Can we have heading for RR accidents?

I'd like to have a heading for all kinds of accidents and mishaps and any other dangerous situations. Grade crossings, etc.

The fire service has a website which reports mishaps and we can all learn from them.

Thank you,

Hmm.
For example, if an incident happens with a NJ Transit train, should it get posted in the NJT or Accident forum? Or maybe both?
See what I mean...

My problem with this is that non railroaders will be taking active railroaders to task, "you should have done this, he/she should have done
that". One disturbing thing on railroaddotnet is that a small minority of
participants seem to be constantly finding fault with the way railroaders do
their jobs.
It is always easy to second guess something but you have to actually sit in
the seat to know the big picture.
One final thing, a topic like this puts the railroads in a negative situation,
I think we should generally be talking about the positives rather than the
negatives.
I don't find myself in favor of this proposal.
Noel Weaver

I see no reason, for the "general public" to learn from railroad accidents, at a site like this. Operation Lifesaver has a great site, with all the info the public at large needs. (for railroad/grade crossing accidents) Most accidents are not suitable for discussion outside the job. (example, the time I saw a guy coupled up, which I just shared, in another forum here. I left the details, of it, with a "PG" rating) In some cases, it's forbidden. Then, you want all types of accidents to be fair game, and like the GURU Noel said, you will get the "monday morning QB's", who take delight in finding fault with us on the job, while claiming to be railfans themselves. The forum then becomes a game of "one-upmanship", in finding things to post, putting us in an unfavorable light. The NTSB offers accident reports, for all major derailments/wrecks and fatalities, for those who desire such things. Included are complete investigation findings, photos, maps, diagrams, and recorded interviews, from all involved, and witnesses. Enough guys on the job, have offered a peek, into the "aw-s%$#s, that occur on the day to day basis. Even the mundane things, become targets, for those who "know" what a person, or crew, SHOULD have been doing, even though they haven't thrown the first switch, or made a single hitch themselves. Just my my .02 cents (adjusted for inflation)

Grump wrote:Hmm.
For example, if an incident happens with a NJ Transit train, should it get posted in the NJT or Accident forum? Or maybe both?
See what I mean...

Under accidents.
Does not matter where.
I'm interested in knowing the cause and what happened, regardless of where.

addendum:
Not for placing blame or being critical.
I want to learn from mistakes.
My flight instructor wondered why I was so interested in crashes.
I wanted to know everything that could possibly happen and hopefully be prepared to with a variety of remedies.

I presume nearly 100% is the fault of the public and trespassers.
As an OL presenter, I am always defending the RR.

Thanks,

There are a lot of different aspects to being a railfan. One seperate group is dedicated to accidents as much as others are to diesels locomotives, operations, freight cars, stations, photography, or any other specific aspect. Many of those invovled in "accidents" collect ICC/FRA accident reports. So, why not have a specific forum for the topic! At least give it a 90 day trial, it is as much part of the hobby as any other part.

Noel- I didn't even touch on the area you did, but I agree...

Of course, you could always use the search feature of this site for accident, derailment, etc...

The bad will always find the bad even in a feather filled field of angels! So why restrict the rest because of a few bads? Perhaps the forum could also be a positive factor.

henry6 wrote:There are a lot of different aspects to being a railfan. One seperate group is dedicated to accidents as much as others are to diesels locomotives, operations, freight cars, stations, photography, or any other specific aspect. Many of those invovled in "accidents" collect ICC/FRA accident reports. So, why not have a specific forum for the topic! At least give it a 90 day trial, it is as much part of the hobby as any other part.

Sorry for being so inept, but how does one find such groups?
I never even knew they exist.

I am interested in steam locomotives and their problems, signals and
unusual events.
My late great uncle, a PRR engineer, told me that on a locomotive descending a downgrade, it's tires became so hot that they came loose.

Luckily it was discovered, but on a single-track bridge which caused a horrible traffic backup.

Being so young, I never asked if it could have been moved off the bridge
on it's own, with leading and trailing trucks keeping it on the rails.

Those with similar interests always seem to find each other in due time. Just being in a railfan group...NRHS, RL&HS, NMRA, local informal groups...plus reading the magazines and the books in the library and, now, the internet forums like rr.net, will evenutally scare up discussions and individuals who share your "segment' of railfanning. There are dedicated web sites and magazines and historical groups for virtually every part of the hobby. Like steam, try Steamtown or a local tourist line with steam. Search the net (especially these forums) for discussions on signals; go to or join a local railfan group or societey (as mentioned above) meeting and see what others in your area are intrested in. Its all available if you seek. Even a specific group who collect new and old rail accident reports...I know because I have had and have sold quite a few over the years.

Those with similar interests always seem to find each other in due time. Just being in a railfan group...NRHS, RL&HS, NMRA, local informal groups...plus reading the magazines and the books in the library and, now, the internet forums like rr.net, will evenutally scare up discussions and individuals who share your "segment' of railfanning. There are dedicated web sites and magazines and historical groups for virtually every part of the hobby. Like steam, try Steamtown or a local tourist line with steam. Search the net (especially these forums) for discussions on signals; go to or join a local railfan group or societey (as mentioned above) meeting and see what others in your area are intrested in. Its all available if you seek. Even a specific group who collect new and old rail accident reports...I know because I have had and have sold quite a few over the years.

henry6 wrote:The bad will always find the bad even in a feather filled field of angels! So why restrict the rest because of a few bads? Perhaps the forum could also be a positive factor.

Yeah, feathers make my eyes water. What if the Angels try to attack me. So many things to go wrong.........................

GOLDEN-ARM wrote:(example, the time I saw a guy coupled up, which I just shared, in another forum here.

Where?

"Wrecks and Accidents" is too specific and too general at the same time. It doesn't warrant creation of a new forum here. Accidents happen all the time on various railroads for various reasons. If you're really interested in the cause of accidents, you can request copies of NTSB investigation packets when they conclude an accident report. They go into great detail, the history of the line, operating conditions, any factor that could affect the situation.

Much better than bantering about with a bunch of Monday morning quarterbacks about what the crew should have done, etc.

-otto-

I disagree.
Discussion and after-the-fact second-guessing can be educational
and helpful.

I tell other firefighters and EMS personnel my mistakes so they can learn from them.
I record my emergency runs on a dash-mounted camcorder to show eveyone my mistakes from which we all learn. They also see the great moves I have made to avoid collisions and how I slow to be safe and do not sound the siren which encourages traffic to clear rather than freeze.

I would be fascinated if others post about grade crossing accidents in their areas which I may otherwise never learn about.
I do not think Denver's Rocky Mountain News even mentioned the remarkable strange incident in our neighbor, New Mexico, where two employees stopped their trucks on a track to have a conversation and were killed by a freight train.