Monster Derailment in Gary, IN (Chicago area)

Today I was driving from SW Michigan to Chicago along the Dunes Highway and there was heavy police activity where US-12 parallels the South Shore and overpasses the CSX(B&O). Upon poking around a bit more, it became apparent that somehow a EB TOFC train came off the rails pretty bad and also had a pileup whereby trailers were sticking 40' in the air. It also side-swiped a waiting unit coal train on the siding/lead to the South Shore property. The power and lead ~20 cars of the coal train were pulled out onto the South Shore main to get out of the way and crews from both railroads and all kinds of emergency responders are on site. We hiked in thru the woods and were shooed away despite being on private property. I didn't want to make a scene so we got out, but I have a few pics I'll post later. Make no mistake, this line is going to be shut down for a while. It's a monster mess.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Re ... 95195.html

"Gary Fire Chief Theresa Everett said the 15-car pileup involving a CSX train and a South Shore train at Old Hobart Road and Atcheson Drive near U.S. 20 appears not to have any sort of hazardous materials on it."

Image from NBC:

You've got a coal train shoved off the CSS (goes from bottom right to top center, including bridge parallel to US12) down the lead to the CSX (you can see a coil car local on the lead in this map). There is a siding along CSX where coal trains are parked. Somehow the coal train and the TOFC came in contact and the result is this. In most pics the CSX locomotives are the TOFC train and the coal cars are empties being returned from CSS to CSX for another run to the mine. The meat of the accident is along the CSX main on the northerly main, center right in the map, above the trailer park

Map: http://binged.it/HBplE1





Notice the 40' trailers standing straight up on the right above the hoppers.

Was told by powers in J'ville, the mty hopper had some how been left in foul of the main. The E.Bd stack hit the mtys causing the mess. Damage to the front of the 5400 ES44 leader lends to support this scenario. From the overview on the Bing map, I see there is a crossover at about the location where you stated the pileup took place. Guess we'll see what they decide and wait for a press release.

I'd be willing to bet there'll be a track open through there today or tonight.

I heard the coal train shove happened to pick a switch... any confirmation on this?

have to wait for official reports, sounds plausible, or else SouthShore Freight pushed the loads a little too far.

Amazing:

From the Post-Tribune

One rail line opened about noon Monday, and the other was expected to open later Monday night, Groleau said.

Two CSX railroad employees suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from the hospital.

A spokesman for the SouthShore railroad said the company would not comment on the incident.

Considering the mess yesterday it is amazing that the line looks as well as it does in that picture.

From the NWI Times

Firefighters had to extricate two people, including a crew member who had a broken leg.

remember the UP coal train on the South Shore ripping miles of track, crews from all over came and helped repair the track, done in one day.

The "Post Tribune" article states that sources said the CSS hopper train derailed. Sounds like it split the switch. Typical practice now is to shove most anything with damage off to the side, and get the tracks back inservice. Insurance pays for the lost property, but that Out of Service main cost a lot more in lost revenue and/or detours, delayed delivery fines and such.