Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX Train Derailment in Baltimore

A CSX freight has derailed in the Baltimore area with at least 9 freight cars coming off the bridge that carries the line (former B&O Philadelphia Line) over Falls Road, the Jones Falls, and the Baltimore Streetcar Museum's tracks below the bridge.  The streetcar museum's power station has been severely damaged as one of the cars landed on the building itself which means that the museum will not be able to operate any streetcars for now.  Lucky for all, there have not been any injuries reported.  I'm sure more details will be coming.  To see news about this log onto CBS TV Station WJZ in Baltimore.   All of the cars that have derailed appear to be empty.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

ClubCar Wrote:
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> A CSX freight has derailed in the Baltimore area
> with at least 9 freight cars coming off the bridge
> that carries the line (former B&O Philadelphia
> Line) over Falls Road, the Jones Falls, and the
> Baltimore Streetcar Museum's tracks below the
> bridge.  The streetcar museum's power station has
> been severely damaged as one of the cars landed on
> the building itself which means that the museum
> will not be able to operate any streetcars for
> now.  Lucky for all, there have not been any
> injuries reported.  I'm sure more details will be
> coming.  To see news about this log onto CBS TV
> Station WJZ in Baltimore.   All of the cars that
> have derailed appear to be empty.
> John in White Marsh, Maryland

Scene photos from WBAL and Baltimore City FD
Middle photo shows the concrete block power station for the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, located on the other  side of the bridge (top photo)
Eyewitness accounts are suggesting that the long string of empty cars stringlined, aided by southeast winds of 40mph blowing upstream in the Jones Falls valley.

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Wow. I wonder... is there data on how many derailments like this involve empty centerbeams cars vs. other types of cars?

Looks  like the tracks are in good shape and once the derailed cars are removed could be reopened fairly quickly.

Looks like CSX will be buying the museum a new substation?

CPR_4000 Wrote:
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> Looks like CSX will be buying the museum a new
> substation?
And pay for overhead trolley wires pulled down and possibly CSX will make a monetary donation to the museum for lost revenue since museum cannot operate for the public for the foreseeable future.  Who knows?
John

Five empty centerbeam flats in the middle of a train on a curve  ........ if the cars on either or both sides were loads, the "stringline" theory mentioned above is a real possibility.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/19 16:58 by cr2581.

It does look like stringlining...that can turn rail over, but that is easily remedied.....part of the problem is where the cars were in train and how hard was the train pulling and how much trailing tonnage behind the derailed cars...how fast the train was going...and yes, the wind can be a factor....this will not be a simple investigation but they will do everything they can to blame the crew even if evidence says otherwise and you will never know if anything else was a problem.  

Isn't that Museum trackage part of the old Maryland & Pennsylvania (Ma & Pa) Railroad into Baltimore?

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

The museum’s track is on the MA&PA ROW, but our track 5’4.5” Baltimore gauge. Also, we have a second substation unit, take with a grain of salt, but I’m hearing 2-3 months.
Nick

Posted from iPhone

I wondered whether they had protect power. PTM has a neat very old diesel not only as an exhibit, but also as their emergency generator.

Rebecca Morgan
Jacobsburg, OH

Any possibilities of detours up the met sub or elsewhere for the Tropicana cars?  How long before tracks reopen?

As of noontime, several cars have been removed by CRANEMASTERS and placed along Falls Rd.
CSX trains are moving at reduced speed on 1 track of the bridge.
Baltimore Streetcar Museum is still waiting to assess damage to their power station (concrete block building in pics), and the catenary used for their trolleys.
Photos from BSM and BCFD

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The orange box in the building is what is really important. That’s where AC power goes in...witchcraft happens...and DC power comes out.
Nick

Posted from iPhone

Oh good.  They found the "orange box".

cinder Wrote:
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> Oh good.  They found the "orange box".

Perhaps the orange box will tell them why the train derailed? Black boxes painted orange help in plane crash investigations.

Hopefully when the dust settles they can rebuild the building around the transformer, check the wiring and get back in business.