Train derails after striking oversize load

A train moving as fast as that one was going will take anywhere from 1 to 2 MILES to bring to a stop-and that’s if the engineer throws it into emergency mode!
I’d like to know how long the oversize was hung up on the crossing,that will one of the determining factors in the investigation. And the speed the train was going if you can hear the train horn then it was already too late!
I counted 4 locomotives in that lash up during the derailment,which means that was a long heavy consist,that’s definitely going to take over a mile to bring it to a stop in an emergency situation.
At best, the oversize probably only had maybe 10-15 minutes (if they were lucky) to contact Union Pacific to tell them to stop the train.

 

The cops are going to be in trouble on this one. The wind mill project they got going thru there is police escorted. The rr is supposed to be notified by them when the trucks are crossing thru there to slow trains down.

 

Its already looking like its going to be a long going blame game much like the Uvalde School shooting has been. The community is still trying to get the lily livered cops that let those gets die punished.

 

With a load like that, U.P. should have been notified prior to the move and a U.P. agent should have been on site to give the transport co. the "OK" to cross with enough time in the event of an issue.

 

Yes, jumping should throw the signals red. Whether a hung up trailer would do so is a matter of geometry. Most of the time it'd hang on approach, and catch on the leading edge of the with the tail of the trailer downhill,. That angle would most likely mean contact with only the initial rail, with the stiffness of the trailer keeping it from contact with the other. Even if you draped a trailer evenly, there's still the variable of the railhead height above grade. If it's flush or slightly below grade, the frame wouldn't ever touch the rail.

Based on the number of impact videos we see, it would appear that "no contact" is fairly common, although one would have to spend time reading NTSB reports to verify.

Another point to ponder: that didn't jerk the truck around like one would expect. Makes you wonder if something was unlatched, trying to save the tractor, when they saw the inbound train.

 

I hadn't thought of that, but it may have saved a couple of lives, along with a lot of other options.

 

It did wiggle it pretty good though, so it must not have been completely detached.

Something as simple as two guys, a string line, and a couple of carpenter squares or grade rods could have been used to see if it would clear prior to giving it a try.

 

Heard that too. If it turns out to be true then a lot of people are going to be in major #### over that.

 

That is my question. The pole car did not s

Would jumper cables work if that's all I had ?

 

Someone help me. Can anyone see what was the trailer configuration?