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]

https://people.com/human-interest/whale-sculpture-stops-dutch-train...

Whale Sculpture Stops Dutch Train from Crashing More Than 30 Feet Off Railway Platform

The art sculpture is coincidentally titled "Saved the Whale's Tail"

November 02, 2020 10:46 AM

It’s a whale of a tale involving the tail of a whale — and it likely saved a train conductor’s life.

The front carriage of an elevated metro train slammed past the end of a railway in the Netherlands on Monday, only avoiding a 32-foot drop onto the ground after it became nestled atop an art sculpture featuring the tail fin of a whale, according to reports.

The driver of the train was not injured, and there were no passengers on board when it plowed through stop barriers at the end of the station in the town of Spijkenisse, the Associated Press reported.

The incident occurred near the port city of Rotterdam, and a spokeswoman for the local security authority told the AP that a team of experts was working to get it down safely.

“It’s tricky,” Carly Gorter told the outlet of removing the carriage, which remained suspended above a bike lane on top of the tail fins.

Coincidentally enough, the sculpture, made of reinforced polyester and put up in 2002, is called “Saved by the Whale’s Tail,” according to the Guardian.

“I’m surprised it’s so strong,” Maarten Struijs, the architect who designed the sculpture, reportedly told Dutch broadcaster RTL. “If plastic has been standing for 20 years, you don’t expect it to hold a metro carriage.”

“Of course it does look rather poetic,” Struijs reportedly added to the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper. “But it’s really lucky that the tail can bear the weight of the train.”

An investigation into how the incident occurred is ongoing, according to the AP.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.whsv.com/2020/10/31/train-derails-overnight-in-roanoke-co/

Train derails overnight in Roanoke Co.

Oct. 31, 2020 at 3:31 PM EDT

ROANOKE Co., Va. (WDBJ) - UPDATE: The Norfolk Southern bridge collapsed, causing the train carrying coal to derail, according to Roanoke County PIO Amy Whittaker. Norfolk Southern has updated their official count to 22 car that were involved.

Roanoke County released a statement Saturday that further details the response to the incident:

"The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) responded to the initial incident and have been coordinating with NSC on the removal of the rail cars and coal from the Roanoke River. Any environmental impacts from the coal are expected to be largely physical in nature. However, DEQ is coordinating with local, state and federal agencies and Norfolk Southern to collect samples to determine whether there have been any impacts to water quality.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is working closely with the City of Salem Water Treatment Plant to ensure drinking water service is not disrupted. Out of an abundance of caution, Salem is currently withdrawing water from groundwater wells and not the Roanoke River until the water samples from the river can be collected and analyzed. The City has sufficient back-up water resources and no disruptions to service are anticipated.

The Emergency Managers from Roanoke County and the City of Salem are also working with Norfolk Southern to ensure the safety of citizens as response efforts continue."

UPDATE: Norfolk Southern says 26 rail cars were on their way to Norfolk from Weller, carrying coal. No hazardous substances were a part of the derailment.

The cause of the incident is still being looked into.

EARLIER: A train derailed along Barley Drive overnight near the Roanoke County-Salem City line, according to Roanoke County emergency officials.

The railroad bridge over Barley Drive collapsed, dumping multiple rail cars into the road and Roanoke River.

Norfolk Southern and contractor crews are on scene. A hazmat crew has come and gone.

The train seems to have been carrying coal.

This story is still developing.

[Tracie Crespo]

https://abcn.ws/3kH8iuK

https://www.facebook.com/WorldNewsTonight/videos/400393208000314/ht...

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/wayne/2020/10/28/tr...

Train derailment over I-94 damages bridge, shuts down freeway in Dearborn

October 28 2020

A portion of Interstate 94 in Dearborn briefly shut down Wednesday morning after a train car derailed over the highway. 

Michigan State Police troopers arrived at the scene around 5:45 a.m. and saw a train car hanging over the exit lanes to Michigan and Wyoming avenues. The train car destroyed part of the bridge, MSP said.

Only the eastbound I-94 exit ramp to Michigan and Wyoming is closed as of 10:30 a.m. The rest of the freeway is open.

The railroad company, CSX, said it will take several hours before it can correct the issue, according to MSP. Once CSX begins work, I-94 in both directions in the area will close. 

"The cause of the derailment is under investigation," a CSX spokesperson said in an email to the Free Press. "CSX personnel are on site and are coordinating with the local authorities as we work to swiftly and safely remove the derailed cars."

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://berksweekly.com/news/train-car-derails-into-backyard-of-cen...

TRAIN CAR DERAILS INTO BACKYARD OF CENTRE TOWNSHIP HOME

October 26 2020

Kellee Younker of Centre Township was having a normal day Monday afternoon when she left her house to pick her daughter up from school. Arriving back home on Railroad Road, she noticed something odd behind her house. An oil tanker car crashed into her backyard.

Younker is used to seeing train cars across her backyard, but this was different. “After getting the mail and pulling into the driveway, something looked funny. I was shocked to see it was in out yard” she said.

Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, the company who owns the tracks, routinely stores tanker cars on the tracks.

The tanker cars detailed from a track siding, which splits from the main track near Main Street in Mohrsville. The siding ends abruptly just before Bellemans Church Road on a small bridge over Irish Creek.

Younker says she usually sees railroad crews monitoring the rear of the tanker cars when they are placed on the siding. “I see them time to time on their walkie-talkies backing up the cars, so I’m not sure what happened today.”

Falling down an embankment, the rail cars broke Younker’s clothes line and a few trees. Overall, she feels thankful that there was not more damage.

”It doesn’t bother me that the railroad is here, but it’s kinda like my worst nightmare that a train is going to run into my yard. It’s a little shocking, but it’s not as bad as it could be.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlZi1rrfKI8&feature=emb_logo

No injuries were immediately reported. Initial reports indicate the rail cars were empty. The cause of the derailment is still under investigation. Further details will be provided when available.

Overhead map of the end of the track just behind the house.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.jacksonprogress-argus.com/news/train-derails-catches-on...

Train derails, catches on fire in Gwinnett County overnight after Hurricane Delta-related storms wash out tracks

Oct 11 2020

The heavy rains from Hurricane Delta that moved through metro Atlanta this weekend washed out train tracks in Lilburn early Sunday morning, causing a train to derail, several rail cars to catch on fire and, as a result, prompting an evacuation of homes in the surrounding area.

Lt. Justin Wilson said firefighters were called to the scene of the derailment, which was on the CSX line near Main Street and Camp Creek Parkway, at 1:43 a.m. A 9-1-1 caller said two CSX employees were trying to get out of the train and that it was taking on water.

Firefighters were already in the area looking into reports of a woods fire on Bailey Drive, which they discovered was related to the train derailment.

"On arrival, crews found what would later be confirmed as 38 railcars derailed between Main Street NW and Rockbridge Road NW," Wilson said. "A Unified Command with representatives from Gwinnett Fire and Lilburn Police was established at Lilburn City Park. Several railcars were engulfed in flames shortly after arrival between Jon Jeff Drive NW and Bailey Drive SW."

Lilburn police were able to pull the train's conductor and engineer to safety near Main Street and they were taken to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Meanwhile, hazmat crews began atmospheric monitoring for hazardous materials. Wilson said they did encounter some problems with initiating spill control measures because of a swollen creek.

and another:

https://www.wbrc.com/2020/10/12/train-derails-georgia-homeowners-fo...

Train derails in Georgia, homeowners forced to evacuate

Updated October 12 at 11:45 AM

LILIBURN, Georgia (CNN) - Crews in Georgia had to evacuate several homes and take two workers to the hospital after an early morning train derailment.

Firefighters said 38 cars derailed just before 2:00 a.m. Sunday in Liliburn.

Police officers helped the train’s engineer and conductor out of the locomotive. The injuries are said to be minor.

Several of the cars burst into flames and there was a chemical spill which forced homes to be evacuated. Fire officials said rains from Hurricane Delta may have played a part in the derailment.

Residents are now back in their homes. The fire department says CSX is working with environmental cleanup groups to minimize the impact on the environment.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/09/14/train-derails-hope/

Train derails near Hope, 20 cars off tracks

Last Updated Sep 14, 2020 at 10:11 am PDT

HOPE (NEWS 1130) – A CN train has derailed near Hope.

The company says the derailment happened early Monday morning, with preliminary information indicating “at least 20 railcars carrying potash derailed off of a rail bridge.”

It doesn’t look like anyone’s been hurt in the derailment, and CN says there are also no reports of fires or dangerous goods involved.

“CN would like to apologize for the inconvenience caused by this incident and thanks the first responders present at the scene,” the company says in an email to NEWS 1130.

It’s still unclear what caused the train to derail.

Witnesses tells NEWS 1130 they saw a large police presence while driving past the derailment Monday.

“There’s a massive train wreck, like piled up train cars,” one commuter describes. “I mean, it’s a s*** show. We were shocked.”

The derailment is not impacting traffic but is a visual distraction to anyone driving west of Hope by the Hunter Creek exit on Highway 1.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.kwtx.com/2020/09/06/train-derails-in-eastern-bell-county/

Train derails in Central Texas

Sept 6 2020

TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) - A train derailment early Sunday morning in eastern Bell County at the intersection of U.S. 190 and Prichard Road led to the closure of the intersection, which was blocked by the train.

The Bell County Sheriff’s Office is at the scene the train derailment east of Temple.

Deputies at the scene reported 27 train cars left the track.

All train cars were carrying sand and no hazardous materials are involved, deputies said.

The intersection of U.S. 190 and Prichard Road will remain closed until officials from BNSF Railroad arrive at the scene to investigate and begin the cleanup.

No injuries were reported.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/300104522/derailed-train-in-sc...

Derailed train in Scotland hit 'washed-out rocks and gravel'

00:09, Sep 11 2020

An investigation into a train crash in northeastern Scotland last month that killed three people has found that the train struck a pile of washed-out rock and gravel before derailing, according to an interim report released Thursday.

The driver, a conductor and a passenger died when the ScotRail train came off the tracks near the coastal town of Stonehaven on August 12. The first of the derailed carriages is expected to be removed from the site on Thursday.

Investigators said “a significant contributing factor” to the derailment was heavy rainfall washing material from adjoining slopes, or earthworks, onto the tracks.

Network Rail, which is government-owned and responsible for the UK’s train tracks, set out plans in the report on how to reduce the risk of such landslips but acknowledged it cannot afford to strengthen all “substandard” track-side slopes.

We are all aware that we are increasingly seeing more incidents of severe weather and, as the report published today shows, earthworks and drainage infrastructure – some of which are more than 150 years old – prove to be a real challenge as the country experiences more heavy rainfall and flooding," Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/four-wagons...

Four wagons of goods train derails near Mathura
UPDATED: AUG 30 2020, 18:10 IST

Rail traffic on the Mathura-Delhi route was disrupted as four wagons of a goods train derailed between Vrindaban Road and Ajhai railway stations here on Sunday, officials said.
According to Northern Central Railway’s Agra Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) S K Srivastav, the Ghaziabad-bound train was coming from Chhattisgarh’s Bhilai and its wagons derailed around 10 am. The DCM said it will take four to five hours to clear the rail line.

Meanwhile, passenger trains have been diverted to the Aligarh route, he said

Iron bar-laden wagons have also disturbed an overhead electrification line as a few polls were damaged due to the impact, he added

North Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer Ajit Kumar said at this state, it is difficult to tell the cause of the incident.

He said an inquiry will be conducted by railway officials to ascertain the reason behind it. The official said an operation to clear the rail line is under way under the guidance of senior officers of the department.