Capitol Corridor 3/21/23: Train Derailment

[allanorn]

It sounds like an Amtrak train hit a downed tree near Port Costa, CA, and derailed today. No injuries reported as of 3:30pm PT and emergency crews are responding.

There has been heavy rain and wind in the area, and the ground is very saturated from previous storms.

I imagine Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin services will cancel or be heavily modified between RIC and MTZ today. The CS may not run north of EMY, and the CZ may terminate and turn early (like at SAC).

Emergency crews responding to Amtrak train derailment near Port Costa, fire officials say

 

[LongHauler]

Thank you for posting, Allanorn.

 

[Rover]

Amtrak officials say there are no immediate reports of injuries among the 55 passengers and crew that were on the train when it hit the tree.

They say the train did remain upright and that all systems were operating after the incident.

Officials say there is an adjacent track that is open and service will single track through this area.

https://abc7news.com/amtrak-train-derailment-derails-port-costa-accident/12987539/

 

[GDRRiley]

I imagine Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin services will cancel or be heavily modified between RIC and MTZ today. The CS may not run north of EMY, and the CZ may terminate and turn early (like at SAC).

They'll just use the 2nd track here. There are crossovers not to far away on each side.
Red X is my best estimation of where the train is based on camera angles.

 

[allanorn]

They'll just use the 2nd track here. There are crossovers not to far away on each side.

That's fortunate. I couldn't remember if there was one track or two in that area, and the initial reports didn't mention how big the tree was or how roughed up the train was.

 

[GDRRiley]

That's fortunate. I couldn't remember if there was one track or two in that area, and the initial reports didn't mention how big the tree was or how roughed up the train was.

It looks to be a few branches off a eucalyptus tree

 

[mcropod]

Eucalyptus are notorious limb-droppers - good thing it looked like a small one, the biggies'll do serious damage.

This was one of our recent ones - and not in a storm at all - it just decided to split and shed!

 

[I401]

They'll just use the 2nd track here. There are crossovers not to far away on each side.
Red X is my best estimation of where the train is based on camera angles.
View attachment 31770

That's what ended up happening, though the derailed car had go in the direction of the second track by a foot or two so we had to slow way way way down when passing. 536 was pretty crowded carrying 3 trains worth of passengers after we backtracked to Richmond and transfered on.

 

[GDRRiley]

Eucalyptus are notorious limb-droppers - good thing it looked like a small one, the biggies'll do serious damage.

Caltrain has been having lots of fun with them. They are long overdue to just be removed statewide, they are bad trees.

That's what ended up happening, though the derailed car had go in the direction of the second track by a foot or two so we had to slow way way way down when passing. 536 was pretty crowded carrying 3 trains worth of passengers after we backtracked to Richmond and transfered on.

at least it wasn't 3 trains worth pre 2020. I'd imagine they would have been forced to spread people out over 2 trains.

 

[joelkfla]

Caltrain has been having lots of fun with them. They are long overdue to just be removed statewide, they are bad trees.

at least it wasn't 3 trains worth pre 2020. I'd imagine they would have been forced to spread people out over 2 trains.

A string of full-grown Eucalyptus trees lining a country road or planted as a windbreak is a beautiful sight. But maybe not so much along a rail line.

 

[flitcraft]

A string of full-grown Eucalyptus trees lining a country road or planted as a windbreak is a beautiful sight. But maybe not so much along a rail line.

Maybe so, but they are awfully fragile and extremely combustible. They were planted in Portugal to be quick-growing trees for paper pulp, but escaped as non-natives so often do. The terrible fires the past few years have been devastating, and a number of drivers sadly lost their lives when fire overtook roads.

 

[GDRRiley]

A string of full-grown Eucalyptus trees lining a country road or planted as a windbreak is a beautiful sight. But maybe not so much along a rail line.

There are much better trees to pick in California that handle the wet winters to dry summers and wind.