Derailment at Brassau, ME

JayBee wrote: ↑Tue Apr 18, 2023 11:28 pm

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Apr 17, 2023 1:23 pm
Oh and finally Mr. NHV, within the industry, this emergency response service is not known as "Hulcher Vultures" for nothing.

In this case it looks like one of Hulcher's competitors did the clean up.

Cranemasters https://www.cranemasters.com/

Mr. JayBee, "back in my day" Hulcher had a systemwide contract with the MILW (and with the all too much of the MILW being - let's call it - FRA Class 0) they were kept busy . Yes I know there are others such as RJ Corman, who I believe bought out Isringhausen.

In the Hearst television d/b/a news center Maine video, the fire chief said if the crew hadn’t been able to get themselves out they would have probably not made it. And they saw the washout but too late to stop. So what’s the solution, inspection drones ahead of trains? And did the lead engine actually burn such that crew would have died? Presumably the cab gave adequate protection in the impact.

[/quote]
Mr. JayBee, "back in my day" Hulcher had a systemwide contract with the MILW (and with the all too much of the MILW being - let's call it - FRA Class 0) they were kept busy . Yes I know there are others such as RJ Corman, who I believe bought out Isringhausen.
[/quote]

If you go to Cranemasters website history you will see they were founded by the Isringhausen family in 1986 .---

https://www.cranemasters.com/about/

Well, this 81yo, who has not seen a railroad paycheck since 1981, still "lives and learns".

Wi.th all this talk about who did what. Have the engines been recovered from the washout? Are there any pictures or videos of any of the work done to get the line opened?

From the photos circulated it would appear those '70's will yield some salvageable parts.

Return to revenue service? Don't think so.

With the Class I's having so many engines just sitting as "stored", the days of the PRR returning GG-1 4876 to revenue service after the Jan '53 incident at Wash are gone.

fromway wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 10:48 amHave the engines been recovered from the washout?

Two of the three were scrapped on site. The derailment wasn't close to Route 6, so probably unlikely for photos unless someone from one of the recovery crews took one. Especially given the area had plenty of RR police coverage.

Article in Bangor Daily News today, 4/22/23, has an article about state DEP officials criticizing the cleanup of the derailment site. Specifically they site that the 500 gal fuel tank on one of the engines was not pumped out before the engine was salvaged and the leaking of diesel fuel into a nearby stream and eventually into a lake. Maine DEP was not happy with what steps taken to keep the fuel from entering the waterways. They also complained about the non movement of hazardous material carrrying cars not moved away from the site as quickly as they would have wished. The cleanup of the site continues per the article.

The cleanup after the derailment is not proceeding at the pace that Maine DEP was anticipating. Many complaints about erosion and leaking oil and fuel contaminating a "pristine" stream has now gotten the community and outdoor enthusiasts involved. Reports that the centerbeams have been chopped up and removed from the area, but the three locomotives are still there waiting to be salvaged/removed from the area. Access to the site over local/forest roads is hindering the cleainup.

CPKC got spanked by I believe the land use commission as well. They destroyed several roads during the clean up and "fixed" them by dumping small rip rap and 1 inch ballast in the muddy spots. They finally got around to paying the local ground contractor to finish fixing Demo Road last month before the first snow. I believe the report on the derailment found CPKC to be at fault, having not run a high water patrol ahead of the train which seems to be a common issue (October 2022 derailment and a near miss with another washout in Greenville in December).