Some engineer is having a really, REALLY bad day:
Thanks Ray;
Would not like to see the damage claims for that mishap. I am wondering whether there was some reballasting done, and the MOW folks forgot to check clearances afterwards. When I worked for Mack Trucks, Inc., I heard of cases where an interstate highway got resurfaced and the underpass clearances were not checked afterwards. After several van bodied trailers had their roofs removed, the height warnings had to be changed, AND the DOT had to pay for the damages.
Regrettably, it is not unique to railroads. Can even happen with canals, but that is more the cause of high water volume.
Best, David Meashey
Ah, I hadn’t thought of that reballasting possibility.
Question has to be asked why didn’t the drivers notice something was wrong when the first car hit the bridge?
Surely they heard the screech of metal bending.
I don’t know… it depends on the length of the train. The locos could have been pretty far from the bridge.
Takes awhile to get those big things stopped.
I would also ask why the operations section, or whoever controls routing the trains, scheduled the train with that consist down that route?
“I would also ask why the operations section, or whoever controls routing the trains, scheduled the train with that consist down that route?”
Derailed;
If the clearances were not checked after rebalasting and tamping (I noted the possibility in a post above.), the dispatch center would have no way of knowing about the problem. For example, Norfolk Southern’s dispatch center is now consolidated in Atlanta, GA, and dispatches for the entire system. Some of those dispatchers are giving governance of trains half a continent away from where they work.
Bigger is not necessarily better.
Regards, David Meashey