Switches & Derailments

[jbsmith]

Ever have mysterious derailments going thru switches?
Just so you know that you are not the only ones,,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03Nq632eV6I

[jonathan]

I wonder what the odds are of being there, with a camera, at the very moment a derailment occurs?

Regards,

Jonathan

[jettrainfan]

3 million dollars, I geuss you could buy a GE unit or fix a deraiment with that money.

[Joe323]

Just a guess The brake hoses didn't snag on the points  Like some of my locos did until I adjusted them.

[glennk28]

beforre you adjust the trip pins, make certainthe coupler height is correct.  gj

[Jim Banner]

Did you notice when the fellow threw the switch he had to jump on the lever?  Anybody want to bet that there was a piece of ballast caught in the point, keeping it from closing up tight against the stock rail?  Or was it just poor track maintenance that made the switch hard to throw?

Jim

[jward]

there are a couple of things i find interesting in this video. they certainly do things a bit differently than i am used to. guess that's why norfolk southern gets the safety awards every year.......

the switch being hard to throw isn't uncommon. especially if it isn't properly maintained. but notice the conductor didn't look after he lined the switch to make sure the points were fully over. and i also notice the switchstand didn't have one of those hoop type handles, which allow you to throw the switch without bending over. wonder how many back injuries they get down there?

that video is also a good example of how hard it is to get a train stopped. even at restricted speed entering a yard, it took several carlengths to get stopped and by that time they had a mess......