Your reaction to Derailments

Geep_fan Mar 10, 2013

  1. Geep_fan

    Geep_fan TrainBoard Member

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    No, not the action that occurs afterwards, checking equipment and track. But the reaction when the derailment occurs.

    This got bought up at a recent NMRA division layout setup as some members joked about how others handled derailments, both as spectators and operators.

    Some act very frantically "STOP, the train derailed!!!!!!!", others sarcastically point out even the obvious derailments in front of the operator "your chewing up the ties again, your gunna have to go around and replace all of them". And yet others just re-rail the equipment on the fly and don't say a word to the operator.

    On the operators side, there's those who immediately press emergency stop, throwing all the slack up against the engine, and knocking over whatever shipments may have been inside the train. Others will gradually ease the train to a halt, some even continue going until they end up with a larger derailment (I know people who do it just for kicks). And then there's the guys just like the spectator listed above who re-rail the train on the fly and don't worry about it.

    This developed a lot of conversation between people at the modular setup and some interesting reasoning's behind their ideas came about.





    Me? I'm more of a re-rail on the fly, or a "wait and see if that trailing point turnout re-rails it for me" kind of guy. I see no point in stopping unless it's really going to be an issue. As a spectator I might point out to the nearest guy that they have a derailed train, but not in a really frantic sort of way.


    Just threw this up to see what people have to say about it.
     
  2. Ironhorseman

    Ironhorseman April, 2018 Staff Member In Memoriam

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    Hmmmmmm! I'm trying to remember the last time I had a derailment. It's been a very long time ago, but I think I'd be the "Stop the train" guy!
     
  3. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    If the train isn't stopped, you can have a larger mess, plus do some damage to equipment. That is why I always stop and check things.
     
  4. TrainboySD40

    TrainboySD40 TrainBoard Member

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    If I'm near a trailing point turnout, I just wait to see if it fixes it :) Depending on the scale, rolling rerails after slowing down make me feel good.
     
  5. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    Stop the train, especially if the derailed-sound is heavy (as in loco). Shorts can be nasty to internal wiring. Of course, aforementioned actions preceded by some unprintable vocabulary.:rats:
     
  6. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    I agree that things should stop. There's too much money at stake with typical "show worthy" model locomotives and freight cars. While it's fun to play cowboy and try to rope the doggy back on the track without stopping, if you cause a bigger derailment and into another train and a superdetailed and/or brass locomotive takes a dive to the concrete you are not gonna be very popular. If someone in my club had a reputation for watching the train wreck unfold, I would likely excuse myself from running adjacent to that person.

    Proper protocol should be E-stop, every time.
     
  7. sp4009

    sp4009 TrainBoard Member

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    I start drinking water...
     
  8. OC Engineer JD

    OC Engineer JD Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    You and me both Joe...LOL ;)
     
  9. maxairedale

    maxairedale TrainBoard Member

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    That's not water I'm drinking.:rolleyes:

    Here are my steps
    1. Stop the train
    2. Rerail the cars/locos
    3. If it was something I did then kick myself
    4. Run the train around again to see if the same car(s)/Loco derail in the same place.

    My last derailment was after doing some track work (surprise surprise). The location of the problem was not where the symptoms were located.

    GAry
     
  10. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    My experience with derailments is that when they do happen suddenly several people in the room turn into something akin to Donny from "The Big Lebowski," pointing out the obvious and making sure to both repeat it even though it's been said often and then also to stand in the way preventing the operator from getting to the scene, e.g., "Hey, Dude, there's a derailment there!" "I see that Donny." "Are you going to clear it?" "I'm trying, Donny."

    I have very few derailments myself, which I attribute at least in part to a pretty strict regimen of coupler and wheel checks and cleaning and a bad-ordering system where I remove things that are not working to my standards and fix them BEFORE returning them to use. Most of the derailments at my clubhouse that involve my equipment result from someone else's gear derailing across the track where I am running.
     
  11. RBrodzinsky

    RBrodzinsky November 18, 2022 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    Dude! Careful, there's a beverage involved!
     
  12. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    My immediate reaction and response are to kill power, protect whatever has derailed from its probable gravity driven acceleration towards concrete, attempt to rerail same, finally to determine cause. However, I will admit that my reaction and reponse times are dependent upon the ratio of water to adult beverage in the container grasped tightly by my fist, and the length of time since that container was originally filled. I agree with Rick, the first rule is to protect the beverage at all cost....LOL
     
  13. OC Engineer JD

    OC Engineer JD Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Whatever you do....dont use engines to pull up a derailed engine when the ground is water logged......
    [video=youtube_share;apowxSQ8oZE]http://youtu.be/apowxSQ8oZE[/video]
     
  14. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    oh man, I did not expect that.
     
  15. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    OH C**P! Where is your neighborhood Physics Major Senior when you really need him/her? Though, sadly, you probably wouldn't have listened, because this is how it's always been done...right?

    The hardhats, posture, and reaction looked oriental...was it?
     
  16. jagged ben

    jagged ben TrainBoard Member

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    One thing I have learned on our club layout is that there is little point in stopping a train when the dragging equipment is not in a location you can reach. I usually find it more convenient to slow down until the train reaches a point of easier access.

    Of course not all derailments are equal. String-lining your entire train around Tehachapi Loop usually calls for just stopping, and heading for that access hatch. Swearing is dependent how how close the nearest member of the public is.
     
  17. LegomanBill

    LegomanBill TrainBoard Member

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    I don't know where I would be classified, but I tend to not freak out too much (The fact I took a picture of the crash says something about the fact.).
    [​IMG]
     
  18. maxairedale

    maxairedale TrainBoard Member

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    Text that pops up if cursor is held on video reads "Train accident - Train derails trying to lift another derailed train - Russia fail car wreck crash"
     
  19. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Aha, Thanks.
     
  20. Candy_Streeter

    Candy_Streeter TrainBoard Member

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    Stop the train and have a beer.
     

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