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.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/1135...

Heathrow Express services cancelled after train derails

Holidaymakers face widespread delays as Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect trains cancelled after derailment - as signal failure causes separate travel misery

A train derailed at the depot for Heathrow Connect and Heathrow Express services

Rail services between Heathrow Airport and London were cancelled after a train derailed.

No Heathrow Express or Heathrow Connect were expected to run before midday on Wednesday.

It followed the derailment of a train at the depot, meaning no services were able to leave the Ealing base.

The incident was expected to chaos widespread delays and disruption for holidaymakers, despite tickets being accepted on other routes.

It came as thousands of rail passengers faced fresh travel misery because of another signal failure, which led to huge delays on some of the busiest routes in the country.

Elsewhere:

http://www.the-review.com/local%20news/2015/01/21/train-derails-nea...

TRAIN DERAILS NEAR MINERVA

By KIMBERLY LEWISReview Minerva Bureau Published: January 21, 2015 3:00AM

MINERVA -- An employee at Summitville Tile's Arbor Road plant heard some pops and bangs near the plant before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Employees would soon discover four rail cars had jumped the tracks near their plant, just past where the train tracks cross Arbor Road.

Arbor Road, just south of Brush Road in Brown Township, remained closed as Ohi-Rail officials determined what caused the rail cars to derail and to clear the tracks.

Although it was unknown how long the road would be closed, the cleanup was expected to take several hours.

A blast of winter weather was expected to delay the cleanup.

An Ohi-Rail employee noted the train had been "switching out rail cars" and only some of the cars were loaded with sand, while others were empty.

The cars remained intact and none of the nearby residences were evacuated.

Ohi-Rail had recently renovated the tracks from Minerva to Hopedale in anticipation of increased train traffic related to the oil and gas industry.

Just last week, during a State of Minerva presentation to Minerva Chamber of Commerce members, General Manager Denny Varian noted how safe rail cars are compared to truck traffic.

"Rail cars are designed to stay intact in a collision of two trains going 30 mph. We will be going through town around 10 mph. It is hard to have an accident at that speed," he explained.

"It is a very safe form of transportation," Varian said.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/288574941.html

UPDATE: CP Rail delayed reporting Glacier National Park derailment

posted Jan 14, 2015 at 11:00 AM— updated Jan 14, 2015 at 3:28 PM

CP Rail took more than a day to notify the Transportation Safety Board about a derailment that took place in Glacier National Park, theTimes Review was told.

James Carmichael, a senior investigator with the TSB, said they were only notified of the derailment Wednesday morning — more than 24 hours after five cars jumped the track on the Stoney Creek Bridge.

"It is a concern," he said. "The head office will be looking into the delay in reporting."

A CP Rail train derailed on the Stoney Creek Bridge near the east end of Glacier National Park on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at around 5:30 a.m.

CP Rail spokesperson Salem Woodrow said five empty flat cars derailed. She denied reports the cars were dangling in the air off the bridge, which sits almost 100 metres above Stoney Creek.

Woodrow said there were no injuries, no spills and no public safety concerns.

TSB regulations require railway companies to report incidents "as soon as possible and by the quickest means available."

Woodrow said CP Rail would be looking into the delay in reporting, saying it was company policy to report incidents as soon as possible.

"It is part of our processes to contact them immediately," she said.

Carmichael said the TSB was investigating the derailment.

"We just found out about it earlier on today," he said. "We're starting to do our investigative work. We have not deployed yet."

He said investigators would look at how the train was being handled, the condition of the track, how the train was marshalled, and any mechanical issues.

The fact it took place on a bridge raises special concerns, said Carmichael. "We've had a couple of other incidents in the last few years where other structures were involved," he said. "They're an integral part of the railway network."

Here is our original story on the derailment, posted Wednesday morning:

A CP Rail train derailed on the Stoney Creek Bridge in Glacier National Park early Tuesday morning, the Times Review has learned.

Salem Woodrow, a spokesperson for CP Rail, confirmed the derailment, which took place Tuesday, Jan. 13, at about 5:30 a.m.

She said five empty flat cars derailed while crossing the bridge. There were no injuries, nothing was spilled and there were no public safety concerns.

The Times Review has contacted the Transportation Safety Board and Parks Canada to see if they have any concerns.

The Stoney Creek Bridge is regarded as one of the most scenic railway bridges in the world. It sits 90 metres above Stoney Creek, towards the eastern end of Glacier National Park.

Woodrow said CP trains were being routed around the site of the derailment.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/27841318/photos-freight-train-der...

Freight train derails, cars roll over on South Side

Posted: Jan 13, 2015 5:01 PM ESTUpdated: Jan 13, 2015 5:32 PM EST

 

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) -

No one was hurt when a freight train derailed Tuesday afternoon on the South Side.

Five rail cars on a train were involved in the derailment near 95th Street and Cottage Grove, according to Chicago fire officials.

Four of the cars rolled onto their sides, and one was tipping, Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said. All of the cars were empty at the time.

Emergency crews initially called for a hazardous materials response as a precaution because the train included some tanker cars, Langford said. None of them were damaged in the derailment.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/train-derails-near-t...

Train derails near Thunder Bay, Ont.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015, 5:24 PM - A HAZMAT team has been sent in to assist with a train derailment near that occurred near Thunder Bay late Tuesday morning.

Twenty-two cars went off the track around 11:20 a.m. According to the OPP, several of them are carrying crude oil. No leaks have been identified.

Hwy. 17 near the Nipigon junction has been shut down as a precaution, and it could remain that way for up to 24 hours.

“No motor traffic will be going through until we know more about what materials are on board and what hazards are involved with it,” OPP Nipigon detachment commander Sgt. Randy Bye told  CKPR News. 

No one was injured in the incident.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/27769399/freight-train-derails-in... 

Freight train derails in Cicero

Posted: Jan 06, 2015 7:07 AM ESTUpdated: Jan 06, 2015 9:29 AM EST

CICERO (FOX 32 News) -A Burlington Northern freight train derailed in south suburban Cicero early Tuesday morning. 

Crews were notified at 4:18 p.m. of the derailment on Metra BNSF tracks in the 4700 block of West 26th Street in Cicero, police News Affairs Officer Janel Sedevic said.

Several police departments were called to the scene. 

Officials at the scene say nine cars were involved in the derailment and seven were tipped on their sides. No one was hurt. 

Traffic was blocked in the area near Ogden Avenue. The derailment was not affecting commuter trains as of 6:30 a.m.

[Mark]

Crews try to contain ash spilled in Alberta train derailment

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/crews-try-to-contain-ash-spilled-in-al...

Crews are trying prevent coal ash waste that was spilled by Canadian Pacific Railway cars from fouling the waters of a creek in Banff National Park.

The material known as fly ash was in some train cars that derailed Friday into 40 Mile Creek near the resort community.

Parks Canada spokesman Bill Hunt says CPR crews have hauled out all but one of the cars containing fly ash from the water.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.abc57.com/story/27673096/freight-train-derails-in-michig...

Freight train derails in Michigan City

Posted: Dec 19, 2014 3:56 PM ESTUpdated: Dec 19, 2014 5:45 PM EST

LAPORTE, Ind. -A 10 car freight train carrying coal to the NIPSCO generating station derailed in Michigan City Friday around 5:30 a.m.

The accident happened near Highway 12 on the county line between LaPorte and Porter counties.

The South Shore train's westbound routes were disrupted for a couple of hours, but has returned to normal operations. They are experiencing some delays.

No injuries were reported.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Train-derailment-shuts-down-East...

Train carrying coal derails in downtown Paris; sewer line could be compromised

Updated: Mon 6:58 PM, Dec 15, 2014

PARIS, Ky. (WKYT) - Crews have been working to clean up for more than 12 hours now after a train derailment. It caused some train cars carrying coal to fall into a Bourbon County creek.

Paris police think the ground gave way beneath the tracks, causing the derailment in downtown Paris Monday morning. But CSX officials say the cause of the derailment has not yet been determined.

It was a 100-car coal train, but the CSX train lost three of its cars when four of them derailed. As of 6 p.m., one of the cars was still in Stoner Creek and two of them had been removed. The CSX train was traveling from Toledo to Virginia.

"The track is built on what's called a high wall," said Bourbon County Sheriff Mark Matthews. "And it's probably 100 years old or older and just gave way."

Crews and officials from CSX, R.J. Corman, emergency management, environmental protection agency, and emergency response teams along with first responders have been out there for hours and hours since the train derailment happened at about 3:30 a.m.

After learning two people were on the train at the time but no one was hurt, their focus has been the clean-up process.

"One car is in the creek. They're going to try to drag it across the creek and bring it out on the other side at some point," said Sheriff Matthews. "That seems to be what their plan is."

The sheriff says they won't know how much damage there is to the sewer line below the cars until they are moved.

Right now, crews on scene are worried raw sewage is possibly dumping into Stoner Creek. For the EPA, coal is not a concern, but it is a water quality violation so it will be removed.

The R.J. Corman Railroad Group has been heavily involved in removing the cars and coal from the creek. Two divisions are working on scene out of Columbus, Ohio and Huntington, West Virginia.

"The biggest concern is two things. The first being the coal that has gone into the water. The Kentucky Department of Water will be able to take care of any concerns with that as far as what needs to be done with it. We also have a main sewer line that has possibly been compromised on the cliff side," said Paris Fire Department Battalion Chief Jeff McFarland.

The sheriff tells me no drinking water has been contaminated in Paris because it is up stream. There are worries of the spill contaminating places down stream like Cynthiana, but that has not yet been determined.

The sheriff says he's been told the track will be rerouted around where it caved in and trains should be running through there by Tuesday.

Police tell us the Main Street bridge over Stoner Creek has been closed for now so crews can move equipment in and out.

Officials with CSX say they are still assessing the damage. They also added that they regret any impact this event may have on the city of Paris and appreciate the quick reaction of first responders.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Train+derails+near+Raymore/10463666/...

Train derails near Raymore

 

 

THE LEADER-POST DECEMBER 12, 2014

 

Thirty-three rail cars have derailed west of Raymore.

Photograph by: Raymore Emergency Measures Organization , Facebook

REGINA — A CN train has derailed near Raymore, leaving 33 cars off the track.

One of those cars was carrying hazardous goods but is upright and nothing appears to be leaking. No injuries were reported. No one has been evacuated from the town or other nearby residences.

That car was carrying isopropanol — a colourless, flammable alcohol used in adhesive compounds, disinfectants, cleaning products and toiletry products.

According to the town’s Emergency Measures Organization, there is no immediate threat to the town, located 115 kilometres north of Regina on Highway 6.

A hazardous goods specialist from CN is travelling to the scene to assist with the cleanup. There is no indication yet as to how long cleanup might take. 

The derailment occurred at 9:46 a.m. about three kilometres west of the town on CN’s main line. Others trains scheduled to travel that line will either be staged in CN yards or rerouted to its north line.

Motorists can expect delays on Highway 15 adjacent to the derailment.

The two-locomotive mixed freight was pulling 135 cars in all en route from Winnipeg to central Alberta. The other cars that derailed were carrying cars, steel and canned goods among other items and one was carrying mineral oil, which is not considered hazardous

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/content/train-derails-otter-tai...

Train derails in Otter Tail County, Minn.

BLUFFTON, Minn. – Emergency responders are on the scene of a 32-car train derailment near Highway 10 just northeast of here, law enforcement officials said Monday.

Otter Tail County officials said 32 cars carrying sugar, lumber and other nonhazardous materials derailed at about 7 Monday morning on the Burlington Northern line northeast of Bluffton, near Highway 10.

The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s office and the Minnesota State Patrol are on the scene.

No one’s been hurt, but a hazardous materials team from the Twin Cities is en route to the scene to confirm there’s no danger to the public.

Some of the train cars that derailed were empty, said a county spokesperson.

Motorists on Highway 10 between Wadena and Bluffton may encounter intermittent lane closures and possible delays as railroad crews access the site of a derailment, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said.

The lane closures will be necessary for crews to move equipment in and out of the derailment site.