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://www.koco.com/article/train-derails-in-northwestern-oklahoma...

Strong winds ‘likely’ toppled train in western Oklahoma

Updated: 3:14 PM CDT Aug 11, 2020

GAGE, Okla. (AP) —

A BNSF Railways train derailment in western Oklahoma was “likely” caused by wind gusts of up to 70 mph, National Weather Service meteorologist Phillip Ware said Tuesday.

The strong winds and the derailment both occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. Monday, Ware said.

“It appears very likely that they were related,” Ware said.

The train was traveling from Amarillo, Texas, to northwestern Ohio when 16 cars derailed, according to BNSF spokesperson Courtney Wallace.

“There are no injuries to the crew and none of the derailed cars contain hazmat. We have crews on site working to restore both main tracks. The current time for reopening is undetermined,” Wallace said in a statement.

Ware said the Oklahoma storm was not part of the derecho that swept across the Midwest on Monday with 100 mph winds and power similar to an inland hurricane, blowing over trees, flipping vehicles and causing widespread property damage from Chicago into Indiana and Michigan.

“The storms we had (Monday) night originated over Kansas and the western Texas Panhandle and just congealed over our area,” Ware said.

and another:

https://www.kmov.com/news/train-derails-in-festus/article_b6b0dbd0-...

Train hauling rock derails in Festus, firefighters say

FESTUS, Mo. (KMOV.com) -- Crews are cleaning up after a train derailed in Festus Monday afternoon.

According to the Festus Fire Department, about 10 rail cars overturned on the Union Pacific tracks at the West City Park Crossing

No injuries were reported.

The train was hauling rock and no hazardous materials were spilled. 

Firefighters say the crossing is closed.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article244649987.html

BNSF train cars derail near Yakima River bridge in Richland, causes traffic backups

JULY 31, 2020 06:03 PM 

Nine train cars carrying grain derailed near the Yakima River train bridge Friday afternoon.

Firefighters were called to the area just after 4 p.m. when the BNSF rail cars went off the track.

Columbia Park Trail and Steptoe Street are closed while the crews worked to clear the area.

The closures caused traffic to back up, including on Highway 240.

No one was hurt, and nothing was spilled

and another:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53615259

Coimbra train crash: Two dead after train derails in Portugal

July 31 2020

A high-speed train has derailed in the Portuguese district of Coimbra, killing two and injuring at least 30 others.

The train was travelling north from Lisbon to Braga, with scheduled stops in the cities of Coimbra and Porto.

However, at about 15:30 (14:30GMT) it crashed into a railway maintenance machine in the town of Soure.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that he offered "his condolences to the families and friends of those killed" in this "serious accident".

The country's national relief operations authority CNOS told Reuters news agency that emergency services were at the scene.

A spokesman said there were 163 rescue personnel, including firefighters, and two medical helicopters.

There were 240 passengers on board the Alfa Pendular train, which is the fastest in Portugal, they said.

A witness told Portuguese newspaper Diário de Noticias that there was panic inside the train at the time of the crash.

"I thought I was going to die," they said. "The carriage took about 10 or 15 seconds to stop. People were screaming and lying on the ground. Then the carriage started to fill with dust.

"We were stuck inside the carriage, because the doors were destroyed. Someone managed to break one of them and we started to get out and help other people get out."

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://globalnews.ca/news/7237476/winnipeg-deacons-corner-train-de...

Continued highway delays while Deacons Corner train derailment clean up continues

Updated July 31, 2020 2:33 pm

Heading out east to the lake this long weekend? It will take a little longer than usual.

Eastbound traffic on Highway 1 East is down to a single lane while the clean up of a train derailment east of Deacons Corner continues.

Traffic was backed up for approximately five kilometres Friday at noon.

A CN train went off the tracks just east of Winnipeg Thursday afternoon.

The Rural Municipality of Springfield Fire Department and RCMP confirmed a train derailed roughly three kilometres east of Deacons Corner near the Trans-Canada Highway.

A spokesperson from CN said 26 cars carrying potash derailed and no dangerous goods were involved

The company says the derailment caused a minor fire, but no injuries were reported.

Emergency crews including fire, EMS, RCMP and CN Police, were all on scene.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.journal-news.com/news/nation-world/arizona-train-derail...

Train derails on Arizona bridge that collapses, catches fire

July 29 2020

Officials say a freight train traveling on a bridge that spans a lake in a Phoenix suburb has derailed, setting the bridge ablaze and partially collapsing the structure

PHOENIX (AP) — A freight train traveling on a bridge that spans a lake in a Phoenix suburb derailed Wednesday, setting the bridge ablaze and partially collapsing the structure, officials said.

Video images showed huge flames and thick black smoke rising into the air and three train cars in a park next to Tempe Town Lake.

None of the train's crew members were hurt but there was a report of someone suffering from smoke inhalation, said Tim McMahan, a spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad. He said he did not know how many crew members were aboard when the train derailed.

Fire officials in the suburb of Tempe said the derailment happened at about 6 a.m. and that about 90 firefighters were at the scene.

Between eight and 10 of the train's cars caught fire, McMahan said. Several carried lumber and the three that fell to the ground beneath the bridge were tank cars.

Two were carrying cyclohexanone, a pale and oily liquid that is toxic and flammable. McMahan said a third tank car was carrying a “rubber material" but did not provide further details.

McMahan said the tank cars were not involved in the ensuing blaze and it appeared none of them had any leaks.

Investigators with the Federal Railroad Administration were dispatched to start a preliminary investigation, the agency said in a statement.

The bridge had its annual inspection earlier this month, McMahan said.

Fire witness Camille Kimball told AZFamily.com she was riding her bike in the park below the bridge minutes before the derailment.

“I turned around to look and got the fright of my life,” Kimball said. “Now there’s fire pouring into the lake from the middle of the bridge. ... It looks like a scene from hell, truly.”

The 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) Tempe Town Lake is is a popular recreation spot for jogging, cycling and boating and close to Arizona State University.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.rtands.com/rail-news/norfolk-southern-train-derails-in-...

Norfolk Southern train derails in Alabama, spilling vegetable oil

July 20 2020

Officials are still trying to figure out how a Norfolk Southern train derailed outside of Tuscaloosa, Ala., late Saturday afternoon.

A total of 17 rail cars derailed, with one spilling vegetable oil at the scene. Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue, Tuscaloosa EMA and NorthStar EMS were among the first responders at the accident. The freight train was traveling east from New Orleans to Birmingham, Ala., when the cars fell off the tracks. No injuries were reported.

Norfolk Southern’s hazardous materials teams and contractors have been at the site cleaning up, but no word that those efforts have been completed.

and another:

https://komonews.com/news/local/train-derails-in-centralia-blocking...

Train derails in Centralia, blocking streets

Monday, July 20th 2020

CENTRALIA, Wash. -- A train derailed in Centralia Sunday afternoon, leaving some streets in the area blocked.

The derailment happened just before 5 p.m. along North Tower Avenue and 5th Street. Officer arrived to find North Pearl Street and B Street also blocked by derailed train cars.

No one was injured and no hazardous materials were involved, according to Sgt. Patricia Finch with Centralia Police.

Finch says Tower Avenue and B Street could remain blocked for up to three days for the cleanup.

There is no word yet what caused the train to derail

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://wreg.com/news/train-derails-in-crittenden-county/

Train derails in Crittenden County

July 24 2020

CRITTENDEN COUNTY, Ark. — A train derailed in Earle, Arkansas early Friday morning.

According to the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department, seven train cars left the track around 1 a.m. at Second Street near Highway 64.

No one was injured and no hazardous materials were involved, authorities said.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/downburst-derails-86-car-train...

Downburst Derails 86-Car Train In Texas 

A mile-long swath of 80+ mph wind was likely the cause of a train derailment of 86 cars in Texas on Tuesday. The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Midland, TX confirmed the information Wednesday afternoon. The train was carrying cargo at the time.

The meteorologists’ report goes on to say that all of the damage was oriented in the same direction. That statement indicates the storm damage was likely due to straight-line wind, rather than a tornado. This swath of wind damage was estimated to be a little more than one mile in length with wind between 80 and 100 mph!

The train derailment damage occurred in northeastern Mitchell County, TX. A separate storm about nine miles southeast of Colorado City, TX caused damage in a cotton field. The storm “toppled a center pivot irrigation system, about 750 feet long” according to the NWS Midland office. The peak estimated wind with that storm is believed to be 65-70 mph.

This goes to show that severe thunderstorms are very powerful and can do similar damage compared to a tornado. In the short video below, WeatherNation Meteorologist Meredith Garofalo explains what straight line wind is and why it is so dangerous.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/goods-train-d...

Goods train derails, catches fire over bridge across Musi river 

June 25, 2020 14:13 IST 

A major fire ensued in four wagons each with 65 kl of diesel.
Four oil tankers of a goods train caught fire when it derailed between Surareddypalem and Tangutur in Prakasam district on the Howrah-Chennai main line in the wee hours of Thursday.
As the train from Gangineni in Secunderabad railway division carrying inflammable substance approached the bridge across the Musi river, it jumped off the rails, severing links with 45 other wagons. There were no casualties.
A major fire ensued in four wagons each with 65 kl of diesel.

Five fire tenders — two from Ongole and one each from Nellore, Kandukur and Kondepi — fought the flames for over three hours and brought it under control, Prakasam District Fire Officer S. Srinivasa Rao told The Hindu. “We were able to prevent the fire from spreading to other wagons,” he said after completing the fire fighting operation in time.
As the train derailed, two wagons fell into the dry riverbed with a loud sound, while another was left hanging. The fourth one was close to the railway track. However, 45 other wagons did not suffer any damage and proceeded towards Chennai later. Railway officials rushed to the spot to ascertain the cause of the mishap.

and another:

https://www.wbrz.com/news/train-derails-in-livingston-parish-due-to...

Train derails in Livingston Parish due to tree on tracks, knocks out power lines
June 25, 2020 7:11 AM

WALKER- A train carrying non-toxic chemicals derailed at Walker's Corbin Avenue and Florida Boulevard/Highway 190 on Thursday morning.
The train derailed shortly before 6 a.m. due to a tree on the tracks. The cars also knocked down power lines as they left the tracks, causing outages in the area and creating a potential Hazmat situation.
Officials acted swiftly, closing Highway 190 and Corbin Avenue (both eastbound and westbound lanes) to address the situation

Walker Mayor Jimmy Watson elaborated on the situation, telling WBRZ that one of the four derailed train cars was carrying carbon dioxide, and the other three were, at one point, carrying ammonia, but the ammonia was removed prior to the derailment.
Officials say the main concern is that a live power line was pulled down during the incident. As a precaution, one person was evacuated from the area.
Louisiana State Police, Entergy, and the Department of Environmental Quality are on the scene, with State Police leading the response to the incident.
As Entergy deals with the live wire and power outage, DEQ is monitoring the air quality and reporting that the air quality appears to be clear at this time.
DEQ officials say, "Preliminary readings are non-detect for any airborne substances of concern. One refrigerated car is leaking non-toxic carbon dioxide which should dissipate quickly. We are still assessing the situation."

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://globalnews.ca/news/7090417/train-derailment-saint-john/

Businesses closed as train derails Saturday in Saint John

Posted June 21, 2020 4:09 pm

Crews spent Sunday morning cleaning up after a train derailed in Saint John Saturday evening.

A CN Rail employee says it happened around 8 p.m. – behind Mediterannean Restaurant on Rothesay Avenue (South of Rockwood Avenue).
Nearby businesses were closed for the evening as a precaution but reopened Sunday.
No injuries were reported.
Eight cars derailed — one an empty tanker previously filled with sulphur, the rest filled with potash and woodchips.

The cause of the derailment is still under investigation..

and another:

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/landslide-derails-commuter-train-northern...

Landslide Derails Commuter Train in Northern Italy

23 June 2020

A regional train on the line between Venezia and Trieste was derailed at around 6 pm on June 22 by a landslide, Italian firefighters and local media said.
The train, servicing the area around Aquileia, was traveling near Bivio di Aurisina when it was derailed, with 20 passengers on board.
No one was injured, Italy’s national fire service, the Vigili del Fuoco, said. 

and another:

https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/photos-train-derails-near-downtow...

PHOTOS: Train derails near downtown Duluth

Shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Gwinnett County Fire Department said 20-23 freight cars had derailed near downtown Duluth, causing major traffic delays and sending three employees to a local hospital with minor injuries. Buford Highway, close to where the incident occurred, reopened around noon.

and another:

https://abc7ny.com/traffic/nj-transit-work-train-derails-near-summi...

NJ Transit equipment train derails near Summit

Wednesday, June 17, 2020 6:32AM

SUMMIT, New Jersey (WABC) -- A New Jersey Transit work train derailed near Summit early Wednesday morning.

The equipment train experienced a slow speed derailment before 6 a.m.

The Gladstone Branch is suspended in both directions between Murray Hill and Summit.

[Starr DiGiacomo]

https://www.azfamily.com/news/train-derailment-causes-big-fire-in-d...

Train derailment causes big fire in downtown Phoenix 

Jun 19, 2020 

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Investigators are trying to figure out what led up to a train derailment and fire on Friday evening in downtown Phoenix.
The big plume of black smoke could be seen through the downtown area. Flames were shooting out of the cars for more than an hour.

Fire crews were called out around 7:30 p.m. to the area of Ninth Avenue and Buchanan Street, which is south of Jefferson Street. When they got there, they saw at least two train cars on fire. However, there wasn't much they could do to save the train.
"They are generators on wheels, so spraying water directly on the car is a bad idea. It's not what we do," said Capt. Todd Keller with the Phoenix Fire Department.

(Source: 3TV/CBS 5)

Fire crews believe an engine caught fire after five of the train cars derailed, causing a diesel leak. They also got information that 11 cars back of the fire, there was ethanol in some of the cars so crews didn't want the fire to spread there. So, firefighters had to stay back and let the fire burn itself out. They protected nearby buildings by making sure the flames didn't jump.
"It's imperative we take our time with this," said Keller.
A Union Pacific spokesman said four box cars carrying plywood derailed while leaving a nearby rail yard. The locomotive caught fire. It's unclear why the train derailed.

Emergency responders took over about a square mile so they're asking everyone to avoid the area. Approximately 60 firefighters worked to extinguish the flames while even more crew members are managing the hazardous materials. The fire was put out around 9 p.m. No injuries have been reported and no buildings have been damaged.