Not so good
http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/02/16/tsr-west-virginia-train-derailment-explosion.cnn
Some more info on that fire
http://www.wvva.com/story/28120374/2015/02/16/fiery-train-derailment-in-fayette-county
I worry that this may happen on Jerry Barnes RR with all those tank cars he runs! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
I think it’s a good time to invest in the stocks of the car builders. These places will be busy building new cars that have the higher safety standards. Accidents like this are only going to force companies to update their fleet faster.
Joe, I don’t think Jerry runs real fast. His fleet was just finished so probably still in good shape. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)Wonder if he has a fire house on his pike?
I am not sure investing in car manufacturers is the answer. It would appear to me that the railroads themselved cause these ‘incidents’ through lack of maintenance.
The recent derailment and still ongoing cleanup near Milton, Florida was billed as ‘bad track’. I have railfanned in several locations and seen track with the rail head peaned over from heavy usage, and quite obviously in need of replacement, yet the railroad continuest to use it. I have been at club meetings at the West Florida Railroad Museum (originally the Milton Station on L&N) and HEARD the flat wheel many minutes before the train arrived. Until this concept of use equipment UNTIL IT FAILS mindset (alternately said ‘only the stockholders matter’) these accidents with their resulting collateral damage will continue, and I believe will get worse. I am not a regulation addict, and believe we have enough already, but we do need to ENFORCE THEM. The ‘bottom line’ mind set needs to be altered by a) making fines affect the bottom line and, b) remove the ability to write any of that loss off the taxes. Make it affect the dividend checks and something will be done about it.
i’d like to see them slow down to a more-crossing safe speed limit, even 40mph takes long time to stop. Perhaps it would also be wise to add mid train cameras and detectors so a conductor and a remote dispatcher can monitor the entire train.
According to CSX, these were the new, “safer” cars.
I’d have to agree with Bob. Better maintanance is needed.
And they’d better get with it now. Before an accident like this happens in a highly populated area.
Ralph
Bob, I would have to agree. It’s a shame that’s the mentality, but it is. As you say hitting the pocket book is the only way to curtail it.
My investment comments were meant for those of us that haven’t blow all our money on trains and have some to invest in the stocks of these companies since they will surely be receiving more orders.
Also put some of that blame on the shareholders themselves. Their sheer greediness is one of the primary reasons deferred maintanence happens. If the shareholders themselves held the companies feet to the fire to press to spend a little of that divident on maintanence and upgrades so the company will be able to keep making a profit, has been replaced in more than a handful of shareholders with an inhuman greediness, “give me as much blood as you can sqweeze out of the turnip I dont care if the company goes tits up next year give me my money NOW” attitude that seems to dominate the boardrooms of most corporations these days. Its really astonishing.
Isn’t it funny, and it shows how the media works…After the great disaster in Magentic Quebec, there was a big, no…GIGANTIC media feeding frenzy…but the three latest derailments (Two in Canada, and one in the US), have had no deathes, and no real envioromental problems.
Notice that after a minor news report or two, the subject has hardly had any news value at all. In fact, it is rather hard to even find out when the track will be able to be used again. Last I heard was that Via would be able to clear the site anytime after Wednesday Midnight.
The media only reports disasters, and truely shocking events. Has anyone even seen any photos, taken from the air of any of the sites…oh yes…there was a one shot event of the CP derailment…but it just showed several cars on their sides…no fire…
Fred,
There are pictures, video and write-ups galore e.g. Gogama mess