Happened July 6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEkZPZpeaQM

and a follow up article:

http://www.palestineherald.com/features/local_story_226151009.html

Bob

Someone else posted this earlier.

I can't help from asking this question. Why can't we post video links of good operating days at the Texas State Railroad? It would seem to me that we would want to show the general public all of the good days the trains operate and not dwell on the bad days they don't.

Just my 2 cents on trying to keep a good face to the public to help them know that trains are safe modes of transportation.

Steven H.

Good point. But, check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... rch=Search

Only one video is about the derailment. Happens to be the first one, maybe because it's the last one posted.

There are plenty of stories there that are positive.
Remember that RYPN doesn't qualify as mass media. In fact, it's an extremely narrow audience. I suspect (No metrics to back this up) that the postings are limited to about twenty or so regulars, with the occasional outlier chipping in.
The public accesses videos and pictures in places like YouTube. And there, as I pointed out, the picture is overwehlmingly positive.
The query "Train wrecks" doesn't turn up the Texas Midland incident at all on the first page.
The query "Texas Train Wrecks" turns up the Texas Midland incident as the first video. But, this is the accompanying copy:

"Texas State Railroad Train Wreck
On July 6, 2007, the train coming from Rusk, TX was hit by the train coming from Palestine, TX. To my knowledge, there were no injuries. RR officials were very professional and handled the situation well. We loved the ride and would do it again!"

Actually, if you look more closely at it, the preservation glass is really not half empty, but half full in this case.
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When this video first appeared on RyPN in a thread on the incident, the assumption was made that the last passenger car "picked the switch." Then the possibility was raised that the switch might have been thrown too soon. I find it kind of interesting that no one has pointed out that in Beth Foley's story in the Palestine Herald-Press, it states that the "switch accidentally was thrown too soon." IF this report is correct, I think that it is good for the Texas State Railroad. Human error can be corrected (the ways to prevent future incidents was mentioned in the original thread). And it means that TSR maintenance (switch or passenger car) was not at fault.

BTW, the photo in the Herald-Press article makes me think that this might be an ex-Rock Island commuter coach. Anyone know if that is true?

Les

I've resisted commenting on this issue, since the video doesn't show us which of these likely scenarios actually took place. I'd rather wait for a report of the official investigation. I for one am not willing to make a judgment based on what some reporter writes in the paper, as experience has shown they typically get the details wrong way too often.

However, if it turns out that the switch WAS thrown too soon, I don't think it's "good for the Texas State Railroad." It shows a problem with training and rules enforcement that could have consequences every bit as bad, or worse, than any maintenance issues. After all, it's pretty hard to throw a switch "too soon" when one is standing fifteen or more feet from the switch stand, preferably on the opposite side of the track, as many rulebooks require.

Here's the link to the previous thread:

http://rypn.sunserver.com/forum/viewtop ... light=tsrr

IRM has acquired or is in the process of acquiring 3-4 more RI comm coaches from what I think is TX. At least that's what we were told last weekend.

These wouldn't be the same cars, would they?

Bill

The derailment ws caused by a rules violation and the employee was disiplined for his actions.

Those three cars are coming from the Center of Transportation and Commerce in Galveston Texas. Those three cars were the train set used behind the 555 when it was in operation.