Strasburg Rail Road Incident 2 Nov 22

From the Amtrak Keystone thread

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 12:18 pm Keystones may be affected because... well, Strasburg RR 475 crashed into a work vehicle due to an out-of-position switch and inattentive engineer.

Ouch.

planespotting wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 1:27 pm Thanks for sharing. They shut off the Virtual Railfan in Paradise, PA after this happened. Below is different clip that shows the damage to 475 was quite severe. I don't think it will affect Keystone line too much as there seems to be a good amount of space between siding and mainline. There will be some rubbernecking though!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UblnTe6T6Lc

I saw the crash this morning. It hit me really hard. Just saw the clip from another angle. It makes my heart hurt. I am not sure what is currently going on as Virtual Railfan was down and continues to be down. I would love some current news.

475 is going to be OOS a few years

I believe all tourist lines are fully under the jurisdiction of the FRA/NTSB - the Strausberg doubly so, as it'sa common-carrier road.

To my understanding, the damage to the 475 isn't too severe, primarily consisting of a damaged headlight and smokebox door, but the FRA are gonna want an inspection.

ConstanceR46 wrote:I believe all tourist lines are fully under the jurisdiction of the FRA/NTSB - the Strausberg doubly so, as it's a common-carrier road.

NTSB makes investigations and recommendations, but they have no enforcement powers. I'm sure the FRA is there in full force. With the video footage, some of the answers are going to be obvious.

If you’ve not seen the video, you should.

FRA and NTSB should investigate this. Strasburg is darn lucky no person was near that Bobcat.

Not hard to do with the visibility from the cab. It certainly explains why many engineers lean far out the window to see the tracks.

Allow me to give them a clue. VIDCAM on the front, Bluetooth or wire it to the cab, and fireman gets to watch it.

Train's extensive coverage of the accident.

PARADISE, Pa. — Strasburg Rail Road’s 4-8-0 steam engine No. 475 collided with a tracked excavator or “trackhoe” parked on a spur Wednesday morning, Nov. 2, punching a hole in the engine’s smokebox. No injuries resulted and the engine, running light, remained on the track.

A combination of a misaligned switch — apparently left open when a maintenance crew tied down the trackhoe on the spur — and the engine crew’s failure to operate the engine at ”restricted speed” contributed to the collision.

Damaged were the smokebox front and door, some auxiliary metal pieces, and the headlight, as well as the bucket, piston, and hydraulic hoses on the trackhoe. The trackhoe arm did not pierce or deform anything vital to steam operation, such as No. 475’s flues or front flue sheet.

FRA will be at Strasburg interviewing and inspecting.

That said: Yes, video cams up front wired (not Bluetooth, that has issues) to a display in the cab that is watched.

justalurker66 wrote:Not hard to do with the visibility from the cab. It certainly explains why many engineers lean far out the window to see the tracks.

They used steam engines for about 125 years. Cab visibility wasn't the issue. There is no need for bluetooth or cameras. Paying attention to where you are going prevents such incidents and that is what the engine crew's job is.

Bringing this over from the two other threads opened on this: Train's extensive coverage of the accident.

PARADISE, Pa. — Strasburg Rail Road’s 4-8-0 steam engine No. 475 collided with a tracked excavator or “trackhoe” parked on a spur Wednesday morning, Nov. 2, punching a hole in the engine’s smokebox. No injuries resulted and the engine, running light, remained on the track.

A combination of a misaligned switch — apparently left open when a maintenance crew tied down the trackhoe on the spur — and the engine crew’s failure to operate the engine at ”restricted speed” contributed to the collision.

Damaged were the smokebox front and door, some auxiliary metal pieces, and the headlight, as well as the bucket, piston, and hydraulic hoses on the trackhoe. The trackhoe arm did not pierce or deform anything vital to steam operation, such as No. 475’s flues or front flue sheet.

FRA will be at Strasburg interviewing and inspecting.

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 3:15 pm 475 is going to be OOS a few years

They are claiming 475 will be up and running in a week. Guess they have spare smoke chamber covers at the refurbish shop? And do these steam engines have to go through a full inspection after these events? I guess today they are "on scene" .

Admin note

Two threads merged.