Amtrak Downeaster train derails in Portland, ME

[dtynd888]

Amtrak announced Tuesday afternoon that two Downeaster trains connecting Portland and Boston — northbound 685 and southbound 686 — have been canceled due to what the organization called an “incident on the railroad in the Portland area.”

Multiple media outlets have reported a Boston-bound train, which departed Portland at 2:25 p.m., derailed just a few miles into its trip, but that no injuries were reported.

All passengers with tickets on the 685 train, which was scheduled to leave Boston North Station at 5 p.m. on its way to Portland, will be accommodated on the 687 train leaving Boston at 6:05 p.m. instead, Amtrak announced.

The 687 train is due to arrive in Maine’s largest city at 8:45 p.m.

 

[dtynd888]

Amtrak announced Tuesday afternoon that two Downeaster trains connecting Portland and Boston — northbound 685 and southbound 686 — have been canceled due to what the organization called an “incident on the railroad in the Portland area.”


Multiple media outlets have reported a Boston-bound train, which departed Portland at 2:25 p.m., derailed just a few miles into its trip, but that no injuries were reported.

All passengers with tickets on the 685 train, which was scheduled to leave Boston North Station at 5 p.m. on its way to Portland, will be accommodated on the 687 train leaving Boston at 6:05 p.m. instead, Amtrak announced.

The 687 train is due to arrive in Maine’s largest city at 8:45 p.m.

An Amtrak engine, right, pushes the disabled Downeaster back to the Portland Transportation Center after the passenger train derailed Tuesday.

 

[dburden]

http://www.wmur.com/news/amtrak-downeaster-train-derails-in-maine/32364676

 

[zepherdude]

Greaat Picture! Thanks for posting.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm confused about the photo. If the cabbage is on the south end of the Downeaster (the BON end) and it just departed POR for BON, then:

1) Where in the consist did the derailment occur, since it is pushing the whole train north?

2) How did another train (since there is another coach behind the loco pushing) get past the derailment?

 

[Palmetto]

As to Question # 2 above, the derailment occurred in South Portland, and it is double track there, and that would allow a move around the disabled train, and then a shove back north to the Portland Transportation Center.

 

[lo2e]

I'm confused about the photo. If the cabbage is on the south end of the Downeaster (the BON end) and it just departed POR for BON, then:

1) Where in the consist did the derailment occur, since it is pushing the whole train north?

2) How did another train (since there is another coach behind the loco pushing) get past the derailment?

1) In watching the news on TV, I believe only one axle of the engine (not the NPCU) derailed, and I'm pretty sure they just detached the engine from the rest of the consist to push everything (except the engine) back to POR.

And Palmetto correctly answered #2.

 

[user 1215]

Those trains sure are dirty. No one in Maine or Mass clean those things?

 

[plane2train]

How were they able to push the derailed train if part of it was off the track? How does one go about getting a derailed train back on track?

 

[jis]

Depends on the extent of the derailment. This was a slow speed one probably derailing one or at most two axles. Those can usually be re-railed relatively easily using make shift temporary ramps, and rolled away at slow speed pending inspection and possible replacement of the wheels that derailed.

 

[lo2e]

How were they able to push the derailed train if part of it was off the track? How does one go about getting a derailed train back on track?

The only part that appeared to be off track was one axle of the locomotive, so they detached the locomotive from the rest of the consist and moved everything but the loco back to POR.

 

[niemi24s]

As jis mentioned, there's several ways of putting one back on the tracks. Open up YouTube and enter "Rerailing Locomotive" for some videos.