Here's the scoop on the runaway car/collision at CP-5... The previous evening(sat 5/28), a northbound stack train got a "hit" on the high car detector at MP-7(just south of the Rte 80 overpass), and stopped their train between CP-7 and 10. the car was then set out( after a visual inspection confirmed the car was indeed in excess of normal clearances) off of track 1 (the former controlled siding between CP 7 and 10 until the tracks were reconfigured a few years ago) into a siding located between MP 8 and MP 9. The train then was reassembled and continued north. Apparently the containers in the one well of this five bucket stack car were not seated properly, and the alarm was triggered.
Sunday afternoon/evening a yard crew came up to pick up the car and bring it back to either north Bergen or Little ferry where the necessary adjustments would be made. The picked up the car and set itb out on track 1. They then went north to CP-10, and then reversed down track 2 from CP-10 to CP-5 where they crossed back over to track 1. the intention was to run around the car, grab it from the south end, and then pull it south. Some time during this move, the car started to roll south. It should be noted that there is a pretty decent grade from MP 6.5(Mt Vernon St, Ridgefield Park) to approx MP 9.6, where Rte 4 goes overhead. the car rolled over two crossings, (Ft lee Rd pedestrian crossing and Mt Vernon Street) past signal 7S, into the interlocking at CP-5, and right into the north unit of the two units the yard crew was using to make the run around move. impact was estimated at near or above 25 MPH. The south end of the stack which struck the locomotive(HLCX 6090, now buried in North bergen) was heavily damaged, and the locomotive involved also took a beating. Fortunately no one was hurt, and an investigation is still ongoing. As ther locals in Teaneck are at odds with the railroad, and there has been vandlaism against trains in the past up there, plus given the crerw's experience, there are those who tend to think that vandalism had a large part to play in this. as noted, an investigation is ongoing, but most importantly, no one was hurt.
Sunday afternoon/evening a yard crew came up to pick up the car and bring it back to either north Bergen or Little ferry where the necessary adjustments would be made. The picked up the car and set itb out on track 1. They then went north to CP-10, and then reversed down track 2 from CP-10 to CP-5 where they crossed back over to track 1. the intention was to run around the car, grab it from the south end, and then pull it south. Some time during this move, the car started to roll south. It should be noted that there is a pretty decent grade from MP 6.5(Mt Vernon St, Ridgefield Park) to approx MP 9.6, where Rte 4 goes overhead. the car rolled over two crossings, (Ft lee Rd pedestrian crossing and Mt Vernon Street) past signal 7S, into the interlocking at CP-5, and right into the north unit of the two units the yard crew was using to make the run around move. impact was estimated at near or above 25 MPH. The south end of the stack which struck the locomotive(HLCX 6090, now buried in North bergen) was heavily damaged, and the locomotive involved also took a beating. Fortunately no one was hurt, and an investigation is still ongoing. As ther locals in Teaneck are at odds with the railroad, and there has been vandlaism against trains in the past up there, plus given the crerw's experience, there are those who tend to think that vandalism had a large part to play in this. as noted, an investigation is ongoing, but most importantly, no one was hurt.
I know I'm getting old... My insurance company sent me only half a calendar this year!
