Passenger Trains > Questions. Why did 22's engine derail and why no Saukis ?

Any answers to why No. 22 engine rear truck and first truck of lead car derailed a few days ago?
Apparently at low speed.

And why no Salukis (Carbondale trains for those not in to stupid train names) yesterday ?

Perhaps The magazine of railroading will make these an addendum to their Thanksgiving reporting.

Englewood Wrote:
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> Any answers to why No. 22 engine rear truck and
> first truck of lead car derailed a few days ago?
> Apparently at low speed.
>
> And why no Salukis (Carbondale trains for those
> not in to stupid train names) yesterday ?
>
> Perhaps The magazine of railroading will make
> these an addendum to their Thanksgiving reporting.

I thought it was ice in the flanges that led to a minor slow speed derailment of sorts. 

No Saluki's due to track work per another thread.

Posted from Android

jp1822 Wrote:
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> I thought it was ice in the flanges that led to a
> minor slow speed derailment of sorts. 

Interesting because the speed through that area is 79mph.
 

The wheel lost contact with the rail .

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any answers to why No. 22 engine rear truck and
> first truck of lead car derailed a few days ago?
> Apparently at low speed.
>
> And why no Salukis (Carbondale trains for those
> not in to stupid train names) yesterday ?
>
> Perhaps The magazine of railroading will make
> these an addendum to their Thanksgiving reporting.

Salukis are the mascot for the Southern Illinois University sports teams. Hardly a stupid name for their largest customer base.

Posted from iPhone

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any answers to why No. 22 engine rear truck and
> first truck of lead car derailed a few days ago?
> Apparently at low speed.
>
> And why no Salukis (Carbondale trains for those
> not in to stupid train names) yesterday ?
>
> Perhaps The magazine of railroading will make
> these an addendum to their Thanksgiving reporting.

Is it necessary for us to know every detail of every "event" on Amtrak? There was a delay, and the derailment was apparently the cause. Is there a reason why the cause of the low-speed derailment is important for us to know? It's of interest, yes, and if it were part of a pattern could be indicative of further problems of concern. But that does not seem to be the case.

As a former railroader, you are of course concerned. Any derailment is an important matter to railroaders, and will be thoroughly investigated, reports issued, and remedial actions taken. As it should be. But does that vital interest for professional railroaders extend to us on a railfan internet site on the same "need-to-know" basis? I'd suggest that it does not.

As for the "stupid train names", "Johnny_Chi" is absolutely right. The beautiful Saluki dog is the longtime mascot of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and the name is thus well known in that region (and even farther) at the heart of the train's market. The name is absolutely appropriate, meaningful to the train's customer base, gives a nod of honor to a very important institution in the train's service region, and as such is far from being "stupid".

MC

This is a Saluki.  It is one of the oldest purebred dog breeds and is an Egyptian hunting dog.

For the record, I am a proud Saluki.  Both parents work at SIU and my sister and I both got degrees there (radio/television here).  I grew up prowling the SIU Arena during basketball games and was in the stands during a game or two the year the football team won the I-AA national championship in 1983.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/25 10:52 by MaryMcPherson.

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jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Englewood Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Any answers to why No. 22 engine rear truck and
> > first truck of lead car derailed a few days
> ago?
> > Apparently at low speed.
> >
> > And why no Salukis (Carbondale trains for those
> > not in to stupid train names) yesterday ?
> >
> > Perhaps The magazine of railroading will make
> > these an addendum to their Thanksgiving
> reporting.
>
> I thought it was ice in the flanges that led to a
> minor slow speed derailment of sorts. 

If it was ice in the flangeways then why didn't the lead truck derail?

The Trains magazine Thanksgiving article linked on an earlier post mentioned what sounded like the rear truck of the 
locomotive and first axle of the first car on the ground at about 15 mph.

The location I saw on the amtrak tracker made me think it might have derailed on the Justice crossovers.
My conjecture based on the slow speed and location is that the train might have derailed after a crewmember 
had hand lined the power switches.  Not uncommon. If so it might be a training issue or a failure to follow the rules.
Either one is unacceptable on a showcase high speed route.

I know, but I don't know know, to use a current phrase.  When I was still involved, the practice on the CN Joliet for northward 
amtraks was to bring them out of Joliet on the former northbound track and cross them over at Justice to the former southbound
track to get around the congestion at Glenn Yard,  This after spending a lot of public money on CTC the result of which was the
CN using the former northbound main as a yard track at Glenn. So that the section between Justice and Lemoyne 2 MT CTC, was effectively 
single track.  I once asked the DS why they didn't cross the trains over at Joliet at a slow track speed location instead of slowing them
down to 40 for the crossover in the 79 mph territory at Justice,  He replied the xovers at Joliet never worked.  PSR.

Or perhaps an axle broke on the amtrak engine, or a wheel came off, or lost contact with the rail on entering a tractor beam, or, or, or. 
Whatever, any derailment of these trains that careen through Illinois at such high speedsis a safety concern.  
Being the passenger rail advocate that I am, I do not want to encourage any aquaintance to risk their safety if I have any doubts about it.

Concerning the dog name, I wonder how many potential SIU students transportation choices are based on the name.
In my day the main reason for going to SIU was the reputation as the best party school.  In the day when a party was a party
I think Chief Illiniwk, of U of I Champaign fame, would have been a good choice.
A more appropriate dog name would be "Junk Yard  Dog" based on the supposedly otherwise unusable superliners it drags around for axle count and 
the unreliable power on the head end.


 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/25 11:42 by Englewood.

That's neat.  I'm a recently retired lifelong radio guy myself.  I never went to college for it, though.

I am also a proud saluki as MaryMcPherson wrote having gone to school there and met my wife of 58 years now. The name is very appropriate since is is a modest dissstance train that terminates its trip from Chicago in Carbondale which is the mascot for the local Southern Illinois University. I like to see trains with names that have local significance. Go Dawgs (slang for the Saluki dog). I used to ride the Illinois Central brown and orange streamliners when going to school and also enjoyed their switching out St. Louis cars in Carbondale for the trip there.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL