runaway in Ohio??!!

I just saw on CNN that there is a runaway freight in NW Ohio. Reports said the engineer had a heart attack and the train is hauling hazardous material.

What's going on? Video on CNN doesn't look the train is moving too fast.

D6

 

I heard about it as well. Apparently they are showing video of it like they do for a car chase in California.

My question is why can't they not get a service truck on the rails ahead of it, bring it up to speed and then slow down so that someone can transfer back to the locomotive and bring the train under control.

Maybe too risky? But what would happen if it derails and causes a serious leak of hazardous material? I don't think I'd like to find out the outcome of that.

Bry

 

It just ended a few minutes ago. Someone jumped onto the porch while running along side. The train was going uphill so it was gradually getting slower and slower. They got it stopped, but I haven't heard about the engineer... hope he's OK.

Shouldn't there have been a conductor on board as well? There was only 1 engine, so it may have been a local run... don't know if CSX uses 2 man crews on locals.

D6

[EDIT]

This just keeps getting stranger. According to our news department (I work at a radio station)... we just got an update that there was NO CREW on the locomotive!!

D6


[ 15 May 2001: Message edited by: Deep Sixx ]

 

It was reported that there was no one on-board the SD60 (8888) So it could be a run-away. The CSX only uses one man crews on those type of trains. Two other locomotive came up from behind and pulled it to a stop, as well. All this came from CNN.

 

Here's a couple of links to the story:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/train010515.html
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/05/15/runaway.train.04/index.html

It appears that the train was Q397? Just a guess on my part.

There was indeed NO CREW on board!

[ 15 May 2001: Message edited by: Lefty ]

 

#8888 is not an SD60, it is an ex-conrail SD40-2. I don't think anyone knows for sure what evactly happen, some think th engineer had a heart attack, and some think that the brakes weren't set.

[ 15 May 2001: Message edited by: A&A 6183 ]

 

Hey makes a great advertising ad, just remove the newscasters voice and plug in

"At CSX we'll get it to you, with or without a crew!!!"

Duane

 

or:

"We'll get it to you, whether you want it or not.. it's coming!"

"Ready or not, here we come!"

"Crews? We don't need no stinking crews!"

D6

 

Who was holding down the "Dead Man Brake" while the engineer was off the engine, but "near by"? I guess everyone in the yard was simply watching as the train decided to go for a spin. At least no one tried to get aboard when it was getting up to speed. There must be more to this than meets the eye.

 

Here's a follow-up story:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/GoodMorningAmerica/GMA010516_runaway_train.html

 

I have to agree with Watash that there must be a lot more to this than has been made public. But, no doubt, there are at least two crew members with a helluva lot of explaining to do! The SD40-2 was a former Conrail unit, and Conrail crews were experts at disabling safety devices that interfered with their work. There were emergency vehicles blocking grade crossings along the way and a medical crew available as soon as the locomotive was stopped, so many knew about this train before the media.

 

I suspect he set the brakes but left it in "drive" and it bled off air, and it went by-by

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by nbrr2000:
I suspect he set the brakes but left it in "drive" and it bled off air, and it went by-by <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Wouldn't bleeding off air cause the brakes to apply? Don't trains brakes require air pressure to release, therefore "failing safe"?

D6

 

ummm.... no,you have to bleed the air off of the cars to switch them out.When the air is released from the train(when uncoupling the engines)the air sets on all of the cars.Then you have to bleed them off so the air is totally taken out of the brake system.then they will roll freely.And as far as a deadmans pedal they should all be either disconected or taken out of the engines by now.The NS uses a spring mounted switch called a crewcall on the control stand for the same thing.I don't know what the CSX uses though.The deadmans pedal was pretty usless because all you had to do was put your grip on it and not worry about it until you got off of the train.

 

Hi all ! I'm new here and when I saw and heard about that run away in Ohio I was thinking they could've prevented it. They need to be more careful with these locomotives, cause what their carrying might just cause danger to some towns.

 

From what I've heard from someone who was listening to CSXT radio transmissions, the engineer left the train to go to the crew "shack". When the trainmaster boarded the locomotive in Kenton, OH, he found the throttle in run 8, the train air with a 20 lb. reduction, and the independent brake full on. The engineer sure as hell didn't leave the cab with the throttle in run 8! Someone (sick) thought they were being VERY funny.

[ 16 May 2001: Message edited by: Gregg Mahlkov ]

 

You are thinking along the same lines we all are UPBigBoy, some one had to set air, and give her the gun then get off without being spotted! With all the survielence now days, whoever it was is on film somewhere! In fact, now days they will come get you for even making a threat! My guess is it was some civilian who got onto railroad property without getting shot. Do keep that in mind if any of you guys want to take photos now days. If you are caught, you WILL end up under the wheels. Yard people are cracking down, they aren't fooling around anymore!

 

According to Don Phillips in the "Washington Post" as shown in "Daily Rail News", it seems it was just good old-fashioned "human error". The engineer put it in run 8 when he though he was putting it in full dynamic braking preparatory to jumping off to throw a misaligned switch. He did not realize his error until he was on the ground - too late.
No big story, just a reminder of how even a moment's inattention can have big consequences in running a railroad.