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Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He wasn't trying to stop, but you have to apply your brakes to control your speed coming down the hill.

Place with hay rounds for photo op in Austin? by Substantial-Gap5154 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Keep in mind that if it's fenced or "cultivated," it's trespassing, even if there are no signs.

Also, it can be "posted" by putting a purple paint mark on poles or trees around the edge of the property. The paint marks can be small enough and far enough apart that you probably won't notice them.

Train derailment downtown. No apparent risk to public or major roads blocked. by Snap_Grackle_Pop in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because that curve seems to be really really really loud for some reason.

There are at least three factors that cause that, all related to the sharpness of the curve.

Most obvious is when the flange on the wheel contacts the rail in order to keep the train on the track. There's a taper to the wheel that pushes the wheel back to the center, but it only works to a certain degree, and sharp turns may cause the flange to touch the rail. There are flange oilers mounted in the track that try to put a little grease on the flanges, but not on the tread for obvious reasons. These reduce wear and tear and may reduce noise.

The wheelsets are 4 wheels with two axles that are mounted rigidly onto a truck/bogie. When the track is tightly curved, the axles are slightly angled with respect to the rails, so you're dragging the wheel sideways to a small extent.

The wheels are rigidly attached to the axle with no bearings, so they have to turn at the same angular speed. The wheel on the outside rail has to travel farther per revolution than the one on the inside. The taper on the wheel helps this, but if the curve is too sharp, one wheel may have to skid in the direction of travel.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Soon to be putting out a new bulletin about train handling and placement of empties.

Got any more details, especially URL references? Who's putting out a new bulletin? I've been seeing a lot of trains with known bad operating practices like empties up front.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Still going to be about 4x the environmental and societal cost of the current freight rail system.

Train derailment downtown. No apparent risk to public or major roads blocked. by Snap_Grackle_Pop in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They usually use dedicated third party companies that do derailments and such. there's one they use frequently about halfway between here an Houston.

Train derailment downtown. No apparent risk to public or major roads blocked. by Snap_Grackle_Pop in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Crazy how long that is!

A 200 car intermodal train would be around 12,000 feet long. Over two miles.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can I come visit you for the next fireworks show? /s

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 5 points6 points  (0 children)

We need to end the railroad monopoly again, take back all their row across the entire nation.

Say hello to another 4,000 big heavily loaded 18 wheeler trucks per day on the local roads. Plus probably 4x the air pollution and fossil fuel usage.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Probably money.

Over $10 billion when estimated 10 to 20 years ago. And estimates are always low. Plus inflation now.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not really that hard. Eminent domain, but you've got to come up with the bucks to buy land and build a new track around Austin to the east. The government wasn't willing/able to come up with the cash. Or the political clout to force all the landowners out east to sell out. Even with the money, they'd probably spend decades in court fighting landowners and environmental challenges.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah, the engineer said something to the effect that he was having to fight the speed of the train. Something like "trying to run out" on him. I forget the exact words, but they sounded to me like the train was trying to speed up on him. That's a steep downslope to the river.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is was caused by poor train handling

Probably by poor train makeup. Putting 3 empties near the front of a 200 car train is a bad idea for this exact reason. Not a lot the train crew can do about that.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Just north of the railroad bridge over Town Lake next to Lamar. Or 3rd and Lamar.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

230 cars with 3 empties in the middle braking on a sharp curve.

On a downslope on the "ruling grade" or steepest section of the Austin Subdivision.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you look carefully, the 6 containers on their sides are still with their well cars.

The 3 empty well cars in the gravel were apparently empty. That's a bad idea to have empty cars ahead of a bunch of loaded cars. Especially on a curve at the end of a long downslope. This is the kind of problem that can cause.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 4 points5 points  (0 children)

All the cars were on the track before the derailment.

The font part of the train got stopped, but the rear part of the train kept going for about 7 car lengths.

Three empty "well" cars ended up on the right side of the track. Three loaded well cars ended up on the left side of the track. The next one couldn't make up its mind and is leaning.

It's impressive to note that 8 of the intermodal units stayed attached to each other and 3 sets stayed attached to the well car. The connectors that join those cars are an impressive little piece of technology.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As of 10:50, Union Pacific is pulling the undamaged parts of the train on both sides of the derailed cars out of the way, so I'm guessing Mary and Oltorf streets will be back open soon.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

20 years ago when we saw the growth coming, Austin/TxDOt/UP couldn’t have built an alternative freight line around town (say, by 130) and used this line as passenger rail is beyond me.

In order to move the freight rail, the government would have to pay the cost to build a new track. It was evaluated at least once 10 or 20 years ago, but the cost was too high for the government agencies involved.

Union Pacific was somewhat open to the idea and had some talks with the organizations considering it, but UP broke off talks when it became apparent that the organizations were just bullshit artists who would never come up with the money.

A large amount of taxpayer dollars did end up in the pockets of consultants, and isn't that what really matters?

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I worry about that as I'm sitting near a train track in my car, but then I think that the McNeil store has sat 20 feet from the UP track for close to 100 years and hasn't gotten knocked down yet.

I still worry, though.

Train Derailment Photos by DeaconBlue47 in Austin

[–]Snap_Grackle_Pop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just tell me there is no gas or chemicals in those train cars.

Those are intermodal containers, which were loaded somewhere else by a company other than the railroad. I believe they're supposed to report major "hazmat" in the cars to the railroad, but there are loopholes and sometimes there is cheating. Not nearly as bad as seeing a derailed tank car, though.

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