NS 50 car derailment and fire in Ohio

@Dave Koehler posted:

Why dont you look it up

Cmon now that's no good

@bigkid posted:

Personally what I question (and folks, this is just me, and my own limited background) was the response to it. Did they even know what was in those cars before deciding to do a burn? One of the impressions I got is they likely didn't when they made that decision, some of those are so toxic that I wondered why they did the 'limited burn'.

My understanding was that burning it would create an updraft to get gases up and away to spread out in the atmosphere to lower the concentration of dangerous gases. The temperature was rising in the cars and the safety valves had failed and this created fear of an explosion. An explosion would have spread material out but the burn would have moved it up and out. That was from an volunteer fire fighter. I'm wondering now if that was some crap.

Just saying there are thousands of these derailments (Major Derailments)  all the time and nothing is said.  This story  has sprouted political wings all over the media, and by it nature not suitable under forum rules?     A number of years ago a major RR , in CA , derailed on an embankment .several chemical car split open dumping it contents into the river killing every living thing in it .  Last fall CP rail lost a few cars containing hazardous materials, into a creek and pond that empties into a major lake here in WI, got a 15 second bit in the media, Every day , every month every year , this stuff happens. and next to nothing is mentioned

I understand a broken axel froze up due the bearings not greased'.. caused the derailment.  So, who is responsible for the maintenance on these tank cars?  NF&S, or the tank car owners/chemical manufacturers?   or both?

@Dave Koehler posted:

Just saying there are thousands of these derailments (Major Derailments)  all the time and nothing is said.  This story  has sprouted political wings all over the media, and by it nature not suitable under forum rules?     A number of years ago a major RR , in CA , derailed on an embankment .several chemical car split open dumping it contents into the river killing every living thing in it .

You may be remembering, and exaggerating, the SINGLE tanker derailment back in July 1991, on SP's Cantara Loop. The tanker was filled with about 19,000 gallons of a Herbicide (Mentam Sodium), which dumped into the Sacramento River, just up-stream from Dunsmuir, CA. Although, most, if not all, the fish were killed in the river.

The SP subsequently hired the SP GS4 #4449, from Portland, OR, to pull special "media trains" between Reading, CA and Black Butte, CA in order to show that all the hype from the media over "everything was killed for miles on either side of the river" was false. We ran up and down the Sacramento River Canyon for some 3 or 4 days, carrying members of the media, local residents, and local businessmen.

We learned from many of the local fishing camp operators, that although the game fish were killed, all the "sucker fish" were also killed (apparently the 'sucker fish' had been progressing up the Sacramento River from the huge Shasta Lake Reservoir, and eating most of the eggs laid by the game fish). Many of the Fishing Camp operators were quite vocal that the "spill" was the best thing that could have happened to the river, at that time, because all the "suckers" were gone, and once the SP paid to have the river completely restocked with game fish (only a month later), their business would be better than ever.

Last fall CP rail lost a few cars containing hazardous materials, into a creek and pond that empties into a major lake here in WI, got a 15 second bit in the media, Every day , every month every year , this stuff happens. and next to nothing is mentioned

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

I understand a broken axel froze up due the bearings not greased'..

Those cartridge type roller bearings are sealed and only greased at time of installation.

caused the derailment.  So, who is responsible for the maintenance on these tank cars?  NF&S

Who/what is "NF&S"?

, or the tank car owners/chemical manufacturers?

Mpost cases it is the car owner.

or both?

@Dave Koehler posted:

Just saying there are thousands of these derailments (Major Derailments)  all the time and nothing is said.  This story  has sprouted political wings all over the media, and by it nature not suitable under forum rules?     A number of years ago a major RR , in CA , derailed on an embankment .several chemical car split open dumping it contents into the river killing every living thing in it .  Last fall CP rail lost a few cars containing hazardous materials, into a creek and pond that empties into a major lake here in WI, got a 15 second bit in the media, Every day , every month every year , this stuff happens. and next to nothing is mentioned

Again, this simply isn't true. From 2009-2021 the number of derailments in a year never exceeded 1,500. (Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics.) What is a major derailment? Yes, there likely are numerous derailments that result in environmental contamination by hazardous materials, many of which—most?—are likely under-reported. But to say 50-car derailments, leading to fire requiring firefighters from over 50 departments and three states, and the evacuation of up to 2,000 people, happen daily and go un/under-reported is untrue. If you believe that it is, then provide evidence.

FWIW, I don't mean to minimize the potential for long-lasting impact on public health and the environment from even what might be considered small contamination incidents. Plumes of contaminants can remain in/on the water table for decades upon decades posing significant public health hazards, which can have cascading effects to communities.

@GregK posted:

Obviously a terrible situation, but it's resulted in some unique detours for NS trains. Yesterday a Chicago - NJ stack train came through the NYSW in NY/NJ, and took down a ton of wires/poles along the way due to low hanging phone/cable wires that the double stacks couldn't clear.

That wasn’t the railroads fault at all. That’s the wire installers issue, too low

Here is an article an hour ago by the BBC regarding a meeting where no one from NS turned up citing security concerns. The local people have issues regarding pollution, drinking water etc.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64659795

@Matt_GNo27 posted:

Again, this simply isn't true. From 2009-2021 the number of derailments in a year never exceeded 1,500. (Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics.) What is a major derailment? Yes, there likely are numerous derailments that result in environmental contamination by hazardous materials, many of which—most?—are likely under-reported. But to say 50-car derailments, leading to fire requiring firefighters from over 50 departments and three states, and the evacuation of up to 2,000 people, happen daily and go un/under-reported is untrue. If you believe that it is, then provide evidence.

FWIW, I don't mean to minimize the potential for long-lasting impact on public health and the environment from even what might be considered small contamination incidents. Plumes of contaminants can remain in/on the water table for decades upon decades posing significant public health hazards, which can have cascading effects to communities.

try reading what I wrote!

OK...enough of the debating and speculating.  In addition, we don't allow the political overtones.  We get enough of that in the media and our everyday lives.  Lets go back to enjoying our hobby!  Topic closed.