Freight Derailment @ Spuyten Duyvil

My guess it was not heat related. That area has very short lengths of CWR between CP 10 and CP 11 on both tracks, so I don't think there'd be enough slack in the rail to cause a buckle. But none of know for sure at this time.

The track department is in the process of installing approx. 100' of rail with wood ties on the south end of 2 track for the cars to be rerailed on that end. Four 89' flats loaded left to rerail. Supposedly one flat on the north end won't be salvageable and will have to be cut up on the spot which is empty. A lot of work still to be completed just to clear the derailment site. Very tough operating climate to squeeze all the heavy equipment into. Not even really enough room for the cranes with their outriggers for bracing.

freightguy wrote:Supposedly one flat on the north end won't be salvageable and will have to be cut up on the spot which is empty.

Why? Even if a car is too damaged to rerail, can't it be hoisted onto a flatcar (or multiple) and hauled away to be scrapped?

CSX speed from CP8 to CP10 is 20 mph, speed from CP10 to MP11.5 is 15 mph basically a speed any train can stop within half range of vision.
So is buckled rail option, answer is NO.
Will Containers fall of a train at that speed, answer is NO, unless improper train handling or container had previously shifted.

DutchRailnut wrote:CSX speed from CP8 to CP10 is 20 mph, speed from CP10 to MP11.5 is 15 mph basically a speed any train can stop within half range of vision.
So is buckled rail option, answer is NO.
Will Containers fall of a train at that speed, answer is NO, unless improper train handling or container had previously shifted.

The rail couldn't buckle or spread underneath the train?

spread yes, buckle no, don't forget the engines made it trough but again, it does not look like rail fault.

http://www.volpe.dot.gov/coi/pis/work/a ... ckling.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Page2
3rd paragraph from the bottom.
'Most buckling derailments tend to occur deep in a train'.

Like I said again, it is not likely that this was a track issue.

Metro-North has announced there will be no Yonkers-GCT service until Monday AM. The weekend schedule is basically the same as Friday's: Once an hour CH locals and once an hour Poughkeepsie semi-express trains.

The rush hour Friday was tolerable it seems. Though commuting times were extended at least an hour.

“I was surprised at how well organized it was,” Naima Barnes said Friday evening in Yonkers as she made her way back home to Dobbs Ferry. “There were like rows of buses. I thought it was going to be way worse.”

Link

The Journal-News reports that NTSB investigators are looking at the incident. NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said it was because it shut down a major commuter route and may involve track and railroad safety issues that NTSB investigators want to address.

Dutch,

Wouldn't be so quick to disprove the track issue theory. Probably hear a lot more by the middle of the week.

Why can't Metro-North just run Hudson Line trains into Penn Station, just as Amtrak runs Empire Service trains into Grand Central every now and then?

I assume that it's tough to juggle things at the last minute and work out agreements for liability and the like, but they should have contingency plans in place for these types of events.

SouthernRailway wrote:Why can't Metro-North just run Hudson Line trains into Penn Station, just as Amtrak runs Empire Service trains into Grand Central every now and then?

I assume that it's tough to juggle things at the last minute and work out agreements for liability and the like, but they should have contingency plans in place for these types of events.

Mr. Railway, a couple things:

1. There is no third rail on the Empire Connection, so all trains that would have to go to Penn Station would have to be powered by dual-mode locomotives, of which Metro-North has a limited supply.
2. Furthermore, those dual mode locomotives have to have overrunning third rail shoes to get into Penn Station, since NYP is electrified with overrunning third rail, unlike Metro-North's GCT which uses under running third rail. It just so happens Metro-North owns exactly 0 dual mode locomotives that have overrunning third rail shoes that can get into Penn Station, so in order for MN to detour trains to NYP they have to get dual modes from either the LIRR and Amtrak. And since both those fleets of dual modes are stretched thin enough as it is, the amount of spare locomotives that could reasonably be rallied together could be counted on one finger.
3. Amtrak, oh yes Amtrak, not only does Amtrak own the Empire Connection they also own and control Penn Station, and since the is currently no more room in the inn for any more trains at Penn Station, sending MN trains to NYP would only be possible if other trains were canceled first—and good luck with that.

Metro-North does have contingency plans in place for events like this...it's called busing. Sending a whole slew of MN trains into NYP is a logistical impossibility on such short notice.

Plus throw in another track condition in the tunnel again with Amtrak a bit earlier...

lirr42 wrote:

SouthernRailway wrote:Why can't Metro-North just run Hudson Line trains into Penn Station, just as Amtrak runs Empire Service trains into Grand Central every now and then?

I assume that it's tough to juggle things at the last minute and work out agreements for liability and the like, but they should have contingency plans in place for these types of events.

Mr. Railway, a couple things:

1. There is no third rail on the Empire Connection, so all trains that would have to go to Penn Station would have to be powered by dual-mode locomotives, of which Metro-North has a limited supply.
2. Furthermore, those dual mode locomotives have to have overrunning third rail shoes to get into Penn Station, since NYP is electrified with overrunning third rail, unlike Metro-North's GCT which uses under running third rail. It just so happens Metro-North owns exactly 0 dual mode locomotives that have overrunning third rail shoes that can get into Penn Station, so in order for MN to detour trains to NYP they have to get dual modes from either the LIRR and Amtrak. And since both those fleets of dual modes are stretched thin enough as it is, the amount of spare locomotives that could reasonably be rallied together could be counted on one finger.
3. Amtrak, oh yes Amtrak, not only does Amtrak own the Empire Connection they also own and control Penn Station, and since the is currently no more room in the inn for any more trains at Penn Station, sending MN trains to NYP would only be possible if other trains were canceled first—and good luck with that.

Metro-North does have contingency plans in place for events like this...it's called busing. Sending a whole slew of MN trains into NYP is a logistical impossibility on such short notice.

Amtrak would also have to provide a pilot for each train operating on their territory since none of MNRR's crews are qualified on the physical characteristics or the operating rules.

The only fix is to clear the wreck and repair the damage.

It is my guess that something on one of the trucks failed or there was a track problem.