Oh my!!! What happened?
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How did these two end up in this predicament?? Gee - one less CNW painted loco....
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I had posted a view from the head end (UP 6715) but it was rejected as it was "too similar" to this view (?) or the view from behind 6545... that picture had the details of the wreck. Washout in a remote section of trackage, both crew members seriously hurt. Took five hours to cut the conductor out, and then they used UP 8185 from a train south of here to go up to the derailment site and bring the injured 1.5 miles back to a road at W. Vienna Jct. where they could be ambulanced to the nearest hospital (25 miles).
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I guess they are going to have to come up with a better way to monitor track conditions, especially in these remote areas. Accidents like this shouldn't happen these days becuase of poor conditions of the right of way. Track should be inspected frequently especially this time of year with the frost coming out of the ground and this will happen a lot less often.
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That's the problem with a track washout. It often "appears" to be sound until the weight of a locomotive is on it. A track inspector can go over and things look/are fine. Then a heavy rain hits in one area and not in another and the failure is not immediately known. A 'break' in the rail bond (track-light for dispatcher) does not occur as the rail remains intact - albeit unsafe to traffic. Maybe an airplane fly-over prior to rail travel would help - weather permitting ;)
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All of this territory is TWC to boot. I have been up and down that stretch more that a few times. Looks like this train was going to EEI Power Plant at Joppa.
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