Eastern Railroad Discussion > Pictures from NS wreck at Mattawana, PA (Aerial)

Good Evening,

After the news of the major derailment yesterday at CP McVey in Mattawana, PA, we set out this morning in hopes of catching a bit of a post derailment rush of trains.  That didn't end up panning out, but we did get aerial views of the derailment site.  I made three separate passes with drone throughout the day to show the progress of the cleanup.  Photos are marked as to which pass they were made during.

1-3: Overview of the site, 9:19 AM

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4: The two road units involved are seen here.  They are NS 4001 AC44C6M, and NS 1036 SD70ACe.  (9:24AM)
5: Closeup of NS 4001 (9:24AM)
6: Roughly 25 empty hopper cars derailed, and they can be seen here after they were drug off the main into the adjoining field.  (9:25AM)

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7: We returned around 11:00 and put the drone up again.  More views of the hopper cars.  (11:08AM)
8: By this time, Hulcher/RJ Corman had up righted the NS 4001.  (11:09AM)
9: NS crews are installing panel track on the ill fated Main 2 where NS 593 derailed.  Track one only received minor damage and was in service by sunrise, though trains had to operate with a speed restriction.

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10: Hulcher brought quite a convoy out, with four sidewinder cranes a few small dozers and some other assorted equipment.  (11:10AM)
11: We returned for a final fly over of the derailment site at about 4:20.  By this time, the Hulcher convoy had left the scene, and NS personel were busy working to get Main 2 back in service.  (4:25PM) 
12: Panel track was layed and connected, and then ballast dumped, as you can also get another view of the pile of mangled steel that used to be hopper cars.  (4:27PM)

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13: Both locomotives went for quite a ride, but as you can see, NS 4001 sustained the largest amount of damage.  (4:28PM)
14: Glad to say that both crew memebers were able to walk away from the cab of the 4001, which sustained heavy damage in the rollover.  (4:28PM)
15: An eastbound intermodal moves through the derailment site at reduced speed.  (4:31PM)

Thanks for looking, and happy Easter,
Tehachapi-TJ Over & Out.

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Wow now that's impressive how fast they got the track back in. Glad the crew is ok. Sad about 4001. Maybe they'll redo this unit in the same paint. By the way, have they figured out what caused the accident?

Awesome shots - two thumbs up for the effort!!!

Now, for the next question: how is NS gonna get all of that junk off to the side out of that farmer's field? Or is that gonna be a job for Hulcher or RJ Corman to come back for?

Thanks for sharing. Glad to see progress on the cleanup. Looks like the power may be able to be rebuilt. Some of the hopper cars don't look that bad. What is the track speed normally through the area?

SantaFeRuss

Posted from Android

reel_smooth Wrote:
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> Awesome shots - two thumbs up for the effort!!!
>
> Now, for the next question: how is NS gonna get
> all of that junk off to the side out of that
> farmer's field? Or is that gonna be a job for
> Hulcher or RJ Corman to come back for?

I was wondering nearly the same thing. 

Is there a get the railroad running crew, then the rerail and clean up crew come in later.

It looks as though the farmer recently planted that field.  I suspect that NS is going to owe him/her a little money for damage to the crop.

thegoonshow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> reel_smooth Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Awesome shots - two thumbs up for the effort!!!
> >
> > Now, for the next question: how is NS gonna get
> > all of that junk off to the side out of that
> > farmer's field? Or is that gonna be a job for
> > Hulcher or RJ Corman to come back for?
>
> I was wondering nearly the same thing. 
>
> Is there a get the railroad running crew, then the
> rerail and clean up crew come in later.

BobB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It looks as though the farmer recently planted
> that field.  I suspect that NS is going to owe
> him/her a little money for damage to the crop.
>
> thegoonshow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > reel_smooth Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Awesome shots - two thumbs up for the
> effort!!!
> > >
> > > Now, for the next question: how is NS gonna
> get
> > > all of that junk off to the side out of that
> > > farmer's field? Or is that gonna be a job for
> > > Hulcher or RJ Corman to come back for?
> >
> > I was wondering nearly the same thing. 
> >
> > Is there a get the railroad running crew, then
> the
> > rerail and clean up crew come in later.

This Farm Land where is happen, I pass this all the time on Amtrak 42&43.

great ariel pics but hate to see a coversion unit was involved
 

A very neat set of photos. thanks for posting.

Malcolm
New Zealand

McVey interlocking located at MP 179.6 on the pittsburgh line.  Maximum speed for passenger trains is 79 mph  with a slight speed restriction to 65 mph just west of the interlocking.  Freight is 60 mph.  All speeds are for both tracks.

r

 

GREAT aerial coverage....!!  Thanks for sharing these.

Great show.  Thanks for sharing.  Gerry

Too early for planting, early corn's not for another 2 weeks. Doubt they'll have the field returned back to normal by then. Might be able to plant the back half of the field or wait and plant late beans. The farmer is still going to get a payment from NS no matter what.

cornerfieldhobby Wrote:
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> Wow now that's impressive how fast they got the
> track back in. Glad the crew is ok. Sad about
> 4001. Maybe they'll redo this unit in the same
> paint. By the way, have they figured out what
> caused the accident?

ex-NS employee told me a sun kink was the culprit here

Great set of photos documenting the wreck site and damage. Looking at these pictures, ex post facto, I am thankful these tracks did not hug the river.  Again thanks for the effort to get these photographs.

Hulcher is done and gone. NS will come back and install a new switch for the crossover, string rail and repair the interlocking. NS will likely have a contractor scrap all the hoppers on site or haul them out on low-boys for scrap elsewhere. There should be plenty of hoppers in storage lines, cheaper to scrap then to repair. The locos are a bigger problem. Maybe haul them out on flat cars, maybe heavy equipment carriers by road. If beyond repair, which I doubt, they to would be scrapped on site. NS should easily renumerate the farmer for any crop that field would yield.
Glad the crew hit the dirt without major injuries or worse.
Tehacapi Dave, thanks for the great aerial coverage.
Gonut