Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Derailment South Platte River-Denver, CO

BNSF's Denver, Colorado, to Laurel, Montana, was doubling up their train about 6 AM Saturday, 12 February 2022, when seven cars derailed.  Some cars ended up in the South Platte River. Fortunately, no injuries.  Empty center beam flatcars and two covered hoppers were involved - lost contact with the rail.

Amtrak's Winter Park Express was able to work around the derailment using a BNSF pilot and what is known as the balloon track. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/22 10:10 by cozephyr.

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BNSF derailed seven cars some into the South Platte River at Denver, Colorado, 6 AM, 12 Feb 2022.  No injuries.  Investigation underway.

1 - Derailed BNSF train cars in South Platte River while in the background Amtrak's Winter Park Express used 'balloon track' to cross South Platte River and onto UP rails.

2 - View of 7-car derailment Saturday, 12 February 2022.  Denver RTD commuter train crossed over South Platte River.

3 - Derailed Center beam car on its side lodged over biking/hiking trail along South Platte River.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/22 10:10 by cozephyr.

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Center beams on a sharp curve.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Center beams on a sharp curve.

What could go wrong????

Yep, as others are already pointing out... Empty center-beams, tight curves, excessive draft/buff forces. Seen it time & time again, Tehachapi, Kansas City, Denver, you name it. When will the RRs learn.


~ Mr. MRL

MrMRL Wrote:
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> Yep, as others are already pointing out... Empty
> center-beams, tight curves, excessive draft/buff
> forces. Seen it time & time again, Tehachapi,
> Kansas City, Denver, you name it. When will the
> RRs learn.
>
>
> ~ Mr. MRL

Time to reintroduce the good 'ol flat car!

I do remember that, for a time anyway, railroads had problems with bulkhead flats too.  I remember on the SP certain number series of bulkheads, thought of as being derailment prone, were restricted to 45mph.

Allen

BNSF Denver, Colorado, to Laurel, Montana, train derailed seven cars South Platte River bridge near downtown Denver, Saturday, 12 February 2022 about 6 AM.

Amtrak’s Winter Park Express passed derailment on 2nd main and used  the balloon track in distance.  Amtrak 27 on the point headed to Winter Park Ski Resort delayed about 30 minutes.  NO sound video - didn't load correctly - only still image shows-!?!

Bitter cold temperatures in the teens-🥶😮‍💨



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/22 10:25 by cozephyr.

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bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MrMRL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yep, as others are already pointing out...
> Empty
> > center-beams, tight curves, excessive
> draft/buff
> > forces. Seen it time & time again, Tehachapi,
> > Kansas City, Denver, you name it. When will the
> > RRs learn.
> >
> >
> > ~ Mr. MRL
>
> Time to reintroduce the good 'ol flat car!
>
> I do remember that, for a time anyway, railroads
> had problems with bulkhead flats too.  I remember
> on the SP certain number series of bulkheads,
> thought of as being derailment prone, were
> restricted to 45mph.
>
> Allen

Thought all bulheads were restricted to 45

MrMRL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yep, as others are already pointing out... Empty
> center-beams, tight curves, excessive draft/buff
> forces. Seen it time & time again, Tehachapi,
> Kansas City, Denver, you name it. When will the
> RRs learn.

On the 12th of never at 2730 hours.

TAW

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I do remember that, for a time anyway, railroads
> had problems with bulkhead flats too.  I remember
> on the SP certain number series of bulkheads,
> thought of as being derailment prone, were
> restricted to 45mph.
>

We called the flyin' flatcars on BN. The camber of the deck was so great that it acted as an airfoil. They tended to lift at over 45 mph. Before the cause became widely known, I had an east BN dived for a west MRL at, I think it was Otis Orchards, east of Spokane. The head man hit the dispatcher phone at the bungalow, being the closest communication at hand, to tell me to stop the MRL. There was an empty bulkhead literally flying above the track.

TAW

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MrMRL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yep, as others are already pointing out...
> Empty
> > center-beams, tight curves, excessive
> draft/buff
> > forces. Seen it time & time again, Tehachapi,
> > Kansas City, Denver, you name it. When will the
> > RRs learn.
> >
> >
> > ~ Mr. MRL
>
> Time to reintroduce the good 'ol flat car!
>
> I do remember that, for a time anyway, railroads
> had problems with bulkhead flats too.  I remember
> on the SP certain number series of bulkheads,
> thought of as being derailment prone, were
> restricted to 45mph.
>
> Allen

Allen, I remember that restriction on certain classes of empty bulkhead flats on the SP.  As i recall, it had something to do with truck hunting and some aireodynamic issues above a certain speed..  Restriction only sapplied to empties, loads were good for track speed.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO.

You're exactly correct Brian!  Empty bulkhead flats were an issue on the SPRR and were subject to severe truck hunting at high speeds, thus restricted to 45 MPH.  In the back of my mind there was also some issue with truck hunting in general in sandy areas like between Garnet and Indio.

Pete

Zephyr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You're exactly correct Brian!  Empty bulkhead
> flats were an issue on the SPRR and were subject
> to severe truck hunting at high speeds, thus
> restricted to 45 MPH.  In the back of my mind
> there was also some issue with truck hunting in
> general in sandy areas like between Garnet and
> Indio.
>
> Pete

Pete, do you happen to remember how this issue with the bulkheads was eventually solved?

I watch the Kearney cam from time to time and UP regularly runs eastbounds out of North Platte with empty bulkheads just about anywhere in the train.  Train speeds seems to be in excess of 45mph.  BTW the bulkhead loads going west are usually steel plate and I-beams.

Allen

bradleymckay Wrote:
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> Pete, do you happen to remember how this issue
> with the bulkheads was eventually solved?
>


Reduced the camber of the deck, if I remember correctly.

TAW

9400 ft long didn't help this mess

Current Speical instructions on UP show empty bulkhead flats at 40 mph unless equipp0ed with constant contact side bearings , which help reduce truck hunting  50 MPH it used to b3 45 mph.
Center beams loaded with lumber or plywood 60 mph any other commodity or empty 50 mph

Since i retired they seem to have changed train make-up restrictions on empty bulkhead and center beam cars to no restriction which may contribute to more of these derailments with these light cars mixed in between loaded blocks of cars but what do i know after 53 years in the business. It may hav to do with DP power

cars stringline on the denvere bridge every few years

Nice shot of the CZ in photo 1, and what light rail line is that in photo 2 ?

Posted from iPhone

Amtrak's Winter Park Express was detouring around the derailment using the BNSF's balloon track.

Pioneer2526 Wrote:
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> Nice shot of the CZ in photo 1, and what light
> rail line is that in photo 2 ?

Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter trains run over the South Platte River.  Trains on that line go towards Arvada and Golden, CO.  Gold Line.

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Recently in Chicago I've seen two trains with a train makeup that made me wonder if they were going to make it. A NS to BNSF manifest going to the BNSF through the 16th St. wye (tight curve) had something like 7-8 empty centerbeams behind the single lead engine, then a mix of empty centerbeams and other cars, and a DPU on the rear 120+ cars back. Then on another day CN L537 had 6 empty centerbeams at the front with 110+ cars behind them, and would go through the sharp curve near 16th St. Nothing happened in both cases, but when I keep seeing derailments like this, it makes me wonder.