Train derails in Taunton after railroad tracks stolen

RedLantern wrote:Also, don't forget that spikes only hold so much tension in the ties, especially on a slow track where the ties can be very old. Since the rail in front of the train also works to maintain the alignment, unless there were some alignment rods I'm surprised the front truck made it as far as it did without pushing the rails apart. Theoretically they could've come to a complete stop before the end of the rail and still ended up on the ground.

Perhaps when the rail was severed the overall integrity of rail still in place was compromised by the missing sections...?

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:

GOLDEN-ARM wrote:industrial track? i imagine this would be restricted speed. had their been a banner instead of a missing set of rails, this would have been considered a failure to stop. technically, it's still a failure to stop though......

If it's bad track with grass growing around it I don't think they can be faulted for not seeing the break at 10 MPH. Especially when the rail disappeared the night before. It's not like they inspect exempt track frequently enough to have caught that immediately before the run.

You hit it when you said it. Weeds growing all around the rail. Trees growing close to the track. Inconsistent shadows. All of that plays tricks with they eyes making it all appear "normal" until you get close enough to say "That shadow looks strange...SH*! STOP!!!"

I wonder if this is the works of the same guys.....

Railroad track theft

State police Capt. Raymond Studley tells the Newport Daily News that the thieves apparently used a cutting torch to remove 22 feet of rails from the south side of the tracks and another 10 feet from the north side of the line over the Memorial Day weekend

Ironman wrote: It's rule 46 speed. It does not require looking out for broken rail, so the crew did not break any rules.

"Trains must be able to stop, within one half the range of vision". forget all the rest, this is very clear. if you cant see the rails through the weeds, you need to slow down. never mind the switch, car, equipment, etc. the first half of the rule is clear. you must have control of the train, and be able to stop withing one half the range of vision. i'm quite sure these guys will get a pass, but this is still something they need to be aware of. because the rails were there yesterday doesnt mean they'll be there today. it's called "complacency", and it gets guys into trouble.

That is true, if operating under restricted speed. Were they?

(dunno what they were doing, but I would sure have been tip-toeing through that stuff ...)

GOLDEN-ARM wrote:

Ironman wrote: It's rule 46 speed. It does not require looking out for broken rail, so the crew did not break any rules.

"Trains must be able to stop, within one half the range of vision". forget all the rest, this is very clear. if you cant see the rails through the weeds, you need to slow down. never mind the switch, car, equipment, etc. the first half of the rule is clear. you must have control of the train, and be able to stop withing one half the range of vision. i'm quite sure these guys will get a pass, but this is still something they need to be aware of. because the rails were there yesterday doesnt mean they'll be there today. it's called "complacency", and it gets guys into trouble.

I love ALL the Monday morning quarterbacks. Everyone knows everything until they are actually doing it. Piece of missing rail is not as easy to spot as people may think.

RULE 46: Trains using other than main or signaled tracks must move at a speed that will permit stopping within one-half the range of vision, short of a train, a car, an obstruction, a derail, or an improperly lined switch, on-track equipment, or a Stop Signal.
Trains moving on sidings may expect switches connected to the siding to be lined for movement on the siding.
The following speeds must not be exceeded:
1. Tracks, a. 25 mph on non-signaled sidings
b. 10 mph on other than main tracks, or signaled tracks, and
c. 5 mph within engine servicing area or car shop repair area.
There's another brief segment about turnouts and switches I'll not get into here.
While Rule 46 was requires stopping within visual distance, it also adds the qualifyers of short of Train, Car, Obstruction, derail, misalligned switches, on-track vehicle, or Stop signal. There is no specific, "looking out for broken rail", as is stated in "Restricted Speed" rule. It's a matter of interpretation if the missing rail could be considered an "obstruction". That along with managers charging crews with "intentional delay of train" for moving at a speed determined to be excessively slow. I also checked with my RFE and a couple TM's and all believe there was no violation. But as I said earlier, it's a matter of interpretation.