Quebec village destroyed by freight train explosion

[FourEightFour]

Anyone happen to know what the grade is through there? I have the urge to do some math.

[BNSFdude]

Anyone happen to know what the grade is through there? I have the urge to do some math.

1.2% it seems. Rather steep.

[FourEightFour]

Anyone happen to know what the grade is through there? I have the urge to do some math.

1.2% it seems. Rather steep.

Steep? Oh to work on standard gauge lines not in the mountains....


Anyways, I did some maths:


72 fully loaded tank cars at an assumed weight of of 263,000 lbs each make for a 9468 ton consist. On a 1.2% grade of tangent track that equates to about 227,232 lbs of pull on the consist from the grade. If one sets 11 brakes this is equal to 578,600 lbs of tractive effort at 20% adhesion and 289,300 bs of tractive effort at 10% adhesion. 10% is pretty low adhesion. In theory that should of been enough to keep the train in place. I did not factor in the weight of the locomotives as their handbrakes were also set thereby negating their effect on the consist.

Of course if the handbrakes were not set on the downhill end....

[Ericmopar]

Well, I can answer one question.
The whole train ran away originally, but broke in two about 1/4 mile from it's parking spot.
That left the lashup and 9 cars standing alone about 1/4 mile from where it all started.
Once the train broke into 2 sections, the handbrakes on the locos were able to stop and hold them and the 9 remaining cars.
The rest of the train barreled into town and exploded.
After the fire, a track man called the company and explained what happened with the fire, but no one with any actual driving experience seems to have been sent out.
Not that it mattered, because the estimates are, that the train rolled away almost as soon as the fire dept and track man turned their backs.
Well... Maybe that was more than two questions.

Like all man made disasters, it was a cluster of human errors with multiple safety procedures not handled correctly.

[buzz456]

So it was the rear end that went to the town is what you are saying. I have been wondering all along where the locomotives ended up.

[buzz456]

Wall Street Journal this morning:"In its first public statement on the possible cause of the deadly accident, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said that its initial investigation has determined that the amount of braking force applied to the train that was left outside Lac-Mégantic was insufficient for the grade that the locomotive was parked on.

It said it had issued an advisory to Canada's transportation department to review its rules on brakes. It also issued a notice that train carrying dangerous goods aren't to be left unattended on a main track—a move that will force many Canadian operators to revise their procedures."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... SecondNews

[BlueLight]

Why was the engineer not called back to the train when the fire department was extinguishing the engine fire? Still many questions?

[Chacal]

Because the agr didn'reed-upon procedure between the fire department and MMA didn't call for it.
They advised the company and someone else was sent, possibly (speculating here) because the company didn't know where the engineer was. This other employee probably didn't know enough about engines and air brakes.

Also, there was no need to worry about air brakes because the engineer was supposed to have applied enough hand brakes.

I drove by that spot last Monday; the grade is heavy indeed.

[OlPaint]

Does anyone know why the engineer left the train? Did he exceed his shift hours? I don't think the press has really explored the Union Rules very thoroughly.

OlPaint

[Howndog]

....from the details gathered so far it would appear that who ever was supposed to secure the train after the fire did not do so. The rail employees that released the VFD from the scene would be where I'd be asking questions.

Also, the engineer was fired. I'd guess he missed something as well.

A question I have is , after it derailed, why did they need to break the brake lines with a loader on the remaining cars to release them?

and......how did the locos uncouple from train when they we at the head? It appears the locos went down a differant side of the switch ahead of the cars. This would suggest the locos travelling faster than the cars and possibly disconnecting sometime earlier.

Some of the problems with speculating using information available is that it may not be reported correctly. There's a big differance between releasing a coupling or releasing the brakes.

...just curious.

HD

[Howndog]

Does anyone know why the engineer left the train? Did he exceed his shift hours? I don't think the press has really explored the Union Rules very thoroughly.

OlPaint

Reports say he stopped for a crew change. Parked the train for the next crew and got a motel.


HD

[Howndog]

Oh, and 1 more thing (best Columbo impression).

It appears that when the engineer left the train he mentioned to the cab driver that he was concerned about leaving the train unattended and running. Why?

Because it was on fire? Was the next crew supposed to meet him and didn't show? Did the company not want to pay him OT to wait for the next crew? Was he getting a rest break and then continuing with the train himself?

Is it customary to leave a train idling all night till a crew is rested?

...so many questions.


HD

BTW, I find it rude of the rail co to try and blame the VFD for what happened. They didn't put that burning POS loco onto the tracks.

[Howndog]

Because the agr didn'reed-upon procedure between the fire department and MMA didn't call for it.
They advised the company and someone else was sent, possibly (speculating here) because the company didn't know where the engineer was. This other employee probably didn't know enough about engines and air brakes.

Also, there was no need to worry about air brakes because the engineer was supposed to have applied enough hand brakes.

I drove by that spot last Monday; the grade is heavy indeed.

If I was to guess the 2 MMa employees on the scene were low rate gophers.

I'll follow the money and say that MMA policy is not to call out people on OT. This company appears to be cutting costs and likely has policy that are $$$ first.


HD

[arizonachris]

I'll follow the money and say that MMA policy is not to call out people on OT. This company appears to be cutting costs and likely has policy that are $$$ first.


HD

Penny smart. pound foolish, eh? I won't even hazard a guess what this mess will cost MM&A. Lawyers most likely are already lining up.

[XDriver]

Quoted from Trains Mag.

"The Federal Railroad Administration announced emergency operating rules for U.S. railroads late Friday evening, in response to the July 6, Lac-Megantic, Quebec, tank car crash and fire.

Within 30 days, FRA says, "No train or vehicles transporting specified hazardous materials can be left unattended on a mainline track or side track outside a yard or terminal, unless specifically authorized."

Railroads are also required to ensure freight car and locomotive hand brakes are properly applied. The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued a separate safety advisory in conjunction with the FRA rules."