Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Derailment east of Temple Texas

Expect BNSF's Galveston Subdivision to be closed for a day or two while they clean up 27 derailed frack sand cars east of Heidenheimer....

https://www.kwtx.com/2020/09/06/train-derails-in-eastern-bell-county/

DevalDragon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Expect BNSF's Galveston Subdivision to be closed
> for a day or two while they clean up 27 derailed
> frack sand cars east of Heidenheimer....
>
> https://www.kwtx.com/2020/09/06/train-derails-in-e
> astern-bell-county/
John Frackin' Heidenheimer Sand...that's my name too.

It has never failed to amaze me of the sheer physical forces involved in a derailment. Looking at the photo provided, most of the cars involved are lying on their sides - but one in particular has a large hole punched or ripped into it by the physcal forces involved. Even without the hole damage, the cars have had their bottom gates ripped off causing the cargo of sand to spill out. With all of the reports of frack sand and grain hopper trains derailed in the last year or so here on T/O, one wonders if the hopper car building companies are working three shifts trying to keep up. But seriously, are some of the hopper cars involved actually repaired? Obviously there will be many factors to consider.  And who does the repairs - the railroad on which the cars were running - or a private railcar repair firm? 

Saw a vidio take of one that occured within yard limits when some cars got away and rolled into a set of parked engines and there short string. One engine was scraped as frame was bent, one car went airborn and the others derailed all less than about 20mph.

Little late. It’s already opened

Posted from iPhone

The car builders are tightening up. I believe Trinity Rail Car Builders is reducing capacity.

If anyone has current info, I'd love to hear it.

Posted from Android

Lots of cars in storage

Between the downturn of the economy and PSR there are lot of cars parked and the freight car builders are in a slump. As to repairs, the handling railroad (BNSF in this case) has to make enough repairs that the cars can move on their own wheels or load them on flat cars. Assuming these were private, non railroad owned cars they would go to contract shop for repairs. As to the decision to repair or scrap, that depends on the age of the car, condition, and demand. From looking at the photo, unless the other sides of the cars are considerably damaged, they look repairable if there is a need for the cars. 
Charlie

1019X Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Between the downturn of the economy and PSR there
> are lot of cars parked and the freight car
> builders are in a slump. As to repairs, the
> handling railroad (BNSF in this case) has to make
> enough repairs that the cars can move on their own
> wheels or load them on flat cars. Assuming these
> were private, non railroad owned cars they would
> go to contract shop for repairs. As to the
> decision to repair or scrap, that depends on the
> age of the car, condition, and demand. From
> looking at the photo, unless the other sides of
> the cars are considerably damaged, they look
> repairable if there is a need for the cars. 
> Charlie

To Tronarail, Charlie has it right.   No need for covered hopper car builders to be a bit concerned -- there are too many of them existing out of service.   I worked 4 and a half years on ATSF at Temple cleaning up derailments in east Texas and salvaging cargoes.    Sand is hardly worth the expense.