Railroad Forums 

Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.

Moderator: Liquidcamphor

 #1503453  by freightguy
 
This is why a lot of current/retired employees no longer post on here. Chatised for reporting factual information not just hearsay from the buffs. A shame more people have shifted to private FB groups and so forth. Used to be a lot of good insight as to railroad operations sometimes with well warranted opinions.
 #1503460  by Backshophoss
 
For better or worse,this is sill an active investigation,and throw in the "Better Call Saul" type legal beagles doing their thing for the civil lawsuits,
where facts can be twisted around. :(
 #1503498  by mjd13076
 
Just out of curiosity... Yes, I know that these cars will be parked in a yard for a while but...

I’ve seen a ton of pictures of the wrecked 7425. Is it eventually salvageable? I mean, other than cannibalized for parts, etc... Would it and could it conceivably be “fixed” (as in like when an automobile gets into an accident) or quite simply, there was too much damage to the cab controls, interior for it to be of use?
 #1503500  by DutchRailnut
 
since the cars are impounded, they can't be evaluated for repair, no one is suppose to touch them, so that pile of concrete will make it impossible to see what can be repaired.
 #1503516  by Kelly&Kelly
 
M of E has thoroughly inspected the cars and it is that department's opinion that two of them will be scrapped for bent center sills. Now anything can be fixed and since the Mechanical Department doesn't have the final say, it is anyone's guess what happens. Sort of depends on which way the wind is blowing. The railroad usually loves to get rid of this stuff because repairs are costly and capital money keeps coming. Scrapping youthful multi-million dollar rail cars is a sensitive and discrete issue that can make for negative publicity.

I trust I've used no trigger words in this statement.
 #1503517  by mjd13076
 
Thanks for the info, fellas (Dutch and Kelly).

So I’m guessing that a “center sill” is like the frame of a car or a keel of a ship? It’s the “spine” to the structure?
 #1503533  by Kelly&Kelly
 
Yes it is. Like a twisted frame in an automobile, a bent sill in a railcar requires extensive work to replace. The LIRR's shop can repair anything. There's equipment and skill to build a complete car. At some point a decision must be made as to the cost/benefit of repairs and reconstruction along with public critique and political fallout. An entire thread can be written on the conflicts arising from past decisions of this nature.
 #1503536  by DutchRailnut
 
not sure a M-7 has a center sill, if its like a M-3, it is car body giving it strength and under the floor are only two equipment rails to hold HVAC/electrical boxes compressor and such .
 #1503539  by Kelly&Kelly
 
As usual, Dutch is correct. The M-7's can be best compared to a unibody auto; the rigidity is in the body. When the body gets twisted into misalignment, it can be difficult and costly to repair. Thank you, Triebfahrzeugführer.
 #1503540  by Head-end View
 
K & K, could you explain further what public critique and political fallout can come out of rebuilding/repairing damaged train cars? I don't really get why this is such a sensitive issue.

But if we were to compare this to a seriously damaged automobile, I would agree that it's probably better to total it than to repair it, 'cause even a good quality repair will never be quite like original. And the vehicle will forever have related problems. Is that a good comparison?
 #1503541  by R36 Combine Coach
 
Kelly&Kelly wrote:The M-7's can be best compared to a unibody auto; the rigidity is in the body. When the body gets twisted into misalignment, it can be difficult and costly to repair.
I would bring up the legendary 1964-1965-1966 Chrysler Imperials, the last before unibody construction. These were so well built and basically indestructible, they have been banned from crash derbies.

And yes, some monocoque cars can and do have a center sill. The NJT/NJDOT Arrow I MUs are an integral (load carrying) car shell in which the stainless sheetmetal that made up the sides, ends and roof formed a unitized (monocoque) structure with the stainless center sill. This eliminated the need for conventional steel framing. I believe many Budd cars used such construction.
 #1503562  by Kelly&Kelly
 
K & K, could you explain further what public critique and political fallout can come out of rebuilding/repairing damaged train cars? I don't really get why this is such a sensitive issue.
Most everything the LIRR chooses to do that involves spending taxpayer dollars is subjected to scrutiny by the public and by the media. Decisions are evaluated by a sensationalist press and by oppositional self-serving political adversaries. Public opinion of the railroad's actions is seldom guided by facts alone.

A decision must be made whether to rebuild/repair a car or scrap it. An apolitical climate would permit comparison of costs and outcomes. The most financially prudent route would prevail.

We recall three cases where minor repairs were required and the railroad's decision to undertake repairs and return cars to service met great public criticism. In each case, two million dollars were saved through retaining the cars. All three decisions were heavily criticized by the media. Two cars were involved in criminal acts where passengers lost their lives. One was involved in an employee fatality. One car struck an automobile resulting in a death.

The fallout from all three decisions drew media-fueled public frenzy and outcry. Railroad management was lambasted in print for "insensitivity" and "lack of common sense" by failing to scrap "tainted/evil/jinxed railcars". One writer demanded a specific M-1 be placed on permanent display as some sort of monument. One car was later set ablaze later by arsonists, as would a medieval witch to loose evil spirits. One recommissioning nearly cost a railroad president his position.

One must tread softly in decisions of this nature. The political environment is a strange one, and a critical and misled public is easily frenzied.
 #1503597  by Head-end View
 
Thank you K & K. Very interesting even if it is hard to believe, but I get your point.

I have seen the two re-numbered cars from the criminal incident in actual service. For what my opinion is worth I think LIRR handled that exactly right. No reason not to return two mechanically sound cars back to service after a reasonable refurbishing and renumbering.
 #1503610  by Backshophoss
 
The "given" is if the equipment involved creates too much "bad PR", it disappears instead of rebuilt,especially if Fatalities happened in the cars
due to the accident/wreck.
After the legal "hold" was released,the M-8's from the sideswipe wreck and the M-7's from the Vahalla wreck were sent to the Ohio scrapper
That pair from the Westbury platform wreck will disappear to the Ohio scrapper when the legal hold is released.
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