How do you rerail a steam locomotive?

nathansixchime · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:03 pm **Posts:** 948

With the promise of free pizza.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzaI84GCFYk&t=47s

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1270

Been there. Done that. It is no fun. I am surprised at the lack of profanity on the part of the crew.

whodom · **Posted:** Thu Oct 27, 2016 9:51 am

That also happened with 765 back about 1982 right outside the nearly-new diesel locomotive shop in Bellevue when I worked for the N&W.

We were going to take a leisurely trip to Brewster (?) and everyone in the crew (including me) was going to get a chance at the throttle. The derailment derailed that plan. :-(

Dave Lewandoski · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:58 pm **Posts:** 1083

truly a group of class 1 professionals. If me, my Dad, and late Uncle had been involved, it would have been like the furnace fighting scene in Christmas Story.

rcw7585 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:25 am **Posts:** 85

Protip: Make sure that one person, and one person only is in charge or rerailing/movement. Ideally, that person knows what they are doing (read as: "been there, done that, bought that t-shirt").

Everyone has their own idea of what works... and rerailing/derailment cleanup is hardly a time for "Hey, lets all form a consensus opinion on how to do this WHILE we are crawling around under a derailed locomotive".

Seriously... Oak blocking, waste oil, a good set of rerailers, and the right leadership.

Stay safe.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:27 pm

rcw7585 wrote:

Protip: Make sure that one person, and one person only is in charge or rerailing/movement. Ideally, that person knows what they are doing (read as: "been there, done that, bought that t-shirt").

Everyone has their own idea of what works... and rerailing/derailment cleanup is hardly a time for "Hey, lets all form a consensus opinion on how to do this WHILE we are crawling around under a derailed locomotive".

The October 1982 issue of Trains has a nice memoir by the inimitable Lloyd Arkinstall called "Wreckmaster's Moon," describing what happens when this absolute authority of a wreckmaster was breached by someone presuming higher authority at a minor incident on the PRR in New Jersey.

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:31 pm

And in the rain, too? Quite something. Interesting to see the re-railing frogs in use.
Well done, guys.

EWrice · **Joined:** Wed Jan 15, 2014 9:14 am **Posts:** 367

This is very informative. I like the use of what was available. I have never (thank god) had to re rail anything other than a flatcar, and I had access to a crane. My one question is, what is the purpose of greasing the rails? I could see greasing the inside or outside edge to help the wheels ride up, but why the railhead?

nathansixchime · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:03 pm **Posts:** 948

The rail was greased simply to reduce friction as gravity was already encouraging the use of two center cabs switchers and the 765 was pressurized with compressed air.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2016 8:31 am

Having watched it again, I'm having flashbacks to the later days of Penn Central and early days of Conrail, when cars and locos would almost routinely derail on local branch lines, and were handled with this exact approach, with whatever wood could be scrounged from the nearby feed mill, lumber yard, or even woods.

In one case, I remember a poor crew derailing one of two GP9's on a feed mill siding, re-railing the offending truck, and trying to crawl back out again, only to derail the second GP9. They then called it a day, all piled into the one still on the rails, and headed back to the yard to leave it for the next day for the guys whose job it was supposed to be to rerail the loco in the first place. (Come to think of it, you could do that with the old five-man crews back then. I would hate to see a two- or three-man crew today have to do what these guys had to do.)

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:30 pm

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

Having watched it again, I'm having flashbacks the the later days of Penn Central and early days of Conrail, when cars and locos would almost routinely derail on local branch lines, and were handled with this exact approach, with whatever wood could be scrounged from the nearby feed mill, lumber yard, or even woods.

In one case, I remember a poor crew derailing one of two GP9's on a feed mill siding, re-railing the offending truck, and trying to crawl back out again, only to derail the second GP9. They then called it a day, all piled into the one still on the rails, and headed back to the yard to leave it for the next day for the guys whose job it was supposed to be to rerail the loco in the first place. (Come to think of it, you could do that with the old five-man crews back then. I would hate to see a two- or three-man crew today have to do what these guys had to do.)

That's what Crane Masters (or Hulcher) is for today. :)

RCD · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2016 7:21 pm

And this is how you DON'T rerail a locomotive https://youtu.be/_fTC5MdcKLk

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1270

Pull off to the side was asking for it! Physics are not your friend. I once spent most of a week getting a crane ready to rerail because the operator didn't know that.

M Secco · **Joined:** Sun May 12, 2013 2:46 pm **Posts:** 245

Some times it helps if you cut the tipped rail and then ramp up over the end of the rail that's still nailed down.

rcw7585 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:25 am **Posts:** 85

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

The October 1982 issue of Trains has a nice memoir by the inimitable Lloyd Arkinstall called "Wreckmaster's Moon," describing what happens when this absolute authority of a wreckmaster was breached by someone presuming higher authority at a minor incident on the PRR in New Jersey.

Lloyd and my old man, from about 1965.