Eastern Railroad Discussion > "Fire(s) on the Mountain"

This past Tuesday evening around 7pm, I was sitting in the yard of the Mance Post Office on the east slope of CSX's Sand Patch Grade, relaxing after a hard day of trout fishing and soaking in the nearby hot tub. Westbound Q375 had just called the NA signal, so it was almost train time.

Q375 had a rather short manifest and was pulled by four engines, with only the lead two on line. As it was passing, I noticed what appeared to be a pair of trackside fires in the brush beyond the train. The obstructed view was actually under the passing freight cars. I quickly grabbed my cell phone to begin a video recording just as the end of the train passed. Sure enough, there were two small fires burning brightly and enlarging quickly. My relaxation and tranquility were suddenly extinguished. The ensuing three hours would prove to be quite exciting as I witnessed the superb coordination and cooperation among three volunteer fire companies and the CSX Railroad.

1. 6:59pm. The fires begin
2. 7:10pm. The fires grow.

The video begins with the last car of Q375 passing the former Mance Post Office.

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As I glanced upgrade to mp208, I saw another trackside fire flaring up. I quickly called 911 and gave a description and specific location of the fires, adding that a "brush truck" may be all that was needed. The call was made at 7:04pm. Looking downgrade, I was startled to see more plumes of smoke all the way to the NA signal. A second call to 911 relayed the enlarging problem.

I then called the CSX 800 number posted on the Mance crossing sign to alert the CSX to the growing problem. By then I had spotted five more plumes of smoke up and down the tracks. Q375 was belching red hot clinkers of carbon which were setting the world on fire. The efficient CSX lady took down the crossing number and the mp number. Within a few minutes, I heard Matt, the CSX dispatcher in Baltimore talking to Q375, telling the crew to stop and check their train.

3. 7:13pm. The third fire at mp208.
4. 7:18pm. Looking downgrade. Mance Post Office is on the right.
5, 7:23pm. The first two fires have grown. Fire engine sirens are heard in the distance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/17 11:55 by cinder.

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The lead unit of the Berlin Fire Department arrived at 7:25 pm, actually a good response time for a volunteer company located seven miles to the north. It was followed two minutes later by a tanker.

6. 7:25pm. "First Responder" crosses the tracks.
7. 7:27pm. A Berlin tanker charges up Mance Rd.

The video shows the Berlin tanker arriving and having a bit of difficulty negotiating the steep Mance Rd. crossing.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/17 13:20 by cinder.

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8. 7:30pm. Smoke in the valley.....A view down towards the NA signal.
9. 7:34pm. Berlin quickly douses the minor fires on the north side of the tracks.
10. 7:38pm Meyersdale Fire Department arrives....with volunteers young and old.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/17 12:21 by cinder.

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11. 7:42pm. PA State Police arrives, but left soon thereafter after seeing the fire fighting effort was well organized.
12. 7:53pm. Command center being set up across the tracks from the Mance Post Office.
13. 7:55pm. "First due" Berlin Fire Chief coordinates the efforts.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/17 12:28 by cinder.

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14. 8:00pm. Redeployment of equipment to the large, out-of-control fire racing up the mountainside propelled by a south wind near the NA signal.
15. 8:10pm. As dusk turns to night, the large fire paints an eerie picture. At least four separate fires are in this view.
16. 8:15pm. As the fire rages above, fire equipment moves along Philson Rd. below.

The Garrett Fire Department was called in on mutual aid. Brush Creek Rd. became an unending parade of fire trucks each followed by a gaggle of volunteers in personal vehicles, their blue lights flashing.

Trains? Oh yes, the trains. Two CSX employees also responded quickly from the Meyersdale area. One took up a position between the Philson and NA signals and the other stayed with the fire chief at the command center. Fortunately, no eastbounds were in the picture, so westbound trains were switched to track 2 at Hyndman. Autorack Q217 led the westbound parade and was talked by the large fire near NA at 10mph. Amtrak was next, followed by Q277 and Q355. The trains were never in any danger, but the access road along track one was clogged by men and fire equipment.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/17 17:27 by cinder.

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17. Taken the next morning, this view shows how the fire encroached on the site of the former Mance Training Camp at the lower end of the horseshoe curve.
18. A view from the tracks looking up the hillside of the 30-acre fire.

EPILOGUE

Many, many volunteer firemen labored long and hard into the night to quench the flames started by Q375. The fires were all located on the north side of the tracks starting down near Philson and extending upgrade to Manila. A gusty south wind fanned the flames. The coordination between CSX and the fire companies was excellent as it was among the three fire companies. An ambulance "manned" by two women came to the Mance command center to standby in case there were any injuries.

The offending diesel was probably the second of four on Q375. I believe it was an older unit. The leader was the usual GE wide-cab. Perhaps the engineer throttled up as the grade stiffened west of "Roddy's Sag". What do you call the red hot stuff that can fly out of a diesel's stack?



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/17 13:08 by cinder.

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Where's the apparatus ?

What engine was spitting out carbon? Turbocharged units usually don't do that. A GP38 or something?

Great and interesting post Cinder. (You earned your handle on this one, lol). I'm surprised that the brush could ignight in the spring weather. I wonder if this was partially attributable to the very dry winter we experienced?

Good job, Cinder

hollywood

Great reporting on the brush fires. Quick action on your part helped prevent the spread of the fires. I hope you were thanked by the FD crews.

Nice...........good job!

Great coverage, "Special Correspondent" Cinder!

Great reporting! Thanks for a very interesting post!

PittsburghMike Wrote:
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> Great and interesting post Cinder. (You earned
> your handle on this one, lol). I'm surprised that
> the brush could ignight in the spring weather. I
> wonder if this was partially attributable to the
> very dry winter we experienced?

Could definitely be a contributing factor. If it was brezzy like he said, little spark off of one of the engines, combined with dry fuel above ground and low humidity, it'll go up fairly quick.

It was tinder dry leaves that kindled.....Always a problem in the spring. The south wind was the perfect direction to fan the flames.

Great Job,cinder. You say there are no real men left? Meet a volunteer fireman (and woman). d

cinder Wrote:
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> The offending diesel was probably the second of
> four on Q375. I believe it was an older unit.
> The leader was the usual GE wide-cab. Perhaps the
> engineer throttled up as the grade stiffened west
> of "Roddy's Sag". What do you call the red hot
> stuff that can fly out of a diesel's stack?


The culprit was actually the leader, CW44AC 128. I caught the train just east of Yoder and heard the conversation about the fires that had broken out, I had no clue that they were that severe. During the course of the radio chatter the crew said that they could see the sparks coming out of the leader when they were going through the tunnel at Sand Patch. They ended up isolating the leader down near Atlantic and relying on just the second unit for power. Here's a shot of the train rolling along the Casselman just west of Salisbury Viaduct.

Thanks for the great coverage Cinder, and being in the right place at the right time!

Scooter

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Thanks Scooter. That answers the question. A track inspection the next day determined that 18 fires were started.