Train derailments

Spain Experiences its Worst Train Accident in 40 Years

An increase in train derailments was one of the first symptoms of the approach of Planet X to become noticeable, being expressed even before Planet X entered the inner solar system in 2003.

Planet X was described as affecting the Earth from afar, like tugging on the edge of a spider web where the effects are felt elsewhere on the web; in this way there has been an increase in earthquakes and unpredictable weather going back years, even before Planet X entered the solar system, due to the increased swirling of the Earth’s core.

It is therefore logical that an increase in train derailments would accompany any increase in seismic activity – train tracks need to be straight and even the slightest shift to the side of a section of track would cause a train to derail.

The area most affected by train derailments is the stretch zone. Stretch zone quakes are silent, and people are generally unaware anything is happening, although signs such as booms and trumpet sounds can occur.

This zone stretches from Western Europe across the Eurasian Plate, and also includes the South-East United States, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Red Sea and the African Rift.

In other parts of the world, shifting ground is more associated with earthquakes that people are aware of, such as the Pacific which is compressing, so authorities inspect railway tracks after any seismic activity, reducing the likelihood of accidents.

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Some Examples (click on pictures for link):

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Comment by Alice M. Haney on December 14, 2012 at 6:42am

Hi Folks,

I used to live just noth of there and was interested to note the earthquake on:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_al...

It is my opinion the tracks moved during the quake.

MAP

2.6

2012/12/13 02:10:24

32.548

-97.276

13.1

NORTHERN TEXAs

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on December 14, 2012 at 6:17am

http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20121213-tr...

Several cars from a BNSF Railway freight train derailed near Rector Rd and FM 156 in Sanger, Thursday, December 13, 2012, in Sanger, TX.

One crew offloaded boxes of M&M’s candies as another crew began clearing the track after the last two cars of a southbound BNSF Railway train derailed north of Krum at about 1:15 p.m. Thursday.

Krum firefighters responded to reports that refrigerant may have been leaking from one of the cars. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters found no spill or other hazardous materials, according to Capt. Brad Sebastian.

From the scene, it appeared that a worker may have thrown a switch early where the tracks go from one line to two, Sebastian said.

“The last two cars went to the left side while the rest of the train was on the right side,” Sebastian said. “It [the train] carried them slowly down the line until the curve and then it yanked right off.”

One car was overturned. The other car, while derailed, was still upright when firefighters arrived, he said.

Joe Faust, spokesman for BNSF, said the cause of the accident remains under investigation. The company had a team on scene to assess the situation.

“We don’t have an estimated time when the track will be reopened,” Faust said.

The company was already working on a plan to reroute some of its train traffic that would be affected by the line’s closure.

This is the second time this year a train has derailed near Krum.

On July 22, seven cars of a 37-car freight train heading southbound from Tulsa, Okla., to Fort Worth derailed near Krum Jackson Cemetery. That derailment damaged trees, but no injuries were reported.

Those cars were carrying sand.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on December 11, 2012 at 11:06pm

Train plunges into Amanzimtoti River, while six die in Mpumalanga bridge collapse (South Africa)

http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/2012/12/11/train-plunges-into-aman...

by Staff writer, December 11 2012, 15:59

DERAILED: The goods train lies partly submerged in the Amanzimtoti River on Tuesday morning. Picture: NETCARE 911

FOUR people were injured on Tuesday when a goods train carrying timber plunged into the Amanzimtoti River near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal emergency services said.

“The raging river has eroded the sand from under the train tracks, causing the train to plunge several metres into the torrential waters,” Netcare 911 spokesman Chris Botha said.

Paramedics arrived at the scene to find the four train staff members severely traumatised, cold and wet. “After they were stabilised on scene, medics transported them to the Netcare Kingsway hospital,” Mr Botha said.

Barry Gonin, director at forecast service Weather Intelligence Systems, said the heavy rainfall in KwaZulu-Natal had led to rising water levels, which caused the accident.

“Rivers were swelling but I am not sure if they passed their threshold. It was not rainfall directly that caused the accident but it was a contributing factor over a period of time,” he said.

Weather Intelligence Systems alerts Transnet Freight Rail of weather hazards so that it can slow down trains or repair tracks. However, the railway at the Amanzimtoti River was not a Transnet-owned track but was rented, limiting its capacity to intervene.

The Railway Safety Regulator has sent inspectors to the site of the incident. It said two locomotives and one wagon had derailed.

Meanwhile, 14 people died when a bridge on the R65 between Ermelo and Lothair collapsed in heavy rain on Monday night just before 9pm, the Mpumalanga department of community safety said.

“We have 14 people killed. The bridge was swept away and four cars just plunged into the water,” provincial safety spokesman Joseph Mabuza said.

The bridge was over a dry river bed but flash floods fill it with water when it rains heavily, Mr Mabuza said. He added that divers had completed their search as all missing people had been accounted for.

Weather warning

KwaZulu-Natal was on Tuesday still under a warning from the South African Weather Service for heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms, especially in the western parts of the province.

Severe weather continued to cause damage elsewhere in the province too.

Late on Monday, the homes of more than 300 people in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, which was hit by a massive hailstorm on Sunday, sustained further damage when a new storm moved into the area, a nongovernmental organisation said.

“It has been raining hard.... The plastic sheeting we provided to affected residents to seal their roofs has been blown away,” Al-Imdaad Foundation project co-ordinator Abed Karrim said. “The houses are being flooded. People are in a state of shock at the damage the storm is causing.”

Sunday night’s hailstorm, reportedly with “fist-sized” hail stones, tore through Ladysmith and surrounding areas such as Acaciavale, Ntombi’s Camp and Steadville.

The Al-Imdaad Foundation was distributing blankets and mattresses, and providing hot meals to those affected by the storms.

Earlier, co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Nomusa Dube said KwaZulu-Natal would need millions of rand to help those affected by hailstorms.

Ms Dube led a disaster management team to provide assistance to those left homeless on Monday.

“This was indeed an intense storm judging by the severity of damages,” she said. “We need everyone in the spirit of ubuntu to make a contribution ... it is time for humanity to unite.”

Bransby Bulo, a forecaster at the South African Weather Service, said on Tuesday morning that while conditions were rainy in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, improvements could be expected later in the week.

“Durban had 66mm of rain this morning and further south in Paddock was 120mm of rain,” he said. “We are expecting conditions to improve from today although it’s still cloudy, down from an 80% chance to a 60% chance of rain.

“In Mpumalanga it’s also cloudy at the moment with an 80% chance of showers and thundershowers later today. We are expecting an improvement from tonight.”

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on December 3, 2012 at 10:41pm: http://www.thelocal.se/44812/20121203/

Train derailment leaves fifteen injured

Published: 3 Dec 12 09:26 CET
Updated: 3 Dec 12 14:29 CET

A night train carrying 132 passengers north from Stockholm derailed near Sundsvall in northeastern Sweden on Monday morning, injuring fifteen people.

The six-carriage sleeper ran into problems outside Stöde station near Sundsvall, when two of the cars jumped off the tracks.

"I was sleeping when I heard a huge crash, then the train began shaking violently," passenger Andreas Jarskog told the Expressen newspaper.

The train had originated in Gothenburg and passed through the Swedish capital and was headed toward Östersund in northwestern Sweden.

About 40 passengers were in the two carriages that completely derailed. According to reports, they are leaning against an electricity pole next to the tracks.

Another two carriages on the train appear to have partially derailed.

"The carriages are evacuated of all but one person who has neck pain. We’ll be bringing that passenger out once we have a protective neck brace in place,” emergency services spokesperson Ellinor Fransson told Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.

Buses have replaced trains on the Torpshammer-Sundsvall part of the track, the Swedish Transport Authority (Trafikverket) said on its website, which added that normal rail traffic on the line won't likely resume until Wednesday afternoon.

"The train has torn up quite a bit of the track, so that must be replaced," Transport Authority spokeswoman Monica Näslund told the TT news agency.

Comment by Howard on November 30, 2012 at 3:19pm: New Jersey Bridge Collapse Derails Freight Train; Causes Toxic Chemical Spill (Nov 30) -

slideshow

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/30/us-usa-train-derailment-i...

A railroad bridge collapsed on Friday over a creek in southern New Jersey, causing a Conrail freight train to derail and spill hazardous chemicals into the air and water, authorities said.

Seven of the 82 cars derailed, and a tanker car that fell into Mantua Creek leaked vinyl chloride into the waterway, which feeds into the Delaware River near Philadelphia, said Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

More than 12,000 gallons (45,425 liters) of the highly toxic and flammable industrial chemical leaked from a gash in the car's side, local officials said.

Twenty-two people were examined at a nearby hospital as a precaution and were doing fine, said Larry Ragonese, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Ragonese said the health danger and environmental impact were minimal.

"Initially there was a release of gas into the air that affected some nearby residents and people working right in that area," he said.

Air quality monitors in the area did not register any problem, said Lawrence Hajna, also with the DEP. "All the levels are coming in within our safety range."

Exposure to vinyl chloride can cause a burning sensation in the eyes or respiratory discomfort, the DEP said.

The accident took place at about 7 a.m. EST (1200 GMT) in Paulsboro. Area residents initially were told to stay indoors, with windows shut, and local schools were closed.

The leak was contained and no longer posed a threat, and authorities were using booms to trap the chemical in the water, Ragonese said.

At the scene, one of the freight cars was nearly vertical, nose-down and partly submerged in the creek. Other cars lay jumbled on the collapsed bridge and the embankment.

"It's part of living in Paulsboro, with refineries and trains. We accept it," said resident John Diamond, 53, who was taking photographs.

The area is thick with chemical plants, and two refineries, PBF Energy's Paulsboro and NuStar's Asphalt, are nearby.

TANK "BREACHED

The head of the Gloucester County, New Jersey, Office of Emergency Management, Tom Butts, said the leaking tanker car in the water had a tear in it, and the tank was "breached."

About half of its contents leaked out, he said.

The tank was carrying some 25,000 gallons (94,635 liters) of the chemical, said John Burzichelli, a state assemblyman and former mayor of Paulsboro.

"When you live between two oil refineries, you have a sense that these things can happen," he said.

Locals fish and go crabbing and jet-ski in the creek in the warm months, Diamond said.

Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, said improved safety procedures, inspection, enforcement and oversight are needed to help prevent such accidents.

"This time it was ... vinyl chloride. What if it was chlorine?" he said, referring to a chemical that is extremely dangerous if inhaled and has the potential to explode.

Also, he said there is no mechanism to alert communities to what kinds of chemicals trains are carrying through the states.

The cause of the accident was undetermined. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, and members of the agency arrived at the scene mid-afternoon.

NTSB's chairwoman said four out of the five train cars that were on the bridge when it collapsed landed in the creek, and two other cars rolled onto the embankment.

"We have requested a great deal of information from the railroad" as part of the investigation, Hersman said.

Conrail said the train consisted of two locomotives, 82 rail cars and one caboose.

"We very much regret the impact on the local community," said Conrail spokesman John Enright, who was at the scene. "We will be working very closely with federal investigators to determine the cause."

New Jersey State Senate President Steve Sweeney, also on the scene, said a nearby homeowner reported hearing a "loud bang" from the bridge about two days ago. Burzichelli said Conrail had come out to examine it in response.

Conrail is jointly owned by rail operators CSX Corp and Norfolk Southern Corp.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 28, 2012 at 8:12pm

Hunter-bound coal train derails Save

By IAN KIRKWOOD

Nov. 28, 2012, 10:33 p.m.

A cleanup is underway tonight after a full-laden coal train derailed in spectacular fashion from a bridge near Boggabri this afternoon. Photo: Keith Millerd, Northern Daily Leader

A LOADED coal train on its way to Newcastle was derailed just south of Boggabri at about 2.45pm on Wednesday.

The accident resulted in five or six laden coal wagons plummeting off a bridge from elevated stanchions over a creek about 800 metres outside of the town.

Photographs show the bridge to be badly damaged and it is expected to take some time to repair the structure.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation, which has responsibility for the coal rail lines, said an investigation was under way.

The driver was apparently unhurt in the accident and Barwon local area command police attended the scene.

Passengers on board a CountryLink service from Sydney to Moree were put on a bus from Werris Creek as a result.

Passenger services will continue by bus until the tracks are fixed.

The Boggabri derailment is the latest in a series of coal train accidents this year on the lines into Newcastle.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1152548/hunter-bound-coal-train-d...

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 16, 2012 at 8:29pm

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S2836738.shtml?cat=300

Train derails in the Berkshires

Posted at: 11/15/2012 10:35 PM | Updated at: 11/16/2012 12:53 AM

HOUSATONIC - Great Barrington Police say no one was hurt when a freight train derailed shortly before 7 p.m. on Front Street in the town of Housatonic.

A total of 17 cars went off the tracks, with one resting against the Soul Tube Music Studio building.

Police say there is no concern about hazardous materials, and there's no major structural damage.

The northbound train, with 43 cars, originated in Caanan, Connecticut and was headed for Pittsfield at about 10 miles per hour, when it ran off the tracks, sending sparks into the air, and shearing off part of the roof on top of Robby Baier's studio at 168 Front Street, while his wife, Carol, was inside.

"She said, "It was as loud as usual but suddenly it got louder and louder and louder," Baier said. "It got to the point where she knew something was wrong and our dog suddenly jumped up."

Baier says he bought the building about twelve years ago, a building that dates back to the 1850s, when it served as the Housatonic train station.

Police at the scene say most of the cars, including at least four tankers that usually transport ethanol, were empty. Some of the cars were hauling trash.

"I guess we were just lucky," Baier stated. "We should also put it in perspective. This isn't Hurricane Sandy where people are much worse off then this and are facing insurmountable hardships."

Comment by Howard on November 11, 2012 at 7:25pm: Passenger Train Derails in Iran, Leaving 4 Dead and 26 Injured (Nov 10) -
Several cars of a train carrying 324 people from the city of Zahedan to Tehran derailed and overturned near the city of Yazd. The accident killed 4 people and injured 26, IRNA agency said on Saturday. One of the persons killed was a passenger, the other three were the train drivers. Train derailments are rare in Iran.

Sources
http://en.trend.az/news/incident/2086214.html
http://www.ubalert.com/Bo3

Comment by KM on November 10, 2012 at 1:23am: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20272264

Burma (aka Myanmar), SE Asia

Burma train crash and fire kills 25 (Nov 9)

Dozens of people were injured in the accident

A train carrying petrol has derailed and burst into flames in northern Burma, killing at least 25 people and injuring dozens more.

The information ministry said many of the dead and injured were villagers trying to collect spilled fuel.

The train was travelling from Mandalay to Myitkyina in the north, near the border with China.

No explanation has been given for the accident, but Burma's railways are in poor condition after years of neglect.

Officials told the BBC Burmese service that three wagons overturned and burst into flames.

There were seven wagons carrying petrol and two more of diesel, officials said.

The ministry posted images on its website of burnt-out wagons and what appeared to be charred bodies.

The train came off the rails near Kantbalu, a town some 500 miles (800km) north of the main city, Rangoon.

The number of people killed in the accident was unclear. The government said 25 people died and 62 people were injured.

But emergency officials told the BBC that more than 80 were wounded, and that 27 had been killed.

Two people died after being transferred to hospital, emergency officials said.

Moderator Comment: Note this tragic train derailment occurred in Myanmar just a day before the powerful 6.8 earthquake centered 500 miles to the north. (Yangon aka Rangoon)

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 9, 2012 at 3:07pm: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-cta-derailmen...

Cause of derailment unknown.

6:38 a.m. CST, November 9, 2012

2 hurt when Orange Line train derails in rail yard

Orange Line derailment (WGN-TV / November 9, 2012)

Two people suffered minor injuries when a CTA train derailed in the Orange Line rail yard at Midway Airport Friday morning, officials said

The train derailed around 2:30 a.m. in the 4600 block of West 59th Street, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

"There were no passengers in the train, they were just laying it up in the yard," CTA spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis said.

The train wasn't in service and the accident won't affect morning commuters, she said. The cause of the derailment wasn't known.