Auto train derailment south of Deland 3/26

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Here's another link & video: Amtrak train derails near DeLand

Hmmm...glad I canceled my trip! The train was half full so if they're lucky, the last 8 auto-carriers were empty. But...imagine if those were for "Priority"!
I'd guess if your car was throw on to it's side...the bodywork along would render it "totaled".
 
"There were 317 passengers (out of 650) on board when the derailment happened. Amtrak officials said no passengers or crew were hurt. "
 
https://www.news-journalonline.com/...auto-train-derails-near-deland-no-one-injured
This article seems to hint that most of the derailed cars were empties and that one car with actual vehicles is on its side. It seems they are sending a crane to lift and rerail that one car and reattach it and the train will then continue north. Obviously this is just one article so subject to error.

Article also states that early investigation hints that the track was most likely at fault as opposed to the equipment.
 
Although reading that article again I'm not sure I was correct - the article is somewhat confusing. It may be that several cars had vehicles but only one was in suitable shape to rerail and continue on. I guess we'll find out.....
 
Not being very savy about railroading, why are you saying this?

Auto Rack are tall and long they are not the best railcars due to there center of gravity to begin with. When pulling a long train you group the empty cars to the rear. This way the engines will not “torque” the empty cars off the rail. Pulling power, a string of empty, followed by loaded railcars creates bad physics on curves. Can and does flip railcars into the ditch. There are rules for how trains are to be set up, just to avoid this issue.
 
They cancelled the Silver Star No. 92 at Tampa and sent it back south to Miami. I'm shocked they didn't send it up the S Line non-stop to Jacksonville. Had 91 been doing that I would be buying a ticket for 91 tonight. I want that milage
Dont think I'd want to head North to New York right now if I was in Florida, so maybe these folks on the Star were fortunate!
 
Auto Rack are tall and long they are not the best railcars due to there center of gravity to begin with. When pulling a long train you group the empty cars to the rear. This way the engines will not “torque” the empty cars off the rail. Pulling power, a string of empty, followed by loaded railcars creates bad physics on curves. Can and does flip railcars into the ditch. There are rules for how trains are to be set up, just to avoid this issue.


There were TWO freight derailments on the Horseshoe Curve west of Altoona PA last year. In both cases there were multiple empty car haulers (in this case open, not closed like the AutoTrain's) near the front of the consist. These were followed by a long, heavy contingent of mostly full boxcars, fuel carriers, etc. In both cases, that's what was suspected as the cause. Trainyard dispatchers should know better.
 
They cancelled the Silver Star No. 92 at Tampa and sent it back south to Miami. I'm shocked they didn't send it up the S Line non-stop to Jacksonville. Had 91 been doing that I would be buying a ticket for 91 tonight. I want that milage

They'd have to find CSX pilots for that and considering how lite travel is, it's better to cancel trains and send them back at this point.

There were TWO freight derailments on the Horseshoe Curve west of Altoona PA last year. In both cases there were multiple empty car haulers (in this case open, not closed like the AutoTrain's) near the front of the consist. These were followed by a long, heavy contingent of mostly full boxcars, fuel carriers, etc. In both cases, that's what was suspected as the cause. Trainyard dispatchers should know better.

Correct, they "Stringlined" the cars at Horseshoe.

The proper term for a "Trainyard Dispatcher" is a Yardmaster. And technically the Conductor is supposed to review his or her wheel report (train consist) and the Conductor must say the consist needs to be changed if the consist isn't in rules compliance.
 
There were TWO freight derailments on the Horseshoe Curve west of Altoona PA last year. In both cases there were multiple empty car haulers (in this case open, not closed like the AutoTrain's) near the front of the consist. These were followed by a long, heavy contingent of mostly full boxcars, fuel carriers, etc. In both cases, that's what was suspected as the cause. Trainyard dispatchers should know better.

If you've done an model railroading, you learn that real fast and hopefully when the cars go over they are not at the edge of the layout.
 
On 97 tonight. Was heading to PAK, we're terminating at JAX. I'm arranging a rental car.

(Also, 53 went through RVR at about 2130 and stopped for a few minutes. VERY odd...)
 
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