Train derailments

[Starr DiGiacomo]

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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some Examples (click on pictures for link):

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.13abc.com/content/news/Train-derails-overnight-in-Seneca...

Train derails overnight in Seneca County

Posted: Tue 9:44 AM, Jan 23, 2018

SENECA COUNTY, Ohio (WTVG) - A spokesperson with Norfolk Southern tells 13abc that a train derailed Monday night in Seneca County.

It happened around 10:45 PM near Republic, about 10 miles south of Bellevue.

Jonathan Glass with Norfolk Southern says that the train was westbound on the tracks hauling shipping containers full of consumer goods. He says the derailment happened in an rural area, and no crossings were affected. Glass also says that no hazardous materials were involved, and there was no immediate impact on public safety.

No one was hurt, and Glass says that the cause remains under investigation.

According to the railroad company:

"The train consisted of three locomotives and 53 rail cars loaded with intermodal shipping containers en route to Chicago. The train was 10,284 feet long and weighed 11,723 tons. An intermodal train like this one transports a mix of consumer goods, which could include clothing, white goods like washing machines, electronics, and food items."

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5295609/Train-derails-Sydne...

'It's like a bloodbath': Up to 16 passengers are injured as a train derails after smashing into a barricade at '50 to 70kmh' in major incident at Sydney's Richmond station

• Up to 16 people have been injured and three were trapped on the crashed train
• Two people are severely injured, train carriages were left splattered with blood
• The suburban train reportedly hit barrier at Richmond Station, northwest Sydney
• Rescue helicopters and emergency services have been dispatched to the scene 

Up to 16 people have been injured after a train overshot and hit a barricade in Sydney's north on Monday morning.

The suburban train hit a safety barrier at Richmond station at the end of the T1 Western Line, in the city's north-west, about 10am.

Three people were freed after being trapped in the front carriage, but Fire and Rescue NSW personnel remain on the scene.

Some of the injured passengers were carried off the blood-splattered train on stretchers, while others treated by paramedics outside the station.

An injured rail worker was among the people treated by paramedics after Monday's crash

 

A 70-year-old woman has been taken to Westmead Hospital for treatment and two others have been transported to Nepean.

Witnesses have described a scene of chaos, with the train apparently hitting the buffer at the end of the line 'at speed'. 

Brett, who witnessed the crash, told Fairfax he saw the train smash into the barrier at 50 to 70 kilometres per hour.

I witnessed all the people through the window, they were just flying through the air,' he said. 

'I was straight onto the train as soon as I seen people were injured ... I walked through and seen the blood everywhere. There is absolutely blood everywhere, it's a big hit. 

'Inside the train is like a bloodbath. All the dividers in between the carriages are smashed, completely crushed flat on every single one, that's how fast it was going.' 

Fire and Rescue New South Wales had one crew on the scene within minutes and six more on route to the crash, described by emergency services as a 'major incident'.

'Paramedics are currently responding to a train incident at Richmond. Triple Zero (000) call came in just before 10am,' a  statement from NSW Ambulance said.

'Initial reports suggests 10 patients are being assessed for minor injuries and 2 patients for more severe injuries.

'Seventeen NSW Ambulance resources are responding as well as three rescue helicopters.' 

Reported injuries include a hip injury, spinal injuries, a collarbone injury, possible leg injuries and cuts and bruises.

A rail union official said: 'Richmond is a dead-end line and there is just a buffer stop at the end of the rail line, and he has hit it by the sounds of it.'

He said most of the injured had suffered 'bumps and bruises', indicating the collision occurred at slow speed, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. 

Witnesses claim the train failed to stop as it pulled into the station, hitting a barrier at the end of the platform before falling off the tracks.

Pictures from the scene show considerable damage caused to both the inside and outside of the train, as well as to the platform.

The station is the final stop on the Richmond line and all trains on the line to Central.

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Sydney Trains CEO Howard Collins said the incident will be investigated but it was too early to say what caused the crash.

'I understand that the train on Platform 2 at Richmond has hit the buffers pretty hard,' he said.

'It is a Waratah train, it is one of our new trains, so we'll have a lot of good information about the train but it is too early to say.

'My first thoughts are those people who have suffered some sort of injury. We don't believe any of those are life threatening or serious.' 

 

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.houston-today.com/news/cn-train-derails-near-new-hazelton/

CN train derails near New Hazelton

CN reports no injuries or dangerous goods involved

• Jan. 19, 2018 1:30 a.m.

Crews responded to a train derailment involving several cars near New Hazelton last Friday.

The incident involving 27 cars pulled by a westbound coal train happened at about 8 a.m. A CN spokesperson said in an email that there were no reports of injuries and no dangerous goods involved.

She added that emergency response crews and environmental teams were responding to assess the situation and begin a clean-up.

The derailment happened near the Hwy. 16 overpass, but no crossings were blocked. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.

On Dec. 8, 2017, another CN train derailed about 50 km north of Smithers. There were no injuries. According to CN, the multiple cars that were derailed were empty, and there were no spills or environmental issues.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/at-least-5-killed-as-freight-train-...

At Least 5 Killed As Freight Train Derails In Mexico City Suburb

Authorities are removing debris and more victims will probably be found, the State of Mexico prosecutor's office said.

World | Reuters | Updated: January 19, 2018 04:40 IST

At Least 5 Killed As Freight Train Derails In Mexico City Suburb

The train, which was transporting grain, crashed in Ecatepec, a large municipality in the State of Mexico

Mexico City:  A train derailed in a densely populated Mexico City suburb on Thursday morning, killing at least five people, authorities said.
The train, which was transporting grain, crashed in Ecatepec, a large municipality in the State of Mexico that forms part of the urban sprawl extending from the capital.
After the train ran off the tracks shortly before 6 a.m., one of its cars careened into a residential area, killing five people, the Communications and Transportation Ministry said in a statement.
Authorities are removing debris and more victims will probably be found, the State of Mexico prosecutor's office said.
The train belonged to Kansas City Southern's Mexican unit, the ministry said.
In a statement, railroad and terminals operator Ferrovalle, which is part owned by Kansas

City Southern de Mexico, lamented the accident, the causes of which were still unknown.

Ferrovalle said it and Kansas City Southern de Mexico would work with authorities to find out what happened and prevent it from occurring again.
The Mexican regulator for railway transport will investigate the accident, the ministry said.
"The government of Ecatepec sends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and reiterates its support in this difficult moment," Mayor Indalecio Rios wrote on Twitter.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/second-prasa-train-derails-...

Second Prasa train derails in Germiston

2018-01-17 19:12

Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng said the cause of a train crash in Germiston, Gauteng would be investigated, following a collision between two trains on Tuesday that left 200 people injured. Watch. WATCH

Johannesburg - A second Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) train was derailed between Pretoria and Germiston in Gauteng on Wednesday.

The train was derailed after clamps were stolen that keep the track attached to the sleepers, according to United National Transport Union (UNTU) general secretary Steve Harris.

"Fortunately, nobody was injured. We are very grateful for that, but it could have been fatal to both the train crew and commuters," said Harris.

This incident comes only eight days after two trains collided at the train station in Geldenhuys, Germiston where at least 200 commuters were injured.

Another train crash claimed the lives of 19 people in Kroonstad on January 5, 2018.

[M. Difato]

Emergency crews respond to train derailment in Giles County

 http://www.wvnstv.com/virginia-news/emergency-crews-respond-to-trai...

 GILES COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ7) Emergency crews are responding to what law enforcement officers call a "hazmat situation," following a train derailment in the Eggleston community of Giles County.

Giles County 911 director John Davis tells WDBJ7 a train derailed Monday morning (Jan 15) at 3134 Eggleston River Road. Davis said no one was injured as a result of the incident.

Approximately eight cars left the track, Davis said, adding that the cars were located near the rear of the train.

A regional hazmat team is currently travelling from Roanoke to respond to the incident, which Davis said is standard protocol for a situation of this nature.

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One of Metro’s newest trains derails near Farragut North

 https://wtop.com/local/2018/01/metro-derailment-farragut-north/slid...

WASHINGTON — Metro and D.C. Fire & EMS safely evacuated 63 people from a Metro Red Line train that derailed Monday morning (Jan 15) between the Metro Center and Farragut North stations. 

The front end of the new 7000 series Metro train derailed about 500 feet from Metro Center platform, Metro said.

It was the first derailment on the main line for any of the new rail cars, Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said during a morning news conference.

Multiple rail cars, possibly as many as seven of the train’s eight, derailed.

Stessel said derailments are  “rare.”  The last derailment occurred in East Falls Church, Virginia, in July 2016.

 http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2018/Red-Line-Metro-T...

"..The derailment immediately set off questions from officials and riders about how the derailment happened, given that Metro has spent millions of dollars and the past two years working to catch up on maintenance issues and fix problematic rail segments after a woman died from smoke inhalation on a Yellow Line train in 2015..."

  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2018/01/15/red-l...

 "..the initial call was for possible smoke on the tracks at Farragut North, but the fire department found no signs of a fire around the derailment. The train’s rear railcars appeared to have come off the tracks, he said. He could not say how many.

The fire department cleared the scene about 9 a.m.

Stessel said the train operator is cooperating with investigators and will be subject to standard post incident alcohol and drug screenings. He could not say how much experience the operator had, only that it was a male operator.

Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans, who was briefed by Metro CEO Paul Wiedefeld Monday morning was hocked by the news.

“It’s like, god, didn’t we do all of the fixing, the bad areas, Safetrack?” he said, he said referring to the agency’s year-long track maintenance program. “All that stuff was intended to prevent stuff like this from happening.”

~

CSX train tips, spills 2,100 gallons of diesel fuel in Selkirk

 http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/CSX-train-tips-spills-2-100-...

SELKIRK - A tanker car that partially derailed spilled 2,100 gallons of diesel fuel at the CSX rail yard on Sunday(Jan 14) , Selkirk Fire Chief Joe Michaniw said.

"It happened on the eastern terminal of CSX main property," Michaniw said. "We contained it with absorbent booms and pads. That's about all that can be done right now. There is no threat to the public. It's too cold."

A call came into the Selkirk fire department at about 5:22 p.m. with the report of the spill. Michaniw said that it appeared that a car coupling broke. This forced the tanker to jolt, shift off the rails and puncture..."

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/train-derails-east-of-elma-1...

No dangerous goods leaked after derailment east of Winnipeg: CN Railway

23 train cars involved, Transportation Safety Board investigating

The Canadian Press Posted: Jan 07, 2018 7:48 AM CT

Canadian National Railway crews have been clearing a derailment east of Winnipeg.

CN says 23 cars were involved in the incident which happened early yesterday about 50 kilometres east of Elma, which is about 90 kilometres east of Winnipeg.

The railway says there were no injuries and no dangerous goods leaked from the tank cars that were involved.

The Transportation Safety Board says it has deployed a team of investigators to the site.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/video/id-5348771529001-570205316000...

Casualties Reported After Train Derails and Catches Fire in South Africa. Credit - Twitter/Tiaan Esterhuizen via Storyful0:39

Emergency services in South Africa said at least four people were killed when a passenger train crashed between the towns of Hennenman and Kroonstad in the Free State province on January 4. The paramedic service ER24 also said around 100 people were injured in the incident. This video is described as showing one of the carriages in flames shortly after the crash. Credit: Twitter/Tiaan Esterhuizen via Storyful

• January 5th 2018

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.wafb.com/story/37190526/train-derails-in-pointe-coupee-p...

Train derails in Pointe Coupee Parish; LA 1 still closed in both directions

Thursday, January 4th 2018, 8:47 am EST

LABARRE, LA (WAFB) -

A train went off the tracks along LA 1 in Pointe Coupee Parish between New Roads and Morganza Thursday.

The Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office reports 23 cars have derailed. Officials say all of the cars were empty, except for one that was half full of isobutylene, which is a colorless gas used to make various fuel additives.

Deputies say no leaks have been reported at this time and there were no injuries. They added homes and businesses a mile in each direction of the derailment have been evacuated as a precaution.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) reports LA 1 is closed in both directions between LA 420 and Airport Road in Pointe Coupee Parish. Drivers on LA 1 South should turn onto LA 420, then turn right onto Airport Road, and then get back onto LA 1. Drivers on LA 1 North should turn right onto Airport Road, then turn left onto LA 420, and then get back onto LA 1.

A spokesperson with Louisiana State Police says they expect LA 1 to reopen sometime Thursday night, but that it's a long process to bring in the appropriate equipment to right the derailed cars. 

Pointe Coupee Parish officials offered the following update around 8 p.m. Thursday night:

An update on PCFD5 operations at the train derailment: As of this time, clean up crews are working to clear the wreckage from the scene adjacent to LA 1. LA 1 between Airport Rd and LA 420 is expected to remain closed until the wreckage is cleared, it's unknown to us how long that will take. Time estimates, when available, would most likely be posted on the Pointe Coupee Sheriff's Office Facebook page and/ or the Louisiana State Police Facebook page

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/01/03/amtrak-pa...

Amtrak passenger train derails near station in Savannah, Ga.

USA Today NetworkEditors, USA TODAY Published 11:46 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018

An Amtrak passenger train derailed near Savannah, Ga., Wednesday night, according to local media reports.

WTOC-TV in Savannah reported the train derailed about 1,000 yards shorts of the train station on Seaboard Coastline Drive.

Southside Fire EMS officials told WTOC there were 311 passengers on board the train.

Emergency responders were seen hauling their gear through the snow and 23-degree temperature to get to the stranded passengers. There were no reports of injuries.

Passenger Joel Potischman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he boarded the train shortly after 9 a.m. ET in Delray Beach, Fla., headed home to New York.

Along the way, winter storm weather affected the tracks and as the train approached the Savannah station, an announcement was made that a switch was frozen, Potischman told the AJC.

“The goal was to overshoot it and back in to the platform,” he said.

The switch instead opened, causing the cars at the back of the train to derail, Potischman told the newspaper.

“Things are calm,” he said. “We’re in the car; they’ve not made any announcements about evacuating.”

The Silver Meteor line runs daily between Miami and Boston, according to Amtrak's website.

In December, three people died and dozens were injured when 13 train cars jumped the tracks during the Amtrak Cascades inaugural run along a new bypass route. The train carried 85 passengers and crew members.

The crash south of Seattle occurred on tracks where equipment for automatic braking, which Congress has required on all railroads by the end of 2018, was installed but was still being tested.