How I spent my Sat afternoon; Derailment

[Greg]

Was he using one of those long assed scrapping torch heads?

Honestly, I didn't see much of the torch. All I could see where I was standing was the molten steel flying. They finished up the torching just after we arrived.

 

[Greg]

Greg, please take your video camera next time!! That was really cool too see what you guys did to clear the line. Glad to see your finallly earning your keep...

I need a video camera first! Earning my keep?! This was the easiest 7 hrs of overtime I've worked in a long time!

 

[waynehartwig]

That's pretty cool!
You would think driving that heavy equipment on the tracks would bend/mess stuff up - no? Or was that some of the stuff you had to fix?

 

[RockMonkey]

Wow. You're lucky the cars were empty. What would you have done if they were full of whatever they normally carry?

 

[Greg]

That's pretty cool!
You would think driving that heavy equipment on the tracks would bend/mess stuff up - no? Or was that some of the stuff you had to fix?

They try not to run the equipment over the tracks just for that reason. We were lucky since there was a RR crossing about 200 ft away from where this happened. They just straddled that one rail & drove the trackhoe down to the derailment site. There was a bit of surface damage to the ties in that area, but nothing structural.

 

[Greg]

Wow. You're lucky the cars were empty. What would you have done if they were full of whatever they normally carry?

Yep, very lucky. If they were full we'd have to wait for a frontend loader or a backhoe to come in and move all the stuff first, then move the cars. These were coal cars, so that's what we would have been working with if they were full. When there's a loaded derailment thet usually just push the stuff off to the side of the track so we can get it back into service ASAP.

 

[waynehartwig]

They try not to run the equipment over the tracks just for that reason. We were lucky since there was a RR crossing about 200 ft away from where this happened. They just straddled that one rail & drove the trackhoe down to the derailment site. There was a bit of surface damage to the ties in that area, but nothing structural.

Ahh Makes sense!

 

[I Lean]

That flat spot was pretty deep, pics don't do it any justice.

[crocodile dundee voice]That's not a flat spot. THIS is a flat spot. [/crocodile dundee voice]

 

[mbryson]

[crocodile dundee voice]That's not a flat spot. THIS is a flat spot. [/crocodile dundee voice]........

Yow!!!

 

[waynehartwig]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the other side doesn't even look to be damaged - at least not as bad - and aren't they a solid connection? ie one stops moving, they both stop. So why didn't they both flatten out the same?

 

[I Lean]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the other side doesn't even look to be damaged - at least not as bad - and aren't they a solid connection? ie one stops moving, they both stop. So why didn't they both flatten out the same?

That's a good question. You're right, they are a solid axle. Can't explain that one.

 

[waynehartwig]

That's a good question. You're right, they are a solid axle. Can't explain that one.

I just found it odd that the one was almost half gone and the other still looked completely round. Granted, the flat surface will take longer to grind away then the upright portion. So maybe it had started but didn't get as bad and once this one had worn the riding surface out it went fast.

Hell, who knows!

 

[Bone Down]

I am guessing metal fatigue and breakage is why the one side is worse of than the other.