In the early morning hours a BNSF westbound went on the ground halfway onto the siding at Dixon. It was caused by a broken rail and set all three units and the first freight car in the dirt. Two contract wrecking crews spent all day setting things back upright. I know there's not much in the way of O&W in the photo's, but it's still pretty cool seeing a sidewider cat on all four corners of a unit walking it a foot off the ground down the tracks! Brad
They can play all they want with those little toy machines, but what they needed was a Bucyrus or Industrial "BIG HOOK!" Tom
Quote: In the early morning hours a BNSF westbound went on the ground ... Brad - This just happen? What's the date? Thanks.....
This took place yesterday, traffic is moving today, although I think they might have a slow order still in place. It pretty much was right behind the feed store, as the high angle photo's where taken from atop the storage silos. It would have made for a little better shot if it was a couple hundred feet further, putting it beyond the tree line. But I don't think it was planned with photography in mind! Brad
Ken, Use to be that would have been the first thing I would have looked at! Access to the site was limited for the cats, so they had to road them along the main from town. Part ways through the curve one of the sidewiders almost slid into one of the tanks. They had to cable a 973 to it in order to get it clear without causing any damage to the car. Brad
Note to Tom -- been there, done that: a 250-ton Industrial Brownhoist is a truly awesome (if today's teenagers were to see one in action, they would know what "awesome" REALLY means) piece of machinery, especially in the hands of a crack wrecking crew, but I'll still take four sidewinders any day for efficiency in cleaning up the mess! Gordon
Brad - Big as those "cans" are, the lading has to be some lighter-than-water organic. And, there are a bunch of t/c's in the consist. It was some sort of a bulk move for sure! Reminds me of the crude oil and refined petroleum moves during WW2. Ken
Regarding the tank cars in the derailment at Dixon, an eastbound into Lindenwood on the Cuba sub this morning had a very long cut of flammable-placarded tank cars that all looked pretty much alike right behind the power. When I finally got up from the pancakes to get a clear view, I saw the last read UN 1987 (= denatured alcohol or alcohol n.o.s.).
George, good observation! If I had to guess, I would say ethanol from Illinois for gasoline use in this westbound that had the problem in Dixon this weekend. The tanks are obviously full of some lighter-than-water organic, and the sheer number of cars suggest an automotive fuel additive shipment. My bet is ethanol, C2H5OH. (Also known as high octane vodka!) Good thing nothing breached - could have been quite a fire, or quite a party! Ken
Gordon, I am with you. As a matter of fact I would take two sidewinders over one hook. It is hard to beat the versatility of sidewinder cats. I guess that is the reason wrecker cranes are a thing of the past, at least for the most part. Jerome