there is an account of the passenger car derailment over on chaski. If the CSX has done as described, somebody's in trouble.

www.chaski.com/cgi-bin/webbbs_food/webb ... ?read=2643

derailment

Any idea where these cars were headed? I heard a rumor that they were headed to the New Hope & Ivyland in Pennsylvania, but I repeat that was a rumor....as in information from a not very reliable source.

Jeff

smith@drexel.edu

> there is an account of the passenger car
> derailment over on chaski. If the CSX has
> done as described, somebody's in trouble.

If this report is accurate (and I have no indications that it's not), there is some serious explaining to do.

On BOTH sides.

If the account is accurate, CSX personnel directly violated their own superiors' orders, and in all probability precipitated the actual derailment.

More mysterious, however, is the role of the alleged rider.

As noted below, I have pulled "rider" duty on several special movements on the railroads, which really meant simply escorting the vehicle by road vehicle.

With my experience, the following questions instantly arise:

*How could the rider--ON BOARD the train-- possibly be so derelict in his duty as to ALLOW the train to leave the yard in that fashion?
I had specific orders from one car owner to personally get aboard and dump the air as many times as necessary to prevent anything like handling the (lightweight passenger)car on the front of a train, and indeed to tell any and all crew and officials in advance that I would do so if need be. I was issued a cell phone and every possible phone number--railroad headquarters, road and car foremen and inspectors, etc. I was told to delay the shipment rather than risk a catastrophe or the car. I personally supervised the car switching from hump towers and on the ground. I would have literally had to be incapacitated before the foolishness described in this incident could occur.

*Was this "rider" only along to collect "rare mileage"? Was he too stupid to realize that he wasn't supposed to have 80 cars of freight behind him? I hear reports the crew was unaware of his presence. HOW?!?!? I spoke to every crew member that handled "my" cars, and they knew darn well they were being watched and listened to, and where I could be expected to pop up and inspect the train. I have had with me car drawings, proof of changeout of the couplers and brakes from passenger to freight configuration, AAR Interchange Rules books, radio, you name it. I've engaged in shouting matches with incompetent crewds at 5 in the morning--and had the railroad police referee, then call the supervisor to have the crew reprimanded.

The one private company I do occasional escort duty for taught me early on (and it has been reinforced by experience) that Murphy was an optimist, and that railroads will do anything possible (and a few things impossible) to screw up a non-routine shipment. I earned my pay specifically to skewer and slaughter Murphy every time he comes back to life. Thus far, I seem to be batting 1.000 (save for the busted ditch light on one locomotive that occured during switching).

LNER4472@bcpl.net

From Trains.com:

Derailment prompts CSX ban on private passenger equipment

After a derailment last week involving deadheading non-Amtrak passenger cars, CSX says it wonÂ’t haul private passenger cars in its freight trains until further notice.

Former Long Island Rail Road coaches bound for the Pennsylvania short line New Hope & Ivyland derailed in the consist of train Q406-11 near Baltimore on April 12, prompting the ban. No one was injured in the derailment, although one person was aboard one of the passenger cars.

The American Association of Private Railcar Owners could not be reached for comment on how the CSX bulletin will affect private car movements.

> If this report is accurate (and I have no
> indications that it's not), there is some
> serious explaining to do.

> On BOTH sides.

> If the account is accurate, CSX personnel
> directly violated their own superiors'
> orders, and in all probability precipitated
> the actual derailment.

> More mysterious, however, is the role of the
> alleged rider.

> As noted below, I have pulled
> "rider" duty on several special
> movements on the railroads, which really
> meant simply escorting the vehicle by road
> vehicle.

> With my experience, the following questions
> instantly arise:

> *How could the rider--ON BOARD the train--
> possibly be so derelict in his duty as to
> ALLOW the train to leave the yard in that
> fashion?
> I had specific orders from one car owner to
> personally get aboard and dump the air as
> many times as necessary to prevent anything
> like handling the (lightweight passenger)car
> on the front of a train, and indeed to tell
> any and all crew and officials in advance
> that I would do so if need be. I was issued
> a cell phone and every possible phone
> number--railroad headquarters, road and car
> foremen and inspectors, etc. I was told to
> delay the shipment rather than risk a
> catastrophe or the car. I personally
> supervised the car switching from hump
> towers and on the ground. I would have
> literally had to be incapacitated before the
> foolishness described in this incident could
> occur.

> *Was this "rider" only along to
> collect "rare mileage"? Was he too
> stupid to realize that he wasn't supposed to
> have 80 cars of freight behind him? I hear
> reports the crew was unaware of his
> presence. HOW?!?!? I spoke to every crew
> member that handled "my" cars, and
> they knew darn well they were being watched
> and listened to, and where I could be
> expected to pop up and inspect the train. I
> have had with me car drawings, proof of
> changeout of the couplers and brakes from
> passenger to freight configuration, AAR
> Interchange Rules books, radio, you name it.
> I've engaged in shouting matches with
> incompetent crewds at 5 in the morning--and
> had the railroad police referee, then call
> the supervisor to have the crew reprimanded.

> The one private company I do occasional
> escort duty for taught me early on (and it
> has been reinforced by experience) that
> Murphy was an optimist, and that railroads
> will do anything possible (and a few things
> impossible) to screw up a non-routine
> shipment. I earned my pay specifically to
> skewer and slaughter Murphy every time he
> comes back to life. Thus far, I seem to be
> batting 1.000 (save for the busted ditch
> light on one locomotive that occured during
> switching).


Heartland Railroad Historical Society
hrrhs@aol.com

I would imagine that CSX will once again start moving passenger cars once they review the situation and revise rules as neccesary. I am a CSX conductor, and unless its written on the work order, most of these guys out here won't engage their brains.

I once had a UP Vista dome on the rear of my train. The yardmaster very casually mentioned that there was a passenger car on the rear, but there were no special instruction or anything about it. I had the clerk drive me to the rear so I could inspect the car. I didn't have to do it, but if it were my car I would want someone who cares a little about their job on the train. My main concern was making sure it was locked up and that the windows weren't broken.

It is true that anything out of the ordinary won't receive any special treatment by train crews.

The Tod Engine
todengine@woh.rr.com