M&B RR Bridge Collapses NASA Train Wrecked

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At approximately 9:30 a.m. CDT a train hauling NASA rocket motors derailed on the M&B Railroad near Pennington, AL. Media reports from several local TV stations indicate that at least 6 persons were injured when a timber bridge collapsed sending two UP SD70 locomotives, a passenger car and other cars into the swamp. At lease one rocket motor fell from the trestle. Numerous Federal, State and local agencies are responding for investigation and clean up of this incident. Although the extent of injuries is unknown three people were medevaced to hospitals in Tuscaloosa and Mobile, Alabama via LifeFlight helicopter.

The M&B Railroad is a unit of the Rail Link subsidiary of Genessee & Wyoming Industries.  

It is unknown how many of the injured are railroad employees.

 LC

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NBC13 Birmingham, AL Story

http://www.nbc13.com/gulfcoastwest/vtm/news.apx.-content-articles-VTM-2007-05-02-0010.html

ABC Story:

http://www.abc3340.com/news/stories/0507/419630.html  

WTOK Meridian, MS

 http://www.wtok.com/home/headlines/7294061.html

CNN Story w/film

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/05/02/derailment.shuttle/index.html

 

LC

 

[Train Guy 3]

As if the Space Shuttle program wasn't pushed back with enough delays already.

I hope that those involved with the wreck were not that siruosly injured.

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As if the Space Shuttle program wasn't pushed back with enough delays already.

I hope that those involved with the wreck were not that siruosly injured.

There are serious injuries. Witness the helicopter evac. One victim is confirmed to be a member of the train crew and one other now confirmed to be a contractor for NASA. Others unknown at this time.

LC

[billbtrain]

I just read this story on CNN's website.What caught my eye,and I question,is the statement about solid rocket fuel inside the rocket segments,but that none was spilled.Is this accurate?Are the segments actually shipped with fuel inside?

Have a good one.

Bill B

[Modelcar]

 

....One of the reports indicated this was the 2nd time this train derailed on this journey....??  What is this indicating....

[dldance]

I just read this story on CNN's website.What caught my eye,and I question,is the statement about solid rocket fuel inside the rocket segments,but that none was spilled.Is this accurate?Are the segments actually shipped with fuel inside?

Have a good one.

Bill B

the fuel is about the consistancy of a rubber tire.  It is highly unlikely to 'spill'.  Just like many new stories - the reporter is light on the facts.

dd

[Train Guy 3]

Well if there was fuel in the rockets that would make for an interesting new song... Rocket Train... I wouldn't personally want to be delivering rockets to NASA loaded with fuel. Then railroads do haul just about any hazardous material there is, so I guess solid fuel rockets are no big deal.

[csxengineer98]

I just read this story on CNN's website.What caught my eye,and I question,is the statement about solid rocket fuel inside the rocket segments,but that none was spilled.Is this accurate?Are the segments actually shipped with fuel inside?

Have a good one.

Bill B

yes they are shiped with the fuel inside the boosters... and as far as it spilling..i suppose if the booster segment would have riped open due to the derailment some of the fuel could have been "spilled"

csx engineer 

[Anonymous]

Yep.  It's rocket science: 

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/system/system_SRB.html

Dave 

 

 

Well if there was fuel in the rockets that would make for an interesting new song... Rocket Train... I wouldn't personally want to be delivering rockets to NASA loaded with fuel. Then railroads do haul just about any hazardous material there is, so I guess solid fuel rockets are no big deal.

[miniwyo]

A song?  I think it wouold make a great movie!

[EightNSand]

Further local reports indicate that the bridge was under repair when the incident occurred. Bridge workers apparently ran into the woods to escape the accident.

 

[Andrew Falconer]

Solid rocket fuel burns at 5000 degrees. It is unlikely to burn in a derailment.

Andrew

[Krazykat112079]

... Rocket Train...

They actually had a Rocket Train out in New Mexico.  While not a conventional train by any means (only one car and it is sled-track and had a missile on it), it reached speeds of about 6,400mph.

With regards to the Solid Rocket Fuel and it spilling.  As the name implies it is a solid, being a powder suspended inside a plastic matrix.  As someone said before, it has the consistency of rubber.  The easiest way to imagine it would be a giant pencil eraser.  If it were to fragment, clean-up would, theoretically, be fairly easy as they would only need to pick up the chunks...

[tomikawaTT]

Because the cargo was solid fuel boosters, the technologically challenged media types did their usual 'run in circles, scream and shout' act.

Granted that, once ignited, solid rocket fuel burns with a hot, non-extinguishable flame.  The key is that it isn't easy to ignite.  I would put it in the same league as lump coal, which is hardly considered particularly dangerous, yet can burn rather vigorously once ignited.

Chuck

[zardoz]

So instead of the shuttles being considered "grounded" due to problems, now the shuttle can be considered "on the ground" due to problems.

There's a lame joke in there somewhere.

[dldance]

Further local reports indicate that the bridge was under repair when the incident occurred. Bridge workers apparently ran into the woods to escape the accident.

LC

The train was also moving very slowly.  Concerns about track condition had already been communicated to ATK management before the incident.  The use of helicopter transport of the injured is due to the lack of other types of access to the site.

dd

[dldance]

One of the injured staff members in the passenger car was given an MRI as part of the post accident medical evaluation.  A brain tumor was discovered by the MRI and surgery is planned sometime in the next two weeks.

dd

[Northtowne]

I hope the operation is sucessful in removing the tumor.

 Anyone know how much traffic there is on the M&B to Montgomery, when thru trains normally run? I am going down to Demopolis and head east to Selma soon, was hoping to see some of their trains at work.

 Any final word on what caused the approach to the bridge to give way?

Northtowne

[DPD1]

Because the cargo was solid fuel boosters, the technologically challenged media types did their usual 'run in circles, scream and shout' act.

Granted that, once ignited, solid rocket fuel burns with a hot, non-extinguishable flame.  The key is that it isn't easy to ignite.  I would put it in the same league as lump coal, which is hardly considered particularly dangerous, yet can burn rather vigorously once ignited.

 

Yeah, but what fun would be it be reporting that? It's much more fun to be an alarmist and try to scare the heck out of everybody within a 50 mile radius. :-)

Dave
www.DPDProductions.com
Makers of the "TrainTenna" Monitoring Antenna

[Anonymous]

I checked my Hazmat Book and it shows:

Artillery or Ammunition: Evac Line of Sight and 5 miles radius.

I dont see:

Rocket Booster: Evac 50 mile radius.

However, all things being equal it's fun watching my neighbors strip food shelves bare on a 1 inch snow/ice forecast. If that rocket did burn, I hope it cremates the wreckage so we can simply sweep the ashes to one side and re-lay rail pronto.