M8 Collision in Bridgeport

[DutchRailnut]

actually you do, at insulated joints and at expansion joints, rail can only be CWR for certain distance.

[Freddy]

actually you do, at insulated joints and at expansion joints, rail can only be CWR for certain distance.

I know that, I played a being an asst. foreman for a month on one of the two rail gangs that the Seaboard had back in the 80s. And I'm glad it was only a month.

[freightguy]

It is a sideswipe collision the most common type that both freight and passenger trains are involved in the United States. Two phases the derailment was first of course...

[runningwithscalpels]

I rode 9310 last Sunday on the way to the Parade of Trains. It still had that new train smell. Shame.

I can only hope that new train smell is a lot better than that old train smell!!!

Well, it smelled cleaner than the "older" M8 I took back to Bridgeport that night (mmmm dirty feet).

Am I the only one who thinks that the old cars have their own unique stink about them?

[LocoCam]

Maybe they should wait for all the facts are in before filing lawsuits. I imagine quite a few passengers will sue to.

Freight employees have to sue company to cover medical expenses, IDK if metro is same.

[DutchRailnut]

Correct railroads , do not have workers compensation, their governed under Federal Employee liability Act (FELA).
and under FELA its either sue or get nothing, including payment of medical bills.

http://ezinearticles.com/?FELA---Federa ... 8&id=56574

[bigK]

I came across this interesting article about how the new FRA strucural safety specs that the M8's were built to helped save lives and how that 1987 crash in MD? between an Amtrak train and a Conrail freight train was what led to the new crash worthiness specs - nothing in the article about that horific MNRR crash on the NHL just before this crash?,in the early days of the MNRR

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-2 ... lives.html

the new FRA crash worthiness specs in brief - FRA 49 CFR part 238:

800,000 Pound Compressive End Load Strength
300,000 Pound Cab Corner Post Strength
500,000 Pound Cab Collision Post Strength
100,000 Pound Cab Anti-Climbing Mechanism

[ACeInTheHole]

Yes it was Chase, Maryland.

[NH2060]

nothing in the article about that horific MNRR crash on the NHL just before this crash?,in the early days of the MNRR

The Mount Vernon crash happened the following year.

[Tommy Meehan]

There were a whole series of collisions where the NTSB identified the crashworthiness of commuter cars as an important factor. That led to an FRA study and, eventually, new standards.

The MARC-Amtrak collision in Silver Spring Maryland in 1996 was an important part of this as well. In that crash eleven lives were lost. The NTSB found that several of the victims survived the initial impact but then were killed in the subsequent fire. This was because the structural damage of the lead passenger coach (the MARC cab car) made it impossible for the occupants to escape. The end doors were crumpled and jammed shut and they were unable to open the emergency windows

That appeared to me to be an important feature of the Fairfield crash. Despite several of the cars being heavily damaged it appeared the doors could still be opened.

In the NTSB report for the MARC-Amtrak collision in Silver Spring (link) investigators said when they reported the emergency windows could not be opened, at first MARC officials doubted that was true. The NTSB had a MARC official go into a coach and try and pull open the emergency exit window. The rubber sealing around the window was so weather-rotted the MARC official found, to his surprise, he could not get the window out.

Following that crash Metro-North and all other commuter agencies had to inspect the emergency exit windows in all cars. They were also required to put instructions on the interior door control cabinets (how to open the sliding doors by hand in an emergency) and use fluorescent paint. I vividly remember seeing that happen.

The M8s appear to be very well-designed and the engineers who designed them should be high-fiving one another! They probably are.

[gmbfly98]

http://www.ntsb.gov/news/2013/130524b.html

All that damage done to the two trains, and that was at less than 70mph closure rate. It certainly gives one an appreciation for the amount of energy involved. It also sounds like both engineers likely had a role in preventing more injuries, and they and the crew should be commended.

[Freddy]

Associated Press has just reported that the NTSB is having Metro North do an inspection and inventory of all joint bars.

[Tommy Meehan]

CT Post is also carrying a news report about the NTSB's preliminary conclusions.

Initial information obtained from the onboard data recorders indicate that the eastbound train derailed, came to a stop, and was struck about 20 seconds later by the westbound train, the announcement said.

During an interview, the engineer of the eastbound train told investigators that he observed something not right with the track ahead as he approached the Interstate 95 overpass, and that his train had ground to a halt before being struck, according to the announcement.

Link

[DutchRailnut]

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/ar ... 546151.php

[Tommy Meehan]

In a Stamford Advocate article published Wednesday -- link -- there was a description of the accident happening as described by the engineer of the westbound train.

[Lawyer George] Cahill said the engineer of the westbound train told him he threw an emergency brake right after seeing the catenary wires on the adjacent track get pulled down and a thick cloud of dust and smoke just ahead. "A moment after he saw the catenary wire come down, he could not see the eastbound train derailed as he was going through all that dust, and debris in the air," Cahill said of the westbound engineer. "He had no idea what he was going to hit."

Cahill said he believes the third car on the eastbound train was probably the first to derail. "They are all pretty traumatized by the incident, and it's also a very violent and frightening experience," Cahill said.

That sounds like a very scary experience. See the wire come down, as you barrel into a huge cloud of dust (remember the Youtube video?) with no idea what you're about to ram into. Wow! Not fun.