Horseshoe Curve Derailment

[basementcalling]

How did this UP foamer scoop all the SPF on here to be the first to post about this.

Happened Friday evidently.

Video here. 

[ai5629]

I saw this video last night perusing YouTube too.  Someone also posted a drone video of the derailment.  It showed an eastbound oil train passing the derailment site.  I have to wonder if they are attempting to run westbounds up track one, or if they are sending those up the Southern Tier.  Might be a good time to railfan that line if they are.

Jeff

[wazzou]

I'd wager the placement of those empty CB's in the train is going to be a focus of investigation.

[C855B]

I'd wager the placement of those empty CB's in the train is going to be a focus of investigation.

Didn't UP do the same thing at Caliente (Tehachapi) a few years ago?

[mu26aeh]

And apparently on the first full day of the new PSR system to benefit Wall St    Way to go 

[RockGp40]

I'd wager the placement of those empty CB's in the train is going to be a focus of investigation.

Bingo. CSX did something similar in Baltimore just a few months ago. Why can't these geniuses put these empty cars  at the back end of a manifest train? I'd hate to see the FRA have to mandate it if the class 1's could figure it out for themselves.

[jagged ben]

Apparently I do a better job putting my empty Red Caboose centerbeams at the back of the train that the prototype does. 

Why do I bother?   

[nkalanaga]

Part of the problem is that the Class 1s are running much longer trains that they used to.  Car placement has become much more critical, and some haven't caught up yet.  What worked, even ten years ago, doesn't work today.

Trains Magazine, July 2019, page 32:  "Freight Train Composition 101"

[pedro]

Part of the problem is that the Class 1s are running much longer trains that they used to.  Car placement has become much more critical, and some haven't caught up yet.  What worked, even ten years ago, doesn't work today.

Trains Magazine, July 2019, page 32:  "Freight Train Composition 101"

Yes, this. It’s gotten quite complicated to the point of needing a flow chart (speaking BNSF here) to help determine if your train is “in compliance.” The onus is ultimately still on the train crew. We recently had a crew fired for having loaded spine cars ahead of “x” trailing tons on a Z9 intermodal. It’s often okay to have a train out of compliance for train makeup, but the speed drops to 45. Mountain grade territories have more stringent requirements, as do trains with distributed power.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Yes, this. It’s gotten quite complicated to the point of needing a flow chart (speaking BNSF here) to help determine if your train is “in compliance.” The onus is ultimately still on the train crew. We recently had a crew fired for having loaded spine cars ahead of “x” trailing tons on a Z9 intermodal. It’s often okay to have a train out of compliance for train makeup, but the speed drops to 45. Mountain grade territories have more stringent requirements, as do trains with distributed power.

Wow, putting it on the crew is a crock of *****. "We can't take this train, it's out of compliance" is gonna go over real well when talking to management.

[Jbub]

Wow, putting it on the crew is a crock of *****. "We can't take this train, it's out of compliance" is gonna go over real well when talking to management.

I would think the crew building the train would be responsible for placement of cars.
Although with airplanes the load master is in charge of weight and balance but the captain is still in charge of the plane and gives the go/ no go decision

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I would think the crew building the train would be responsible for placement of cars.

I mean, they might be, but they also exist in a culture where they'll ALSO get chewed out if they take too long to do a task.
"Why are you taking so long to get 33A built? The crew was here an hour ago..."

[John]

Wouldn't a computer optimize the car blocking to take things like this into consideration ?

[DKS]

Wouldn't a computer optimize the car blocking to take things like this into consideration ?

Requirez compooter skilz...

[Jbub]

A computer can print out a switch list and instructions on how to block the train.