Eastern Railroad Discussion > Kendallville, IN, derailment

Local news sources this morning are reporting a derailment and subsequent collision between two NS trains on the Chicago Line (ex-CR) on the east side of Kendallville, IN, with at least one locomotive on its side and a crew member trapped inside. Bad news to hear this early in the morning, sure there will be more details later.

Information is sketchy at this point, but the accident reportely occured about 5 am Indinaa time. According to the media, one train derailed on the double track main and the other train hit the derailed cars or debri. News media is saying two injuries and no word yet on trapped crew member. I am reporting this on what little I've heard and as we know, the news media can be unreliable. Also there is a report of spilled diesel fuel. Sounds like it was close to town.

There are several curves that would limit visibility to train crews in this area even if a train could stop in time. They usually barrel through here. Hopefully, the injuries are not serious.

I sure hope the injuries arn't bad. I know a lot of engineers and conductors that run that line, I just live an hour or so east of Kendallvile, on the same line.

See further info higher up. Apparently the westbound 69T derailed just as its head end was meeting 24Z. Didn't see this immediately or I wouldn't have double posted. I'm told there was one injury, no fatalities. Amtrak is detouring via Deshler.

At least one Amtrak has been re-routed to avoid this incident. My wife saw a southbound Amtrak train pass by our house in Perrysburg OH (CSX Toledo Sub)at 10:30 a.m. Said that it had superliner cars on it and "boxcars" Probably the Capitol Limited?

One report I got was that the first train crew called in the derailment to local police but not dispatch. Police claimed they heard the second train approaching but either it was too late to call the railroad or they had just neglected to do so. I assume that the events just happened in rather rapid succession. But I thought I'd post what I had heard.

Probably wouldn't make a difference most of the time, but those red marker lights that NS has been so insistent on getting rid of might give a warning in some cases.

Let's see, we've got ditch lights, we've got headlights, we've got a train derailing in front of another train, a most vulnerable situation to come across. Suddenly, there's a cry from across the cab, "Hey, he's got his red marker lights lit up!!!!!!!". Yep, I think you're onto something, Skunk.
Better yet, why not bring back the red gryolights that SP used to have on their locos when a train was in emergency.
What the heck was the purpose of those red marker lights, anyway, other than maybe for helper units in the mountains to signify the rear of a train.
Sorry, Skunk, I don't see what they would prevent any of the time.

OK LEW, maybe I've got egg in my face on this one. But, tell me, if you were an engineer and you saw a red light a distance down the track, wouldn't you at least slow up?

I suppose I was thinking about the red light some locomoives displayed when they went into emergency. (Wabash, come to mind as well as SP.)Yes, it would have not been very visible at Kendallville with the track transversing a s curve though town. But, on straight and level track on a clear day...(Maybe, I'm digging myself too deep?)

Unless I've miscounted, that's 6 major derailments on NS in the past week... Do I hear a Harriman rolling in his grave? Or just a railroad trying to hush injury reports...

I'm sorry to hear that a crew member was injured. Looks as if he will have to join the group of ex-NS employees (after all, employees don't get injured, only ex-exployees do) just so they will have a shot at another beloved Harriman award...

With best wishes for a speedy recovery to the crews involved...
- BCM

Red marker light, hate to count the many times I have seen and passed trains with them on "mistakenly". You are suppose to get on the radio, and announce "Emergency-Emergency-Emergency and state location and cause if known, then report immediatly to the DS".

According to NS, the two crewmen (both from the Toledo area) were treated for cuts and bruises at a Kendallville area hospital and released by mid-afternoon. They wisely chose to ride it out in their safety cab instead of jumping.

Throttle_JCKY wrote:
>
> Red marker light, hate to count the many times I have seen and
> passed trains with them on "mistakenly". You are suppose to
> get on the radio, and announce "Emergency-Emergency-Emergency
> and state location and cause if known, then report immediatly
> to the DS".

Roger on the marker lights on mistakenly. Happened quite frequently on CR (although we did have at least one engineer in our area who would PURPOSELY put on the markers on the end coupled to the cars).

Besides, if you want to give a visual warning, fusees are much more effective and are already covered in the rule book...

So..........was there an NS train wreck near Kendallville, IN or not? There doesn't seem to be any news about it.

jdw3460 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So..........was there an NS train wreck near
> Kendallville, IN or not? There doesn't seem to
> be any news about it.

Yep it happened. 17 years ago. Look at all the posts before yours.

I waded through all the malarky and bulls*it, hearsay, etc. Did anyone see it?

jdw3460 Wrote:
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> I waded through all the malarky and bulls*it,
> hearsay, etc. Did anyone see it?


Check the date on ALL of the posts before yours in this thread. The derailment was 17 years ago.