Amtrak training exercise for local fire department

[Siegmund]

A question came up in the Empire Builder wreck thread (Joplin MT, 25 September 2021) as to whether rural fire departments responding to a wreck were likely to have any experience with Amtrak equipment.

I wanted to post an affirmative answer, at least for rural western Montana, in a place that won't be buried in that thread.

I have no firsthand information about this event, but I attach below a set of 24 photographs that the Trego-Fortine-Stryker Volunteer Fire Department published on their public Facebook page in June 2017. (Stryker, MT, is where the Flathead Tunnel line diverges from the pre-1970 water level route to Libby via Eureka and Rexford; Trego and Fortine are the first two sidings compass north / railway west from that junction, and this rural volunteer department really will be the first responder if there is ever an accident inside the Flathead Tunnel.)

TFSVFD's accompanying text: "Trego Fortine Stryker fire department along with many other agencies, conducted a training exercise at the flathead tunnel. Amtrak and BNSF parked a train at the entrance to the tunnel to simulate a passenger rescue situation. Rescue teams had to work to extract passengers from the train. Ranging from lowering them out of the window and down a ladder on a back bored (15 feet up ) to helping them walk out of the tunnel. Smoke mechanics filled the train with smoke as rescue teams worked to complete their mission."
"It was a great day of training, we would like to thank Amtrak and BNSF for giving us this opportunity to train and learn."

If anyone happens to know how common these training events are around the Amtrak system, or whether there has been a systematic effort to offer training to every enroute department, please chime in.

First 10 photos attached to this post. See next two posts for more.

 

[Siegmund]

Flathead Tunnel training exercise photos, cont'd

 

[Siegmund]

Flathead Tunnel training exercise photos, part 3 of 3

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks for sharing this!Firefighters never get the Credit they deserve for their work!

When I was in College I was a Firefighter ( Paid)and we trained annually on Railroad Equipment, both Passenger and Freight, since we had 2 Roads that ran Trains through our City ( Mopac and The Katy).

 

[happycamper]

Thank you so much for sharing this! In Richmond TX at their fire fighter training field there is 2 freight cars to train on. As the Sunset Limited does go through there it would be great if Amtrak could do a training there. I know all the fire depts in the area would really like it.

 

[happycamper]

Also A&M College has a fire fighting school where many fire fighters go to train off and on. Even volunteer fire fighters are sent there. Here is a description...

"Brayton Fire Training Field is a 297-acre (1.20 km2; 0.464 sq mi) live-fueled firefighter training facility located adjacent to Easterwood Airport.[12][13] The largest in the United States, the facility has 132 training stations and 22 fueled live-fire props, including full-scale buildings, tanks, and a ship, that enable trainees to experience lifelike simulations.[12][13] More than 4,000 firefighters and emergency workers visit the facility in the summer for its annual Texas Fire Training Schools.[12]

Adjacent to Brayton's southern border is "Disaster City"®, a 52-acre (0.21 km2; 0.081 sq mi) mock city that serves as a training facility for emergency responders.[14] Costing $7.7 million to construct, the city was built in 1998 in direct response to the Oklahoma City Bombing which then director G. Kemble Bennett felt highlighted the need for "a world-class facility to train responders in near-lifelike conditions."[15] The city acts as the main training location for Texas Task Force 1, and features collapsible structures that are designed to simulate various kinds of disasters and wreckage.[16] It also provides complex interactive disaster scenarios for state and federal urban search and rescue teams, U.S. military CERFP and WMD-Civil Support Team teams, Department of Health and Human Services Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) and NVRT teams, and other specialized international search and rescue teams"

Here is a description of what is in the Disaster City:
Smashed automobiles, derailed train cars and piles of rubble are scattered across an apocalyptic landscape. Hard-hatted responders cling to nylon ropes alongside a gutted high-rise. In the distance, an industrial fire sends flames and smoke into an otherwise bright blue sky.
Stretching across 52 acres just west of the Texas A&M University campus, Disaster City clearly deserves its name.

 

[happycamper]

 

[happycamper]

A real good article with pictures and video showing the TX A&M facility for training. They send fire fighters and first responders including search and rescue dogs from around the world here to train. Disaster City: Texas A&M institute trains first responders from around the world

 

[Cal]

View attachment 24967

I see an ex Santa Fe and Amtrak hi-liner! That's probably one of the best uses for them nowadays, rather than being scrapped.

 

[Siegmund]

Yes, a total of six Heritage Fleet cars there. A search on another forum revealed their histories. Besides the high-level coach dorm, it included two coaches, a sleeper, a baggage dorm, and a buffet-grill-diner type of thing. Web videos will show clips of crews crawling around inside several of them.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Also A&M College has a fire fighting school where many fire fighters go to train off and on. Even volunteer fire fighters are sent there. Here is a description...

"Brayton Fire Training Field is a 297-acre (1.20 km2; 0.464 sq mi) live-fueled firefighter training facility located adjacent to Easterwood Airport.[12][13] The largest in the United States, the facility has 132 training stations and 22 fueled live-fire props, including full-scale buildings, tanks, and a ship, that enable trainees to experience lifelike simulations.[12][13] More than 4,000 firefighters and emergency workers visit the facility in the summer for its annual Texas Fire Training Schools.[12]

Adjacent to Brayton's southern border is "Disaster City"®, a 52-acre (0.21 km2; 0.081 sq mi) mock city that serves as a training facility for emergency responders.[14] Costing $7.7 million to construct, the city was built in 1998 in direct response to the Oklahoma City Bombing which then director G. Kemble Bennett felt highlighted the need for "a world-class facility to train responders in near-lifelike conditions."[15] The city acts as the main training location for Texas Task Force 1, and features collapsible structures that are designed to simulate various kinds of disasters and wreckage.[16] It also provides complex interactive disaster scenarios for state and federal urban search and rescue teams, U.S. military CERFP and WMD-Civil Support Team teams, Department of Health and Human Services Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) and NVRT teams, and other specialized international search and rescue teams"

Here is a description of what is in the Disaster City:
Smashed automobiles, derailed train cars and piles of rubble are scattered across an apocalyptic landscape. Hard-hatted responders cling to nylon ropes alongside a gutted high-rise. In the distance, an industrial fire sends flames and smoke into an otherwise bright blue sky.
Stretching across 52 acres just west of the Texas A&M University campus, Disaster City clearly deserves its name.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

I was Certified as a Firefighter( Paid) @ Brayton while attending College, attended many Summer Training Sessions and served as an Instructor during the Summer Sessions my last 2 years in College.

Since I'm old, Disaster City wasn't yet built, but I've put it on my Bucket List to visit next time I go to College Station.( Home of Texas A&M)

 

[Seaboard92]

I know a few years ago back when I was still in high school Amtrak did a training special in the small unincorporated town just north of me. It was just one P42DC and an Amfleet I Cafe. A few years ago in the 90s there was a major Amtrak Derailment in that town so it makes sense why they chose that location.

 

[Cal]

A few years ago in the 90s there was a major Amtrak Derailment in that town

I'm afraid that "a few years ago" is no longer an accurate way to describe the 90s.

On a different note, any links about to the derailment?

 

[happycamper]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

I was Certified as a Firefighter( Paid) @ Brayton while attending College, attended many Summer Training Sessions and served as an Instructor during the Summer Sessions my last 2 years in College.

Since I'm old, Disaster City wasn't yet built, but I've put it on my Bucket List to visit next time I go to College Station.( Home of Texas A&M)

Thank you for serving as a firefighter! My husband was a volunteer firefighter for 15 years and was sent to A&M training but it is before the disaster city. He did say when he was there was a ship to train on when he went.

 

[Seaboard92]

I'm afraid that "a few years ago" is no longer an accurate way to describe the 90s.

On a different note, any links about to the derailment?

Here you go. I've been to the seen multiple times actually. A few years ago still feels right for the 90s for me. Maybe I don't want to admit that much time has passed for me already.

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAR9302.pdf

 

[russman]

On September 25, our local first responders trained on a SSL. Ironically, the train that dropped the SSL is the one that derailed, and it was at the same time this training was going on. I was the photographer for the training, which included classroom and field. Most of them had never been on a train at all before. This training was not mandatory, yet over 40 first responders participated from ours, and surrounding communities. Some of the "victims" did a great job acting! Here is a little video I made of the training.

 

[Cal]

On September 25, our local first responders trained on a SSL. Ironically, the train that dropped the SSL is the one that derailed, and it was at the same time this training was going on. I was the photographer for the training, which included classroom and field. Most of them had never been on a train at all before. This training was not mandatory, yet over 40 first responders participated from ours, and surrounding communities. Some of the "victims" did a great job acting! Here is a little video I made of the training.

Great video, glad that a lot of people went. Also love your photos and your videos on Amtrak trips.

 

[russman]

Great video, glad that a lot of people went. Also love your photos and your videos on Amtrak trips.

Thank you!