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  • Derailment= East Palestine Ohio

  • Discussion relating to the NS operations. Official web site can be found here: NSCORP.COM.
Discussion relating to the NS operations. Official web site can be found here: NSCORP.COM.
 #1615242  by Roscoe P. Coaltrain
 
Bracdude181 wrote: Sun Feb 05, 2023 10:24 am I’ve been hearing some of the NJ intermodals are gonna get detoured to Binghampton, take NYSW to Port Jervis, then take the NJT Bergen Main Line to Croxton…

Buffalo UPS train 28B (former 206) was combined with Croxton train 28X (former 20K) at Rockport in Cleveland. That gave 28X a crewless ride to Buffalo.

It went past the lakeshore cam about 8:20 last nite. The Buffalo train was broken, its power (2 BNSF units) placed ahead of the 3 NS units on 28X (NS units normally needed for cab signals east of Alliance). The Buffalo cars were then tacked on the rear. They left the EOT in place on the rear of 28X, so a mid-train EOT flashing easily denoted where the two intermodal sections were combined. The EOT from 28B brought up the rear. Train got to Buffalo, just uncouple the rear Buffalo cars, cut off the 2 lead BNSF units, and 28X was intact with EOT in place and ready to depart east over the Tier.

Train 28X reportedly crossed Starucca Viaduct around 9 am. Roughly 12 hours after being sighted on the cam near Erie PA.
 #1615245  by STrRedWolf
 
Gilbert B Norman wrote: Sun Feb 05, 2023 1:44 pm OK; so the train was moving Eastward from "roundly St. Louis" to "roundly Pittsburgh". If routed over "The Panhandle" (PRR St. Louis-PGH), that converges with "The Fort Wayne" at Pittsburgh, and misses E. Palestine. The P, FW,&W has been chopped up West of Alliance into a bunch of Short Lines, so how then did this train find its way through E Palestine? (on the route of Amtrak 29&30, Capitol Limited)

Enquiring mind, who might not have his facts straight with PRR routings, wants to know.
It probably switched to the NS Cleveland Line at Alliance and took that all the way around to hook back up to the Fort Wayne at Beaver/Rochester. I dug into that when I saw Amtrak's 29/30 was blocked and canceled. It's single track, unfortunately...

...I should tweak my sequel novel a bit...
 #1615246  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Roscoe P. Coaltrain wrote: Sun Feb 05, 2023 2:44 pm 32N runs the Wabash out of St Louis, does work at Decatur and Lafayette. At Fort Wayne it could run either the NKP to the Vermillion connector, or stay on the Wabash to Butler and get on the NYC there.
I stand corrected. Mr. Coaltrain, and certainly agree; Topper has plenty of East-West routes left. The Fort Wayne was simply redundant (he could care less that it once "Served the Nation").

To what extent The Panhandle still sees through traffic, I know not.
 #1615270  by MACTRAXX
 
Everyone:

From watching the video posted by T7 and looking at an area Google Map and Streetview the derailment location is at Mile 49 (from Pittsburgh) - less than one mile west of the OH/PA State Line at 48.5 (ETT source).

In the video at 3:30 - at the N. Pleasant Drive crossing SW corner there is a signal case marked 49.2 which is readable in a Streetview at this location. In the drone shots overhead the two building groups that are adjacent are marked "Brave Industries" and "CeramFab" which are on the north and south sides of the tracks respectively. Somehow no derailed equipment seems to have damaged any lineside structures.

Has there been any mention in reports about the NS train crew?
MACTRAXX
 #1615281  by johnpbarlow
 
The 28X that ran down the old Delaware Division on 2/5/23 was led by ex-NS SD70M-2 now NYS&W 4066 giving the appearance of the train being led by 4 Thoroughbreds. Presumably a Susquehanna crew was in charge.
 #1615308  by Bracdude181
 
https://www.wfmj.com/story/48313339/nts ... derailment

NTSB confirms rail car axle issue caused Norfolk Southern train derailment
The NTSB identified a mechanical issue with a rail car axle and the point of derailment
The National Transportation Safety Board is on scene in East Palestine collecting evidence to establish a report on the Norfolk Southern train derailment.

NTSB confirmed the derailment was caused by a mechanical issue with one of the rail car axles.

An engineer, conductor and conductor trainee were all on board but suffered no injuries. The conductor went back and decoupled the locomotives from the railcars.
Last edited by nomis on Mon Feb 06, 2023 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #1615309  by STrRedWolf
 
https://www.wtae.com/article/east-pales ... k/42768369
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) —

Authorities plan to release toxic chemicals into the air from five derailed tanker cars that were in danger of exploding Monday, telling residents near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line to leave immediately or face the possibility of death.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered evacuations in the area of the derailment that has been smoldering since Friday night. Authorities believe most, if not all, residents in the danger zone have left but they were knocking on doors one more time before releasing the vinyl chloride inside the cars, he said.

“You need to leave, you just need to leave. This is a matter of life and death,” DeWine said at press conference ahead of the controlled release planned for 3:30 p.m. EST.
 #1615348  by urr304
 
I am sorry Mr. Norman but the Panhandle no longer exists as a through route. It was downgraded decades ago during the Conrail sterilization/distillation. There are chunks missing.

The detours mentioned would handle anything west of Cleveland and along the East Coast. What about the traffic west of Harrisburg. Have not heard of detours being run up the Youngstown line to Ashtabula to get on the former NKP. Only thing is, how many qualified employees on the Youngstown line especially Carson Hill coming down to Ashtabula. The Harbor was pretty much shutdown 6 or 7 years ago with only stone moved occasionally.

Another route I don't know condition is the PRR's old Detour branch from Niles to Alliance; that could allow a routing from New Brighton up the Low Grade to the E&A to the Detour onto Alliance. But I doubt if its there. Historical note, PRR ran some first class trains that way to get Mahoning Valley traffic to and from Chicago, St.Louis and Cincinnati.

Local news has about the controlled release and burn off of four carloads of vinyl chloride.

Now that everyoned has seen the video capture of a hotbox which looks like its on a intermodal skeleton car; how far back was the last hotbox detector?
 #1615382  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Report here that Gov. Shapiro (D-PA) has called the controlled burn "a success" and that no adverse air or water qualities have been found:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/train-derails ... d=96892580

Fair Use:
. A controlled vent and burn of toxic chemicals at the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, went "as planned," and "no concerning" air and water quality readings have been detected, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday night.

"For now, out of an abundance of caution, Pennsylvanians who live within two miles of East Palestine, where this derailment occurred, should just continue to shelter in place this evening and keep your windows and your doors closed," Shapiro said.

Crews monitoring air quality “have not seen anything” unexpected, the Environmental Protection Agency said during an evening press conference with local officials.

“So far, so good. And we’re going to continue to monitor until the fire’s out,” James Justice of the EPA said.
I'm certain Gov. DeWine (R-OH) will follow with a confirmation; anything said by Topper's "spokesmen", on the scene or Atlanta, can be discounted.
 #1615427  by D.Carleton
 
Thanks all for info on potential detour routings. I’m thinking the biggest hit is intermodal getting to/from Harrisburg/Rutherford. So, what routes between Alliance and Conway are cleared for double stacks?
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