SWC detouring Newton KS (8-18-19)

[Just-Thinking-51]

BNSF dump a intermodal train in the ground just east of Newton KS earlier today it seem. 18 August 2019.

A lot of equipment stage on or around US 50. One way traffic on US 50.

This is the normal route of the Southwest Chief.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Closer to Walton KS than Newton KS.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Correction two trains on the ground. One tanks one intermodal Think side swip wreck.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Bad big mess. Mostly JB Hunt trailers on there sides a lot with cargo showing.

 

[Duane Witte]

Mother nature was the main cause. Specifically high winds.
https://www.kansas.com/news/weather-news/article234129022.html

 

[Slasharoo]

On 4 now. They backed up and took a different route around the wreck. 4 plus hours late to Topeka. Power problems in KC. Left KC around 1 pm CDT. Expected into Chicago around 9 pm, versus 2:50 pm. Otherwise, fine

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Not sure about the high winds. One train was on laying on it side on the south side of the two track area, the other was laying on the north side of the area.

The tank cars show damage on the left side were the intermodal train was passing. A lot of wheel set and trucks were still on the rails were the tank cars were.

The intermodal front part and the last few cars were still on the track. While the tank cars only the engines and buffer cars were still on the track.

Unless the wreck crews we pushing cars away to open the track the pattern seem odd. A lot of the JBHunt boxes had openings in them were you could see the cargo. So maybe it was the wreck crews dragging the boxes away from the railbed.
If it was the wreck crews that were do this, there sure were causing more damage to the cargo and boxes. Sure it’s a busy single track line, but there detours available, no need to destroy freight just to open a railroad. Trucks loaded with panel tracks and others with gravel were standing by.

 

[Duane Witte]

First priority after the crews well being is opening the tracks. The wreck crews could very well be doing more damage to the containers than the derailment did To get the tracks clear and open. Here is a picture before the cleanup crews got there. The stacks are leaning away from the road. My guess would be winds knocked the stacks into the tank cars which knocked them off their trucks. Then the cleanup crews got there and pulled them away from the tank cars. I can only guess based on the pictures and video I've seen since I am about 200 mile northeast of there.
https://media.graytvinc.com/images/690*323/waltonderailment.png

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Thanks for the picture. When I went past it all the boxes were lying on the ground next to the road. A lot of damage caused by the clean up crew it seems. Most of the containers were still hook to together, just grab and drag them away. Go a little slower and savage the container first. Would save BNSF money from the damage claim. JBHunt is not going to be happy.

The SWC lost time due the detour, but it made it thur the area.

 

[Palmetto]

Thanks for the picture. When I went past it all the boxes were lying on the ground next to the road. A lot of damage caused by the clean up crew it seems. Most of the containers were still hook to together, just grab and drag them away. Go a little slower and savage the container first. Would save BNSF money from the damage claim. JBHunt is not going to be happy.

The SWC lost time due the detour, but it made it thur the area.

If you went through the derailment area, you were on the normal route, not the detour one.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you went through the derailment area, you were on the normal route, not the detour one.

He was most likely driving a truck through the area, not on the train.
The train did detour which took about 4 hours.

 

[Eric S]

Any idea what the detour was? South through Wichita to Newton, then back north through El Dorado to meet up with regular route near Emporia?

 

[Duane Witte]

South from Newton to Mulvane then back north to Emporia.

 

[JustOnce]

Unless the wreck crews we pushing cars away to open the track the pattern seem odd. A lot of the JBHunt boxes had openings in them were you could see the cargo. So maybe it was the wreck crews dragging the boxes away from the railbed.
If it was the wreck crews that were do this, there sure were causing more damage to the cargo and boxes. Sure it’s a busy single track line, but there detours available, no need to destroy freight just to open a railroad. Trucks loaded with panel tracks and others with gravel were standing by.

That's exactly what they were doing, they did not care about damaging the Hunt boxes:

A detour isn't an option when you have contracts that specify delivery time and market a fast, reliable route.

 

[Palmetto]

He was most likely driving a truck through the area, not on the train.
The train did detour which took about 4 hours.

Yes, I assumed he was on the train. Today's 3/4 ran the regular route, though.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

AmtrakBlue was correct I was on US 50. The last video was painful. The trailers were getting ripped into by the heavy equipment with no regards for the cargo inside. Good thing there was no Hazmat or dangerous goods around. Interesting they flip the equipment over into the ditch, and then when back and dragged it to the edge later. When I pasted it was 5pm and most of the container were right next to pavement already.

Still surprised by the lack of care given to the freight, have over the years recovery freight a few times, always put effort in recovery part, only once the health department say nope. Usually we can get most of cargo saved. If it on the ground it stays there, but the stuff still in the trailer we can save.

 

[ehbowen]

Unless the wreck crews we pushing cars away to open the track the pattern seem odd. A lot of the JBHunt boxes had openings in them were you could see the cargo. So maybe it was the wreck crews dragging the boxes away from the railbed.
If it was the wreck crews that were do this, there sure were causing more damage to the cargo and boxes. Sure it’s a busy single track line, but there detours available, no need to destroy freight just to open a railroad. Trucks loaded with panel tracks and others with gravel were standing by.

First priority after the crews well being is opening the tracks. The wreck crews could very well be doing more damage to the containers than the derailment did To get the tracks clear and open. Here is a picture before the cleanup crews got there. The stacks are leaning away from the road. My guess would be winds knocked the stacks into the tank cars which knocked them off their trucks. Then the cleanup crews got there and pulled them away from the tank cars. I can only guess based on the pictures and video I've seen since I am about 200 mile northeast of there.
https://media.graytvinc.com/images/690*323/waltonderailment.png

That's exactly what they were doing, they did not care about damaging the Hunt boxes:

A detour isn't an option when you have contracts that specify delivery time and market a fast, reliable route.

This is not a new thing, by any means. I saw a story, thirty years back or more...can't remember the source, exactly...about the early days on the Santa Fe, when the line to California had just been completed and the first tunnel through Raton Pass was still under construction. Trains went up and over the mountain through a difficult and slow series of switchbacks. Well, Santa Fe's biggest cash cow in those early ears was moving fresh fruit, especially oranges, from California to Kansas City and thence eastward. Nothing was allowed to interfere with those orange trains. If there was a derailment on the mountain switchbacks, standard operating procedure was to send men up the hill with dynamite, blast the derailed car clear of the tracks and down the mountain, and settle claims with the shipper later in order to keep the orange trains moving. The source said that one such car which derailed was a boxcar loaded with grand pianos, which made a memorable racket as they tumbled down the mountainside....