Major Derailment in Hyndman PA

mmi16 wrote:

litz wrote:Attempting to pull that train with multiples of applied hand brakes certainly didn't help anything, either.

That's basically just asking for a clothesline result on a tight curve.

Releasing all the hand brake is asking for a runaway. Train achieved 30 MPH WITH the 33 hand brakes applied and required the use of dynamic brakes 3 times. As I read the report it wasn't a 'string line' derailment but a buff force derailment as the tonnage behind the first car to derail force at least 1 wheel set to climb the rail and derail. Trailing tonnage pushing the car off the track.

DIdn't I read something here recently where helpers were no longer being used?

Those can act as braking/retarding force too ...

Also makes me wonder if some of the fancier "electronic brake" technologies would have assisted here.

litz wrote:Also makes me wonder if some of the fancier "electronic brake" technologies would have assisted here.

ECP braking requires all the cars to be so equipped. Until there is a major project to convert large portions of the nation's fleet, its use will be limited to selected trains where the equipment is available.

ECP("P-wire")for now is installed on some unit train type consists,in some cases is still in development type testing.