ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 255 guests, and 16 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#172043 12/11/07 07:01 PM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 444
S
Sandro Offline OP
Member

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 49
A
Member
UHH....The track signal lights were functioning and red (as in stop)...although any kind of crash video is usually worth watching, even if just to say "thank god it wasn't me"....what does this have to do with any kind of electrical knowledge/experience/code?

The train that was stoped and waiting to proceed pulled too far forward on the switch track and presented a side swipe hazard to the oncoming moving train....not exactly a "head-on".....

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 939
F
Member
I did see that veido before and what the curpit was the other train did not make a full stop it was creeping along and somehow the enigineer did make a miscaluaction on this one.

Merci, Marc


Pas de problme,il marche n'est-ce pas?"(No problem, it works doesn't it?)

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 687
A
Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 65
B
Member
You can see the signal change to stop as the train approaches, probably due to the oncoming train passing its signal. You can also see someone jump from the oncoming train shortly before the collision.

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,723
Likes: 1
Broom Pusher and
Member
Just saw the video of the collision, and have a few things to mention.

1st, the Automatic Block Signal that is protecting the distant signal (the ABS is the signal at the grade crossing - shown at the beginning of the video), appeared to indicate "Red over Yellow", which would be the correct signal aspect for that Train, if it was to enter the approaching siding.
It is allowed to pass that signal at at restricted speed (typically reduce to 30 MPH).

The ABS appears to change to "Red over Red" as the Train enters the fouling point.
Nevertheless, the Train with the Camera in it (looks like the cab of an SD 70M), was to reduce speed, ready to enter the diverging route at the next signal.

From the sounds of things, the crew was bringing the speed down - as the sounds of Air Brake Applications are heard intermittantly.

2: As the Train approaches the curve, braking was applied normally, and the Train appears to be slowing as it would typically do to enter the diverging route.

3: When the crew rounded the curve, they placed the Air Brakes into "Full Application", so to enter the turnout within prescribed speed (looks like a 30 MPH turnout).

4: As the BNSF Freight rolls past the Block signal on its side, the "Pull-In" Block signal for the Train with the Camera in it changed from "Red over Green" (a normal indication for clear to enter diverging route), to "Red over Red" (absolute stop).

The switchpoint were already aligned for the "Camera Train" to enter the siding, and all signal aspects were corresponding to that action.

It was only after the BNSF Train fouled the block limits that the entrance signal went full restricive (Red-Red).

The BNSF Train was supposed to stop clear of its block signal, but rolled past it for some reason - which will be found out by Event Recorder data analysis.

The crew of the BNSF train had it slow enough to bail out - that's why you see someone jumping off the train.

Standard procedure is to set the Air Brakes into "Emergency Application", and place the Dynamic Brake throttle to position 8, then once the Locomotives are in emergency, the crew jumps out (enjoying a face full of Ballast as they hit the ground!).

Now, the question is:
Why the BNSF train rolled through the block?

May be one of three things:

A- Braking malfunction (not enough air, trainline malfunction, automatic / independent brakes not lapping, etc.),

B- Malfunctioning Block Signal on the BNSF side:
Entrance Block signal may have indicated green (or yellow) over red, and the end of block absolute signal may had indicated yellow over red, or even a clear block aspect.
The signal facing the oncoming BNSF Train at the end of that block (end of the siding) should have been "Red-Red" ONLY!!!
The Entrance Block signal should had been Solid Yellow over Red ONLY!!!

C- The BNSF crew judged the stop incorrectly, and rolled it through the block.

The sad thing is, the crew in the Train with the camera had no idea of the fouled block until it was too late!
If they did, their Train would have been set into full emergency too, possibly stopping short of the turnout.

I hope they got out, or at least hit the floor before the collision!

It could have been much worse - a head on situation would have killed the crews of either Train, if they were unable to bail out.
At least with the low speed side-swipe, you can walk away from it!

Scott


Scott " 35 " Thompson
Just Say NO To Green Eggs And Ham!
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
That reminds me of a terrible crash on the old Vienna subway system.
In the late 1970s the signalling system was ancient (1924-25) and malfunctions (mainly permanent red i.e. "STOP") were nothing unusual. So, the ingenious management devised a way to circumvent that... after stopping for a defined time at the red signal, the motorman was allowed to enter the next block at 15km/h (given the extremely dim headlights of the cars built in the 1950s that was pretty hefty inside a tunnel or open cut).

After a soccer match, "fans" started to wreak havoc on one train, unscrewing the light bulbs. Supposedly the tail light was on the same series as the inside light... (those old cars had 95V incandescent bulbs wired in series to the 750V DC traction power). So, the rear of the train was dark. Before descending at the Meidling Hauptstraße stop they pulled the passenger emergency brake handle. In spite of this, the train pulled out of the station, coming to a halt on the open tracks.
The motorman of the next train waited at the red signal, then continued at 15km/h (roughly 10 mph). Suddenly he noticed the block signal ahead of him being green and accelerated to the full speed of 40km/h. However, he failed to notice the unlit train between himself and the green signal, crashing into it at full speed... luckily no one died, the second motorman only had a broken arm (pretty miraculous for such a crash).
Brake failures were pretty common back then too - the trains had only pneumatic brakes operating by cast iron pads. Those pads had to be readjusted frequently (several times per day I guess) due to abrasion and the pneumatic system was old and undersized - the cars had been built in 1954- 1961 using most of the pneumatic parts of the older 1924-1929 cars but adding a second brake system, pneumatic doors and some other systems to the old compressors.

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,723
Likes: 1
Broom Pusher and
Member
Just bumping this back to life again!

BTW, what was the verdict? did the other Freight Train roll past the CP, or was there signal failure?
(or was this TWC territory?).

I gotta know!!!

Scott


Scott " 35 " Thompson
Just Say NO To Green Eggs And Ham!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 421
Member
Scott, I am in no way an expert, ..and this is just a minor observation.....

but those engines look like GE -7, 8, or 9

I don't know the physical differences enough between those three,
they just don't look like they are EMD.


Tom
togol #173755 01/17/08 08:54 PM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 939
F
Member
both dash8 and dash 9 later models with widecab the dash 9 have winged radaitor housing while the newest one are vee format sorta wide vee arrangement the reason why they went that route due intercooler circuit.

the new generation are V-12 engine they can dish out 4400 hp but they have v-16 verison it can crank out serious amout of HP much as 6,000 hp but allready have some issue with it and have to derated it some.

Merci, Marc


Pas de problme,il marche n'est-ce pas?"(No problem, it works doesn't it?)

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5