# Freight train derailment at grade crossing



## alpha3 (Dec 21, 2022)

Didn't see this posted anywhere; if I missed it, mods please delete this.

Moron of a truck driver hauling a huge concrete beam (did he really think he'd beat the train???) slowly moves thru a road crossing with a NS train bearing down at speed. Pretty spectacular crash. Nobody killed, but the locos and several cars derailed and the NS employees went to the hospital. Truck driver wasn't hurt.


----------



## AmtrakBlue (Dec 21, 2022)

alpha3 said:


> Didn't see this posted anywhere; if I missed it, mods please delete this.
> 
> Moron of a truck driver hauling a huge concrete beam (did he really think he'd beat the train???) slowly moves thru a road crossing with a NS train bearing down at speed. Pretty spectacular crash. Nobody killed, but the locos and several cars derailed and the NS employees went to the hospital. Truck driver wasn't hurt.



I think I read the truck was stopped for a traffic light...so he should have stopped before the tracks till the light turned green.


----------



## CharlesBeasley (Dec 21, 2022)

The video above shows the moment of the crash and we see how the semi hauling a massive concrete beam couldn’t clear the tracks and got hit by a Norfolk Southern train. The 60-foot concrete barrier was transported to new construction on Apison Pike. Three locomotives and 10 boxcars derailed and a large amount of diesel fuel was spilled.


----------



## GaSteve (Dec 21, 2022)

AmtrakBlue said:


> I think I read the truck was stopped for a traffic light...so he should have stopped before the tracks till the light turned green.


IMO the transport company should be liable since the driver did not stop short of the crossing while waiting for the traffic light.


----------



## zetharion (Dec 21, 2022)

Whats freakin amazing is that I think the track has been relaid and all the cars cleared of it already. Them railroad companies sadly have handling these situations down pat it seems.

The bill for insurance companies involved is going to be rather hefty I would imagine.


----------



## Dutchrailnut (Dec 21, 2022)

an over dimension load needs railroad permission to cross any active rail line as per DOT, and rail traffic held till move is clear. it also requires escort vehicles or police .
The concrete beam was 134 feet long plus rig towing it.
The traffic light should have been flagged by police to continue the move without stopping.


----------



## George Harris (Dec 21, 2022)

CharlesBeasley said:


> The video above shows the moment of the crash and we see how the semi hauling a massive concrete beam couldn’t clear the tracks and got hit by a Norfolk Southern train. The 60-foot concrete barrier was transported to new construction on Apison Pike. Three locomotives and 10 boxcars derailed and a large amount of diesel fuel was spilled.


Based on appearance and the tail end of the video on WRAL suggests that this was a bridge beam, not a barrier, and was over 100 feet long. Also based on the video, the derailed cars were five boxcars, three covered hoppers, and two bulkhead flat cars carrying wood poles. Also based on the videos, the derailment itself was due to after striking the beam, the quick deceleration of the engines resulted in the cars and engines that derailed did so by "accordioning" due to the push of the following cars.


----------



## Shanson (Dec 22, 2022)

And (not that WE care) the bridge construction project will be set back many weeks, as that beam was custom made, and the replacement will take time to cure. Dumb truck driver.


----------



## joelkfla (Dec 22, 2022)

Shanson said:


> And (not that WE care) the bridge construction project will be set back many weeks, as that beam was custom made, and the replacement will take time to cure. Dumb truck driver.


Well, if what @Dutchrailnut said is accurate, maybe it was the railroad's fault this time.


----------



## jis (Dec 22, 2022)

joelkfla said:


> Well, if what @Dutchrailnut said is accurate, maybe it was the railroad's fault this time.


How so? Do we know that the railroad was approached and gave permission for the move?


----------



## joelkfla (Dec 22, 2022)

jis said:


> How so? Do we know that the railroad was approached and gave permission for the move?


We don't. That's why I said "maybe", not "apparently."


----------



## jis (Dec 22, 2022)

Crew members released from hospital, NS line reopened after bridge-beam derailment - Trains


COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. — Injured crew members have been released from the hospital and a Norfolk Southern rail line has been reopened after Tuesday’s derailment of a train that hit a 134-foot concrete bridge beam being transported by truck, WRCB-TV reports. The rail line reopened Wednesday morning...




www.trains.com


----------



## George Harris (Dec 22, 2022)

Shanson said:


> And (not that WE care) the bridge construction project will be set back many weeks, as that beam was custom made, and the replacement will take time to cure. Dumb truck driver.


"many weeks" sounds like the contractor may be looking for an excuse to justify delay. Concrete strength is usually defined by 30 day strength, which is usually somewhere around 90% of its ultimate strength. Usually for a precast beam you can move it in less time than this. The other time issue would be placing prestress rods, reinforcing and pouring time, and if the formwork has to be redone. Thus, "many weeks" sounds somewhat over the top.


----------



## LookingGlassTie (Dec 22, 2022)

Very interesting incident.

This is one of those cases in which the train DIDN'T win (apparently).

Also, it seems as if there's plenty of blame to go around and not just for the truck driver.


----------



## WWW (Dec 22, 2022)

A whole lot of Monday morning Quarterbacking going on (blame who did or did not) -
Rules regs not followed or tweeked without letting the right arm know what the left was doing -

There is a LESSON to be learned here - "Stupid is what stupid does UnChecked"

Fortunately no fatalities and what appears to be no long term injuries.

Indeed impressed about the clean-up and restoration of service to the rail line !!!
A lot of railroad rolling equipment sent prematurely to the recycle bone yard.


----------



## VentureForth (Dec 23, 2022)

joelkfla said:


> Well, if what @Dutchrailnut said is accurate, maybe it was the railroad's fault this time.


Even so, where were the oversize crews?


----------



## jis (Dec 23, 2022)

VentureForth said:


> Even so, where were the oversize crews?


There is at present close to zero evidence in support of the hypothesis that it was the railroad's fault. What we all need to do is chill and wait for more credible information.


----------



## daybeers (Dec 23, 2022)

jis said:


> What we all need to do is chill and wait for more credible information.


I thought one of the pillars of this community was speculation


----------



## Metra Electric Rider (Dec 23, 2022)

George Harris said:


> "many weeks" sounds like the contractor may be looking for an excuse to justify delay. Concrete strength is usually defined by 30 day strength, which is usually somewhere around 90% of its ultimate strength. Usually for a precast beam you can move it in less time than this. The other time issue would be placing prestress rods, reinforcing and pouring time, and if the formwork has to be redone. Thus, "many weeks" sounds somewhat over the top.


Depends on how busy the pre-cast plant is - they have to fit it in with their other orders.


----------



## Night Ranger (Dec 23, 2022)

Metra Electric Rider said:


> Depends on how busy the pre-cast plant is - they have to fit it in with their other orders.


This morning's local paper, the Times-Free Press, has a good article about the aftermath of the incident.

_Tennessee transportation officials said it's too early to tell what impact the loss of a concrete bridge beam destroyed Tuesday in a collision between a Norfolk Southern freight train and the semitrailer hauling it will have on the Apison Pike widening and realignment project.

The 106,000-pound, 134-foot-long concrete bridge beam was bound for the Tennessee Department of Transportation's $97.2 million road project in Collegedale when the truck and train collided, shattering the beam and derailing the train.

"Our contractor will work with their supplier to determine when another beam can be manufactured and delivered," TDOT spokeswoman Rae-Anne Bradley said Wednesday in an email. "TDOT is not involved in this. It will be between the contractor and their supplier to work out."_

I don't know if the article is paywalled or not-been a subscriber for over 50 years-so here is the URL in case it isn't.









Apison Pike project delays remain unclear after Collegedale train derailment | Chattanooga Times Free Press


Tennessee transportation officials said it's too early to tell what impact the loss of a concrete bridge beam destroyed Tuesday in a collision between a Norfolk Southern freight train and the semitrailer hauling it will have on the Apison Pike widening and realignment project.




www.timesfreepress.com


----------



## danasgoodstuff (Thursday at 3:56 AM)

Driver of truck transporting bridge beam, which caused NS derailment, is arrested - Trains


COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. — The driver of a truck transporting a concrete bridge beam that was hit by a Norfolk Southern train at a grade crossing, derailing the train, has been arrested as a result of the incident. Police in Collegedale, Tenn., have charged Jorge Luis Cruz-Vega, 64, of Martinez, Ga...




www.trains.com


----------



## joelkfla (Thursday at 10:49 AM)

danasgoodstuff said:


> Driver of truck transporting bridge beam, which caused NS derailment, is arrested - Trains
> 
> 
> COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. — The driver of a truck transporting a concrete bridge beam that was hit by a Norfolk Southern train at a grade crossing, derailing the train, has been arrested as a result of the incident. Police in Collegedale, Tenn., have charged Jorge Luis Cruz-Vega, 64, of Martinez, Ga...
> ...


"police say Cruz-Vega proceeded across the grade crossing behind his lead escort car without first assuring his tractor trailer could completely clear the tracks, and that he failed to contact or make arrangements with Norfolk Southern about his delivery route."

Isn't the escort driver supposed to hold short of the tracks until the truck can clear?


----------



## Metra Electric Rider (Thursday at 11:32 AM)

joelkfla said:


> "police say Cruz-Vega proceeded across the grade crossing behind his lead escort car without first assuring his tractor trailer could completely clear the tracks, and that he failed to contact or make arrangements with Norfolk Southern about his delivery route."
> 
> Isn't the escort driver supposed to hold short of the tracks until the truck can clear?


I would have thought the trucking company (admittedly, I haven't read the story, so I don't know if he's an owner operator or an employee) make those arrangements rather than an individual driver?


----------



## BlazeRip (Yesterday at 7:15 AM)

Grade level crossings should have better tech or close the crossings. I’m thinking crossing cams that can be monitored in train cabs. Also sensors to sense a blockage when the light is red. I know that there is a way to improve those crossings that is cheaper than an overpass.


----------



## cirdan (Yesterday at 8:25 AM)

George Harris said:


> "many weeks" sounds like the contractor may be looking for an excuse to justify delay. Concrete strength is usually defined by 30 day strength, which is usually somewhere around 90% of its ultimate strength. Usually for a precast beam you can move it in less time than this. The other time issue would be placing prestress rods, reinforcing and pouring time, and if the formwork has to be redone. Thus, "many weeks" sounds somewhat over the top.



Unless the factory doesn't have a slot available immediately so may have to wait several weeks until one becomes available.


----------



## cirdan (Yesterday at 8:27 AM)

WWW said:


> A lot of railroad rolling equipment sent prematurely to the recycle bone yard.


I hope the trucking company has a good insurance.


----------



## ehbowen (Yesterday at 12:00 PM)

cirdan said:


> I hope the trucking company has a good insurance.


With trucking you mainly have two kinds of companies: The giants who own hundreds or even thousands of trucks, run their own terminals and fuel depots, and are largely self-insured. Then there are the small operators who lease (not own) a dozen or so trucks and whose home 'terminal' is a rented trailer office in a vacant lot; they carry only the bare minimum insurance required by law.

I don't think this company is one of the giants....


----------

