Western Railroad Discussion > Train on the Ground in Colfax CA 3:00PM

Broadcast radio is reporting 5 cars on the ground in Colfax CA right now, blocking the grade crossing and dividing the town in half. Anyone have any solid news?

CAL FIRE Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit
@CALFIRENEU

#Railroadincident [update] E. Grass Valley Road, city of Colfax in Placer County. Firefighters on scene of minor train derailment. No danger to the public. East Grass Valley Road is blocked by the train. Other nearby intersections are closed.
2:50 PM - Feb 22, 2018

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Looks like a UP Special Agent there on the left. Good sized "hog leg" on his hip, looks like a Glock.

WW Wrote:
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> Looks like a UP Special Agent there on the left.
> Good sized "hog leg" on his hip, looks like a
> Glock.


Or a 'Railfan Taser'.

They don't look like Oil tank cars but it might be interesting to confirm that they are or are not, before the Media makes their mark on the story.

TCnR Wrote:
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> They don't look like Oil tank cars but it might be
> interesting to confirm that they are or are not,
> before the Media makes their mark on the story.

No placards, so nothing hazardous.

More pics;

https://thenwfireblog.com/2018/02/22/colfax-train-derails-three-cars/

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

The last picture on the fire blog shows a wheel set with a burned off journal and from the looks of things the train was not going to fast and there is not much track damage maybe in the crossover. May have been a quick burn off from looks of the nub that is left on the journal on the wheel set . Not to sure how far between detectors on the hill.

Its the third of four fire pictures that really shows the burned bearing.

If they haven't moved the detector since I retired, there is one on the #1 track right about the rear of the train.
G

Photo #1 suggests there are some missing wheels. How far from the tracks did the wheels end up?

Looks like the shelf couplers are earning their keep.

Hot bearing detector at MP148.8, dragging equipment detector approx 145.

1ST_OUT Wrote:
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> Hot bearing detector at MP148.8, dragging
> equipment detector approx 145.

What is the approx MP of that crossing?

SP4360 Wrote:
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> 1ST_OUT Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hot bearing detector at MP148.8, dragging
> > equipment detector approx 145.
>
> What is the approx MP of that crossing?

141.91 - Grass Valley Hwy

ble692 Wrote:
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> SP4360 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 1ST_OUT Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Hot bearing detector at MP148.8, dragging
> > > equipment detector approx 145.
> >
> > What is the approx MP of that crossing?
>
> 141.91 - Grass Valley Hwy

Just wasn't hot enough to fire off the detector. Back when we had the old detectors with the thermal tape, the limit was set at 8 (out of 10 scale) on the machine. As you read the tape there would be bearing reading 7 and would not fire off the detector only to flame out before the next detector. Today, you print out a status report and it gives you the actual temp of each bearing. Detector spacing isn't an exact science let alone the cost of them to put one every 2 miles. Sometimes you get lucky and only drop a few wheels. Sometimes you get real lucky and have shelf couplers on the offending car.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/18 07:54 by SP4360.

Concrete tie damage?

Total noob question here - how would the engineer realize that this event took place and know to stop the train?

Empty Propane cars heading back to the bay area refineries to be reloaded?

WoodrowStool Wrote:
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> Total noob question here - how would the engineer
> realize that this event took place and know to
> stop the train?

Several possibilities:

1) Derailment caused air brake line to separate forcing train into emergency brake application.

2) Detector radioed a defect and crew stopped the train.

3) Crew looked back and saw the derailed cars kicking up dirt and stopped the train.

4) Another employee with a radio saw the derailed cars and radioed the crew to stop the train.

Looks like the train stopped very quickly after the derailment.

Gary

Posted from iPhone

SN711 Wrote:
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> WoodrowStool Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Total noob question here - how would the
> engineer
> > realize that this event took place and know to
> > stop the train?
>
> Several possibilities:
>
> 1) Derailment caused air brake line to separate
> forcing train into emergency brake application.
>
> 2) Detector radioed a defect and crew stopped the
> train.
>
> 3) Crew looked back and saw the derailed cars
> kicking up dirt and stopped the train.
>
> 4) Another employee with a radio saw the derailed
> cars and radioed the crew to stop the train.
>
> Looks like the train stopped very quickly after
> the derailment.
>
> Gary
>
> Posted from iPhone

Also, depending on conditions, a sudden, unexplained reduction in speed can indicate a derailment. I've had that happen.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO

tehachcond Wrote:
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> Also, depending on conditions, a sudden,
> unexplained reduction in speed can indicate a
> derailment. I've had that happen.
>
> Brian Black
> Castle Rock, CO

On the Ventura County Railway years ago it was straight to 8 and don't hesitate. Oxnard local did that once and when the power stopped they went to look and found a dozen auto racks on the ground. The VC crew had a nasty habit of not locking switches and one of the local hopper car hotel residents thought it would be funny to line switches under the train. Well that didn't work out too well for the residents either, as after we cleaned up the yard as mass eviction took place and all their belongings were collected and we had a burn pile, per the president.

mbenning Wrote:
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> Empty Propane cars heading back to the bay area
> refineries to be reloaded?

They are general service tank cars (illegal to load with LPG) with no haz-mat placards, so no.