Eastern Railroad Discussion > Cumberland, MD Bridges struck by CSX Train - 21 June 2018

Photos & Information From the Facebook Page of the Allegany County Sheriff's Department...

ALLEGANY COUNTY: CSX train struck bridges at Washington and Fayette St , both bridges damaged unknown extent , City engineer enroute.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/18 09:31 by DTWilson.

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http://www.times-news.com/news/local_news/csx-refuses-city-plan-to-rebuild-washington-street-bridge/article_17820c0d-0fb9-51ff-86f8-f179d5a5210e.html

That news media story, from Jun 8, 2018, notes that the city offered to fix the bridge --- but apparently only to "current standards," which means "as is" -- not to the double-stack clearances necessary to avoid this type of incident. QU: before double-stacks can be routed over a rail line, doesn't that require all clearance issues are indeed FIXED before said service begins? Or am I missing a time-line issue here?

There are previous hits on this bridge, also online (photo from shows an auto rack car with its roof sheared off):

http://www.times-news.com/news/local_news/train-car-strikes-washington-street-bridge/article_896a7687-e930-52cc-932e-2e4c1f75ea6c.html

Were containers double stacked in pictured train and are double 9'6" containers cleared to move on specific track thru Cumberland? If containers were'nt double stacked then there must have been and an excessively high trailer loaded into well of affected 3/5 pack.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/18 09:55 by ubee1964.

rbx551985 Wrote:
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>
> There are previous hits on this bridge, also
> online (photo from shows an auto rack car with its
> roof sheared off):
>
> http://www.times-news.com/news/local_news/train-ca
> r-strikes-washington-street-bridge/article_896a768
> 7-e930-52cc-932e-2e4c1f75ea6c.html


The Autorack was a miss routed car added to the rear of Q317. Today's incident was a train using the single main for headroom while switching Cumberland...

i read somewhere that csx said not responsible for Bridge repair and all on cumberland probably a month ago , i wonder if that change now ,

DTWilson Wrote:
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> The Autorack was a miss routed car added to the
> rear of Q317. Today's incident was a train using
> the single main for headroom while switching
> Cumberland...

"Double Stacks on the Mountain Sub at Cumberland, MD - 03/31/18"
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,4521154,4521192#msg-4521192

When I saw your post about this type of move in March, the thought crossed my mind that they were asking for trouble. Guess they ran out of luck today.

Lol. CSX yet again. What a mockery of a railroad under Harrison Libertarian vulture capitalist regime. This is what happens when you cut and abolish thousands of jobs, don't value safety, employees and rush out the door. Mistakes and incidents happen...

Posted from Android

http://www.times-news.com/news/local_news/update-csx-train-slams-west-side-bridges/article_d244d6ee-7569-11e8-ad84-e7f3a43a46f2.html

OldHeadRailroader Wrote:
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> Lol. CSX yet again. What a mockery of a railroad
> under Harrison Libertarian vulture capitalist
> regime. This is what happens when you cut and
> abolish thousands of jobs, don't value safety,
> employees and rush out the door. Mistakes and
> incidents happen...
>
> Posted from Android

Indeed ssuper Factory speed up and Look out accident after accident a going to happen
btw this is NOT on the Amtrak Capitol Limited route.
Google "BGH Electronics Cumberland MD" for the location
of Washington street Cumberland MD.

---Daniel



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/18 15:16 by daniel3197.

OldHeadRailroader Wrote:
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> Lol. CSX yet again. What a mockery of a railroad
> under Harrison Libertarian vulture capitalist
> regime. This is what happens when you cut and
> abolish thousands of jobs, don't value safety,
> employees and rush out the door. Mistakes and
> incidents happen...

Amen! You said it all, sir!

Glad no one was hurt in this derailment.

I do believe this is on the Mountain Sub past Viaduct Jct. (DT Wilson, correct if I am wrong) The Mountain Sub has never been cleared for enclosed ML's (19'0 ATR) or double stacks, highest 20'2 ATR. They will never be, nor is there a need. I would just love to hear the CSX radio talk before this incident. I suspect this routing 'deficiency' was due to the closure of Cumberland hump yard and the addition of some intermodal traffic to carload trains. Stupid.

JLinDE Wrote:
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> I do believe this is on the Mountain Sub past
> Viaduct Jct. (DT Wilson, correct if I am wrong)
> The Mountain Sub has never been cleared for
> enclosed ML's (19'0 ATR) or double stacks, highest
> 20'2 ATR. They will never be, nor is there a need.
> I would just love to hear the CSX radio talk
> before this incident. I suspect this routing
> 'deficiency' was due to the closure of Cumberland
> hump yard and the addition of some intermodal
> traffic to carload trains. Stupid.

The Mountain Sub doesn't officially start until Beall Street.. so the "Single Main" from Viaduct to Beall Street is considered within the Cumberland yard limits. The Yard Limits actually overlap the Mt Sub as far west as Brady to allow Cumberland Yard crews to bring in trains off the Mt. Sub that have been parked.

Ah yes, more precision railroading! When will they learn ,that they need some old hands that know

how to railroad. Amen

WJEX Wrote:
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> Ah yes, more precision railroading! When will
> they learn ,that they need some old hands that
> know
>
> how to railroad. Amen

We call them old heads...but yes...we need them.

Thanks DT Wilson. I did look at my Balto Div TT dated about 2 years ago after I posted, then I did notice the Cumberland Terminal went down the Mountain Sub a bit but I did not check Google to find out where all the streets are. Big train coming here (which had problems as usual) so I went locally to see it. Only 10,200 feet into an 8600 foot siding and yard. But it is still curious why the train was allowed, or instructed, to go this route with known clearance problems. CSX is certainly not 'precision' 15.5 months after EHH took control and brought in his clones.

Not sure how common this move is, but looking at aerial photos it appears to be a route that allows this move to happen without blocking as many road crossings. If they go straight at Viaduct Jct. there are crossings pretty close. Just a thought.

Posted from Android

Roadbed Wrote:
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> Not sure how common this move is, but looking at
> aerial photos it appears to be a route that allows
> this move to happen without blocking as many road
> crossings. If they go straight at Viaduct Jct.
> there are crossings pretty close. Just a thought.
>
>
> Posted from Android

In my post about this type of move back in April, Member "Deeck" explained the reasons for the moves... Copied from April and pasted here...

"This is not a "new" move but because of the way the plant at Viaduct is arranged if you work someone towards the "mountain"
who is west on #2 through the city you can still bring an eastbound of #2 on the Keystone and cross them over to #1 and keep both trains moving
When I worked "BB" it wasnt uncommon to see if trains could work that way so you could keep thinks moving through town.
Now with what they are trying to do in cumberland they really need the crossovers that where once there at Virginia lane
into the yard. " .... Deeck.

I was passing through Cumberland on my way to Mance around 10:30 am on June 21. Westbound Q355, which is usually a double stack train, needed lots of headroom to drop off about 5-8 cars from the rear of his train. He was given the mountain route for that headroom. It must have been "shear" trauma for the crew.


I wondered why I never say Q355 come up the mountain in the afternoon.