Sand Patch derailment 02/05/10

This came across on another list. Anyone have any further details on a coal train derailment overnight on Sand Patch grade? Snow storm makes cleaning up another issue.

BALTIMORE DIVISION - KEYSTONE SUBDIVISION D/R U88303 0215 02/06
AT 0255 THE GENERAL MANAGER ADVISED THAT THE U88303 WITH 2 ENGINES AND 130 LOADS OF COAL LOST CONTROL OF THERE TRAIN GOING DOWN A DECLINE AND THEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR TRAIN DERAILING AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF CARS BEHIND THEM. THERE ARE WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AND AT LEAST A COUPLE OF FEET OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. THERE ARE NO INJURIES TO THE CREW AND THEY DID SEE EIGHT CARS IN A PILEUP BEHIND THE TRAIN BUT DO TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY HAVE A HARD TIME LOOKING OVER THE REST OF THE TRAIN. ONE DIVISION CORMAN AND ONE DIVISION OF HULCHER HAVE BEEN ORDERED BUT THE WEATHER COULD HINDER CLEAN UP. THE DERAILMENT IS IN MEYERSDALE, PA BETWEEN THE MP BF 201.2 AND BF 203.5 AND THERE IS A CREEK THAT RUNS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TRACK THAT MAY BE IMPACTED. ALL NOTIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE INCLUDING THE NRC WITH REPORT # 930642 GIVEN TO PETTY OFFICER DOVE AT 0335. BOTH MAINS ARE BLOCKED UNTIL CLEARED.
0821: UPDATE - PSCC REPORTS ROADMASTER NELMS REPORTS AT LEAST 4 COAL CARS IN RIVER AND 17 ADDITIONAL DERAILED REAR OF TRAIN IN GENERAL PILE UP.

I heard that 50 cars were derailed, this from some NS guys in Buffalo making fun of CSX.

And yet another side to the story, courtesy of the csx sightings yahoo group user bill davis.

I give all credit to this post to the Philly Sub group...but CSX has had
a major boo-boo on Sandpatch in PA...U883 has derailed 113 cars out of
132 cars between mp 201 and 203 engines 50-565 and ok and the crew is
safe...

Bill

All I am going to say is that it is insane to try to run a 130 car loaded coal train with two engines in the type of weather
conditions that were apparently in process over a major mountain grade. My sympathy to the crews who have to endure
this type of operation.
This train if it HAD to operate and maybe it did should have been broken up into three sections with two good six motor
units on each, they could have made it and it would have cost a lot less than this will.
Noel Weaver

Just to add to what Noel said, here's a quote from a CSX engineer from another forum about the situation.....

"This is why operating rules that attempt to mandate "primary" use of the dynamic brakes, coupled with discipline that inhibits newer engineers from ever learning how to properly manage the automatic, are inherently unsafe. But then, what do you expect from carriers that endow individuals with practically no experience with authority over veteran engineers, and demand that those supervisors consistently find fault with something, no matter how trivial? But these same individuals can't do the job that the rank and file do every day. What value can they possibly add to the service? What a profoundly unwise and foolish misallocation of resources. How long can an industry survive when those that are running it have completely abandoned any semblance of a rational purpose? Sure, things can roll along for a time, but at some point the slack has got to run out and expose this nonsense for what it is. "

Not to compare apples to oranges, but in visits to Altoona, and Horsehoe Curve, I don't ever recall seeing a heavy train that didn't have at least 2 helpers for both power and braking, and many times, two in front and two on the rear.

While looking for additional information,

From a local paper in Fairhope:

http://www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2 ... ews252.txt

So when do you think this will be cleared up? I'm on 30 on 2/11 and am watching the whole thing on several threads.

I would expect a couple days to reopen atleast one line with panel track. Difficult area, weather, and big mess.

From ShipCSX.com:

CSX Service Bulletin: Feb. 8 Winter Weather and Derailment Update
CSX train and yard operations throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are being affected by the severe winter weather that the area has experienced over the last several days. Another storm system is moving into the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic later this week, bringing more snow and high winds to these areas. Trains are being held throughout the Northeast, including the Baltimore Division where only critical service is being provided due to the heavy accumulations of snow and unsafe conditions.
Customers with traffic moving throughout the Northern, Mid-Atlantic and Appalachian regions should expect delays of at least 24 to 48 hours.
Adding to the difficulty in the Northeast, a train derailment on Saturday morning near Cumberland, Md., has forced the reroute of trains around that area. We expect to have the tracks operational within the next 36 hours. Customers with traffic moving between the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic states of Maryland and Pennsylvania are advised to expect additional delays throughout the week due to the congestion resulting from these re-routes and the adverse weather conditions.
CSX continues to monitor these situations and will provide further updates.

Q17406 was 32 hours late into North Bergen. Q17407 was about 12 hours late into Bergen. L17405 is curently in Philly running about 65 hours late. Q74005 is about 4 days late ( South of Philly still). Q74007 is 2 days late, but close behind Q74005.

wolf, how has this derailment affected the riverline sub?

Mostly the delays I reported were from the snow. The RF&P was shut down. There is a X56908 and R13008 curently on the River Sub heading south as detour trains. Although I'm getting a report of a derailment on the River Sub at MP19.......

ckwwestshore wrote:I heard that 50 cars were derailed, this from some NS guys in Buffalo making fun of CSX.

Well, I hate to say it, gentlemen, but ALL us NS folks used to make fun of CSX. They are notorious for "deferred maintenance"! All railroads have derailments, but on the East Coast, CSX seems to have the most derailments. In the days when I was still working Yard and agency assignments, when we heard that there was a derailment *somewhere*, but didn't know what road, we'd say, "well CSX is doing it again!" We called them "the Slo Board Clothesline" (after the old Seaboard which has carried on the CSX tradition), or "The Derailment Road"! . Or "You can pick up your freight HERE! (wherever the derailment occurred)

Now in all honesty, Weather could be a factor--which is pure speculation on my part. Packed snow in switches and turnouts CAN derail cars. When i was an agent, I was working at a local outlying station just after there had been a snowstorm. I got a call from the local switcher on the radio that they were "on the ground" at "Broad Street". Going out there, I found that a car had climbed a switch, became uncoupled and trundled across the street, stopping against the sidewalk! No real damage, except it chipped a chunk out of the sidewalk where it landed. The Trainmaster arrived and called for a backhoe to pull the car back to the ROW where it could be re-railed. Cause? Ice in the grooves between the track and the street where the track crossed over. The car simply climbed up out of the grooves, and because the street was slightly slanted, the car followed the 'hill" over to the other side of the street!

Reminds me of one of the reasons I wouldn't want to be a Trainmaster. I've seen them out in 10 degree WX chipping ice out of switches in snow blowing sideways!! BRRRRRRRRR!


GF