebuild or will it go back to GE for the rebuild? 

 It looks like alot of damage...wouldn't it be cheaper to scrap for parts?

[fuzzybroken]

Say, Chris...  sorry to change the subject here, but was there any sign at Mid-America of four ex-Utah SD40s, possibly painted and/or numbered for Wisconsin & Southern?  Some of us fans up here in Cheese-land have been wondering where they might have disappeared to!!!

 

[ChrisBARailfan]

No sign that I could see, but from the fenceline there are several areas that cannot be seen.  When I come home from work I will take a better look.

[eolafan]

Absolutely amazing that nobody was killed in this wreck!  I guess the Good Lord was smiling on the crew that day, in a big way.

[usersatch]

OK, am I the only one scratching my head after reading this?  Just like in the SC crash, they forgot to re-align the switch to the main?  I don't get it.

I was a jumpmaster in the Rangers for several years and not once did I "forget" to make sure someone's static line wasn't hooked up or that their equipment wasn't properly rigged for a jump.  Nor did I ever see any of the other jumpmasters forget.  That was our job and people's lives depended on it.  It was an awesome responsibility to be responsible for 140 or so paratroopers' lives.  While throwing a switch isn't quite as Hollywood-exciting as jumping from an airplane, a great responsibility rests on the train crew who are entrusted to perform certain live-saving tasks, such as re-aligning a switch that you JUST passed through. 

I can understand being tired, side-tracked, bored, etc. and forgetting to do paper work or something silly like that, but to just plain forget a task that could cost people their lives???

OK, off my soap box now.  Damn that engine got messed up!  Glad the crew survived.

[arbfbe]

Not that this did not happen when there were 4 or 5 crew members on the train now there is just one person on the ground.  Commonly he is moving all over the ground between the switch, the derail, the joint and air hose, car handbrakes and trying to keep the pick up straight from the list he is carrying or making up as he goes.  With two guys, one was at the switch mostly and the other was with the cars, mostly.

The railroads have just added too much work at times by reducing crew size to the levels they are now.  Promises were made to provide a second crew member when ever ground work was involved but the reality is they have reneged on that agreement whenever possible.  Lots of lame excuses about no one rested on the extra board. Well, the crew office forgot to call the extra switchman so just sit there while he gets his 90 minute call and we find a van to bring him out in an hour after he goes on duty or do the work yourself and come home.  Safety first you ask?

The jumpmaster has two major things to do when the jumpers are standing up and that is to see they are are all strapped into there gear and they are hooked to the line.  The crew switching has several things to do at the same time.  Perhaps they will have to get away from the idea of getting it done ASAP and get home under the HOS and take the time to go walk around the site to check out everything one more time before leaving the area.  That includes all the things you KNOW you did including the car numbers, the hand brakes, the derails and the mainline switch.  Sure you may have to walk another 1/4 to 1/2 mile to do it but you are doing the work of two or three guys by yourself now so what is another 20 to 30 minutes to make sure you got it all done right?  All the railroad is going to do is put out another paper box to check to save your life not give you any real help at the site.   

[BNIRRLives]

 

Maybe BNSF shouldn't have closed the BN West Burlington Repair Shops, They have the equipment to fabricate that whole locomotive and cab. My guess it is probably under a GE maintenance agreement and GE is in ATSFs Topeka back Shops. It really is a unfortunate thing that happens, I am glad they survived. Was it in CTC, or TWC ABS?

[jp2153]

I have a question. Who conducts and investigation on these accidents? If the crew is found at fault are they held financially and criminally responsible? Do they receive pay during the investigation? If they were not at fault, do they receive compensation for not being paid during the investigation?

I am waiting for a class date for a Freight Conductor Trainee position. A friend of mine worked for CSX said that he was furloghed because of a pending accident investigation.

 

[route_rock]

  The crew that forgot the switch had a brakeman according to the RFE showing us the clips. Got the derail forgot the switch. I digress at least no one was killed and no major haz mat was released.

  We can get a brakie if we have switching to do ( Galesburg brakemans board has 19 people on it and somedays you get lucky and have a few rested)so we try to  get one  whenever we can.

  The videos were not fun to watch and makes you think twice about all your actions out there. I work CTC lines now but hey after the other video ( the Kismet one) that still makes you think " I hope the guy coming at me knows what hes doing"

[KMCCLA]

Was just by Mid America Car this afternoon, BNSF 5942 looks like it had been repaired, and has a new cab. It is not completely painted, but it is down there, and still in one piece.

[Soo 6604]

Is this the video?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=82c_1209926621

Paul

[ChuckCobleigh]

From the FRA Report HQ-2006-79 available from the FRA reports site:

BNSF train CCAMSLP152 was traveling south bound on single main track on the
Boise City subdivision, under track warrant 6555. The south bound coal train
found open north storage track switch north of Etter resulting in train
impacting 57 cars previously spotted at that track by the local train
LPWR0081-09. This impact resulted in the derailment of a total of 2
locomotives, 17 loaded coal cars, and 9 empty cars that were located in the
siding, two of which were empty hazardous material cars.


This occurred on October 09, 2006 at approximately 7:30 p.m. central
standard time (CST). The weather was cloudy, dusk, and 43 degrees. Location
of the accident occurred north of Etter, siding north storage track 3638,
mile post 64.6. The siding is located in the city of Cactus, TX one quarter
of a mile west of highway 287.


There were no fatalities. Engineer and conductor sustained non-life
threatening injuries in the nature of head lacerations and bruises. Both
taken to Dumas Memorial Hospital and then later released. A total of 27 cars
derailed and 2 locomotives with estimated damages at approximately $
2,048,679 for rail equipment and track damage, not including clearing cost
of $127,000.


Circumstances Prior to the Accident Local LPWR0081-09 South The crew of
local freight train LPWR0081-09 South included a locomotive engineer, a
conductor, and a brakeman. They went on duty at 6:00 AM, CST, October 9,
2006, at BNSF South Yard office terminal in Amarillo, TX. This was the home
terminal for all crew members, and all received more than the statutory off
duty period, prior to reporting for duty. The crew dead headed from the
terminal to Dumas, TX depot office where work orders were picked up and then
continued on in the taxi to the train located at Kerrick MP 100.1, just
north of Stratford, TX.


Their assigned freight train consisted of three locomotives, 8 loaded, and
107 empty cars of numerous varieties. The train was 6833 feet long, and
weighed 4678 tons. The train was scheduled to travel from Kerrick to
Amarillo TX with cars to be set out at Stratford, TX and Cactus TX, tracks
3638/3637/3640. After setting out cars at Cactus TX train continued on to
Dumas depot office to pick up track warrant and continue on into Amarillo,
TX where crew tied up at 6:00 PM.


Freight CCAMSLP152 South


The crew of the south bound coal train, CCAMSLP152, included a locomotive
engineer and a conductor. They went on duty at 9:00 AM, mountain standard
time (MST), October 9, 2006, at BNSF La Junta, CO. This was the away from
home terminal for all crew members, and all received more than the statutory
off duty period, prior to reporting for duty.


As the south bound coal train approached the accident area, the locomotive
engineer was seated at the controls on the west side of the cab of the
leading locomotive. The conductor was seated on the east side of the cab of
the leading locomotive.


The Accident

As the crew cleared the crossing gates at Tumbleweed road the trained
continued to travel south on the track approximately 800 ft before realizing
the main track switch 3638 was lined in the reverse position. The engineer
and conductor observed the reverse switch target simultaneously and called
it out in unison and the engineer moved the automatic brake lever to
emergency. Both the engineer and conductor got down as low as possible on
the floor of the cab and braced for impact with the cars in the siding.

 

[Soo 6604]

After reading the report, my only question is: The cars that were set out, were they in the rear of the train? If the set-out was in the middle of the train, the switch would have to have been lined back for the train to couple up back to their train, even if the set-out was on the head end. would have had to been lined back.

Unhooked the FRED, shoved the cars, pulled out on mainline, engaged derail, rehooked FRED, either walked or cabbed back to head end (couldn't have shoved, he would have had to lined the switch for the mainline).

One very costly step missed. Could have been way worse with the loss of life. Everything, execpt mental and some physical, can be replaced.

[zardoz]

I like the part in the report where it gave the "estimated damages at approximately $
2,048,679 for rail equipment and track damage".

Estimated right down the exact dollar amount--wow. If there had been 2 more spikes needed for repairs, would the damage estimate have gone up to $2,048,685?

[trainfan1221]

I have to say that is one of the worst wrecked engines I have ever seen a photo of.  You just can't imagine it sometimes.

[ericsp]

Is this the video?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=82c_1209926621

Paul

From the FRA Report HQ-2006-79 available from the FRA reports site:

BNSF train CCAMSLP152 was traveling south bound on single main track on the
Boise City subdivision, under track warrant 6555. The south bound coal train
found open north storage track switch north of Etter resulting in train
impacting 57 cars previously spotted at that track by the local train
LPWR0081-09. This impact resulted in the derailment of a total of 2
locomotives, 17 loaded coal cars, and 9 empty cars that were located in the
siding, two of which were empty hazardous material cars.


This occurred on October 09, 2006 at approximately 7:30 p.m. central
standard time (CST). The weather was cloudy, dusk, and 43 degrees. Location
of the accident occurred north of Etter, siding north storage track 3638,
mile post 64.6. The siding is located in the city of Cactus, TX one quarter
of a mile west of highway 287.


There were no fatalities. Engineer and conductor sustained non-life
threatening injuries in the nature of head lacerations and bruises. Both
taken to Dumas Memorial Hospital and then later released. A total of 27 cars
derailed and 2 locomotives with estimated damages at approximately $
2,048,679 for rail equipment and track damage, not including clearing cost
of $127,000.


Circumstances Prior to the Accident Local LPWR0081-09 South The crew of
local freight train LPWR0081-09 South included a locomotive engineer, a
conductor, and a brakeman. They went on duty at 6:00 AM, CST, October 9,
2006, at BNSF South Yard office terminal in Amarillo, TX. This was the home
terminal for all crew members, and all received more than the statutory off
duty period, prior to reporting for duty. The crew dead headed from the
terminal to Dumas, TX depot office where work orders were picked up and then
continued on in the taxi to the train located at Kerrick MP 100.1, just
north of Stratford, TX.


Their assigned freight train consisted of three locomotives, 8 loaded, and
107 empty cars of numerous varieties. The train was 6833 feet long, and
weighed 4678 tons. The train was scheduled to travel from Kerrick to
Amarillo TX with cars to be set out at Stratford, TX and Cactus TX, tracks
3638/3637/3640. After setting out cars at Cactus TX train continued on to
Dumas depot office to pick up track warrant and continue on into Amarillo,
TX where crew tied up at 6:00 PM.


Freight CCAMSLP152 South


The crew of the south bound coal train, CCAMSLP152, included a locomotive
engineer and a conductor. They went on duty at 9:00 AM, mountain standard
time (MST), October 9, 2006, at BNSF La Junta, CO. This was the away from
home terminal for all crew members, and all received more than the statutory
off duty period, prior to reporting for duty.


As the south bound coal train approached the accident area, the locomotive
engineer was seated at the controls on the west side of the cab of the
leading locomotive. The conductor was seated on the east side of the cab of
the leading locomotive.


The Accident

As the crew cleared the crossing gates at Tumbleweed road the trained
continued to travel south on the track approximately 800 ft before realizing
the main track switch 3638 was lined in the reverse position. The engineer
and conductor observed the reverse switch target simultaneously and called
it out in unison and the engineer moved the automatic brake lever to
emergency. Both the engineer and conductor got down as low as possible on
the floor of the cab and braced for impact with the cars in the siding.

 

 

The report and the video are not from the same incident. That was discussed at http://cs.trains.com/forums/1523291/ShowPost.aspx.  

[route_rock]

  I just re read this post and mr datafever that actually isnt a pot signal. Thats the reflective coating on the switch target.It does look like one with all that light hitting it.

  I went through the engine program with a bunch of guys from Amarillo.They go by Etter everyday,said it was a sobering experience.Needless to say it makes one a little gunshy.

 

  We also had a guy who ran the route through Kismet. His train was the first train by there after that wreck.There is another one where only the grace of providence saved them.( the video is on you tube and you see the engineer jump) plus we saw one about a three train collision in Kansas. I am not sure if thats on youtube as well nor do I have a link to it.

 

  They showed us a ton of wrecks ( reminded me of drivers ed !!!) some from other than BN as well.All of them were pretty horrific in nature.