Goodwell, OK; Two UP trains have collided head on

[up_8677]

This is still developing, but this is the territory where I railfan a lot. Prayers go out to all those involved and their families.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... ?1,2799609

[broken link removed]

http://www.news9.com/story/18866351/one ... -in-guymon

[arizonachris]

Second link's not working, but from the third link, that look's bad. My prayers go out as well to those involved.

[up_8677]

That's because the Guymon Daily Herald is lame and takes down the old article rather than updating it.

http://www.guymondailyherald.com/conten ... ted-heat-r


To make matters worse, there is triple digit heat across the Southern Plains today. I'm hearing conflicting reports, but *apparently* one of the conductors survived and 3 other crew members are still unaccounted for. According to someone on trainorders, the trains involved are:

WB AAMMLX 22 -> UP 8692 - UP 4855 - (UP 7215 DPU) - 80 loads/5760 tons/7743 ft

EB ZLAAH 22 -> UP 8542 - UP 5482 - UP 7914 - (UP 7735 DPU) - 108 loads/6326 tons/7915 ft

[BNSF650]

This is to close to home.. Please prey for the UP Crews.

[Chessie8638]

Just for note the Subdivision is CTC controlled. Where the wreck took place is aprox. 71 miles of tangent (straight) track. Hopefully all crew members jumped before impact..

[up_8677]

Latest news I've found is that one of the conductors (on the WB AAMMLX 22) was able to bail off and survived with minor injuries and didn't need medical treatment. Sadly the other three crewmen are still missing. :(

http://newsok.com/update-three-missing- ... le/3687382

[Chessie8638]

Reuters is reporting a grim outcome.


http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/ ... FG20120625

[SCLJim]

Really really sad to hear. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.

[up_8677]

Latest I've read is that the NTSB folks are currently conducting their investigation.

Does anyone who might have more inside knowledge than me (or actually live in the region; I don't; just visit from time to time) know where UP is rerouting their trains? I know they have trackage rights on BNSF's Dalhart and Boise City subs, but Boise City is dark TWC territory that is pretty much entirely southbound coal loads from PRB.

[up_8677]

The bodies of the other three crew members have been found and identified.

http://utu.org/2012/06/24/3-crew-missin ... a-head-on/

[up_8677]

http://www.connectamarillo.com/news/sto ... ?id=769522


Looks like the MOW gangs are already getting to work rebuilding the track.

[SCLALINE]

so sad

[up_8677]

Yes. :(


The NTSB made some preliminary statements earlier.

http://newsok.com/one-train-failed-to-y ... z1ysFHFEr3


They are saying that one of the trains failed to take a siding. They won't say which one though (not surprising at this point). There are 3 CTC sidings--each a hair under 2 miles long by my reckoning--with electric switch machines on the Pratt sub in the OK panhandle. There's one at Goodwell, one at Optima, and one at Tyrone. They are at approximately equal distances from each other. There is another siding kind of out in the middle of nowhere almost exactly between Stratford TX, and Texhoma, OK.

Someone over at trainorders said that whats left the the WB autorack and its DPU were taken back east and tied down at Tyrone.


I think one of the stories I linked above has the eyewitness account of the long haul trucker who was pacing the eastbound Z at 68 mph after he left Goodwell, and he indicated that the train was not blowing its horn. I presume he means for level crossings, of which there are several in the immediate vicinity.

[Chessie8638]

Video of the NTSB day one report:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQXUWq04RJ4




I have a feeling crew fatigue may have played a factor...

[up_8677]

NTSB has posted some pics of the investigation on their site...most of them are pretty much fluff but this one:



is very informative. That's the ESS at Goodwell siding, and it clearly was run through judging by the condition of the points and bent parts in the switch mechanism.