Holy shit! A Texas sized train crash and derailment

[4Waters]

 

[4Waters]

RIP to the UP employees

 

[monkeyswrench]

I'm guessing the driver will be found at fault. Should have never been there, either stop clear, or clear the crossing, never stop on the crossing. Sad deal for the families of the two UP employees. Also kind of a miracle that only two lives were lost.

 

[4Waters]

I'm guessing the driver will be found at fault. Should have never been there, either stop clear, or clear the crossing, never stop on the crossing. Sad deal for the families of the two UP employees. Also kind of a miracle that only two lives were lost.

Apparently the truck was stuck there for an hour and nobody thought to call the 800 number

 

[Singleton]

I'm guessing the driver will be found at fault. Should have never been there, either stop clear, or clear the crossing, never stop on the crossing. Sad deal for the families of the two UP employees. Also kind of a miracle that only two lives were lost.

Truck got hung up.
Someone dropped the ball on calling the railroad.

 

[4Waters]

Another video, different angles

 

[welldigger00]

Every time I’ve gotten any oversize permit in Texas especially , part of the requirements are measurements of ground clearance, and distance of the last axle on the truck to the first axle on the trailer. The permit company that I use will plan routing accordingly. That looked like a larger than normal oversized load, or what’s called a super load. im surprised they routed it that way. It dont make sense that the pilot dint catch it. Or, the driver was off route. Or, they didn’t pull permits. Or they were routed that way and texdot didn’t realize it was low. No excuse for something that big. It’s not like it was a 320 on a five axle deal. It’s one thing to be tall, and have a pole car up front, and maybe hit a bridge. They don’t really have a low clearance lead pilot. However, anything super load sized usually has to have a route survey ahead of time, that is approved by what ever state you’re in. Either way, it sux. one time I thought I was gonna bottom out, and I creeped up on it slow and set my mirrors low down, and watched and had the windows open, listening and feeling for something. That way I know I can back off of it. Even if I’ve got to push a car out of my way. It’s only happened once, and it was nightmare fuel. It was one of those deals where I was on the approved route, and I pre ran the route on one of my nav apps. It showed train tracks, but you don’t know how high they are off the road bed.

 

[Tank]

That shit was CRAAAAAZY!!! holy shit. Train was getting after it!!
That hauling company is fuuuuuuuucked.

Question for the train guys…I take it the two deceased were riding in the engine?

 

[welldigger00]

It’s not necessarily the drivers fault on this. If the pilot company did the route survey, and it was approved by Tex dot, the liability will fall on the pilot company. However, every one gets sued into oblivion on this. After watching it a few times, that load is really long, and the driver may not have known he was fucked until it was too late. Also, something like this could be multi trailers, and the jeep made it through, but the low bed, or perimeter trailer may have run aground, and that is that.

 

[4Waters]

Every time I’ve gotten any oversize permit in Texas especially , part of the requirements are measurements of ground clearance, and distance of the last axle on the truck to the first axle on the trailer. The permit company that I use will plan routing accordingly. That looked like a larger than normal oversized load, or what’s called a super load. im surprised they routed it that way. It dont make sense that the pilot dint catch it. Or, the driver was off route. Or, they didn’t pull permits. Or they were routed that way and texdot didn’t realize it was low. No excuse for something that big. It’s not like it was a 320 on a five axle deal. It’s one thing to be tall, and have a pole car up front, and maybe hit a bridge. They don’t really have a low clearance lead pilot. However, anything super load sized usually has to have a route survey ahead of time, that is approved by what ever state you’re in. Either way, it sux. one time I thought I was gonna bottom out, and I creeped up on it slow and set my mirrors low down, and watched and had the windows open, listening and feeling for something. That way I know I can back off of it. Even if I’ve got to push a car out of my way. It’s only happened once, and it was nightmare fuel. It was one of those deals where I was on the approved route, and I pre ran the route on one of my nav apps. It showed train tracks, but you don’t know how high they are off the road bed.

It’s not necessarily the drivers fault on this. If the pilot company did the route survey, and it was approved by Tex dot, the liability will fall on the pilot company. However, every one gets sued into oblivion on this. After watching it a few times, that load is really long, and the driver may not have known he was fucked until it was too late. Also, something like this could be multi trailers, and the jeep made it through, but the low bed, or perimeter trailer may have run aground, and that is that.

Great insight and information on how it works in Texas, I'm sure it's fairly similar in all states but thanks for chiming in, learned something.

 

[stokerwhore]

all someone had to do was ground the two rails together with a jumper cable, piece of wire, any metal, etc and it would activate the gate and throw a red stop signal at the nearest control point to the train. dispatcher would see it too. good to do in a pinch while a call is being made

 

[DRYHEAT]

It’s not necessarily the drivers fault on this. If the pilot company did the route survey, and it was approved by Tex dot, the liability will fall on the pilot company. However, every one gets sued into oblivion on this. After watching it a few times, that load is really long, and the driver may not have known least he pulled the pin he was fucked until it was too late. Also, something like this could be multi trailers, and the jeep made it through, but the low bed, or perimeter trailer may have run aground, and that is that.

I would really like to think the driver would’ve seen that hump in the crossing, and questioned it, seemed pretty extreme. Maybe watching the mirrors too much. At least he pulled the pin before abandoning truck. Really infuriating if he was really stuck there for an hour.

 

[welldigger00]

I would really like to think the driver would’ve seen that hump in the crossing, and questioned it, seemed pretty extreme. Maybe watching the mirrors too much. At least he pulled the pin before abandoning truck. Really infuriating if he was really stuck there for an hour.

Id tend to agree, especially if the driver has had alot of seat time in that configuration.

 

[coolchange]

all someone had to do was ground the two rails together with a jumper cable, piece of wire, any metal, etc and it would activate the gate and throw a red stop signal at the nearest control point to the train. dispatcher would see it too. good to do in a pinch while a call is being made

How does that work? Signal in the rails ?

 

[4Waters]

How does that work? Signal in the rails ?

It works, if we drive across RR tracks with our steel drum rollers it shuts down the crossing and the RR has to physically send someone out to inspect the crossing before they allow a train to pass. If we have to cross tracks we put plywood down.

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

That was crazy nasty. Saw it on IG

 

[Kachina26]

Apparently the truck was stuck there for an hour and nobody thought to call the 800 number

Damn, that was hard to watch knowing that 2 people died. One night while away from my desk, the emergency light went off with a call to stop all traffic at one of my crossings due to a car on the tracks. When I got back and was briefed, I was told what was up. It was near a yard, so I had camera access. I started looking around and there was no car on my tracks. I called our police and told them the deal. They said to continue to hold traffic. I kept looking around and noticed UP had a train stopped on their tracks on the crossing in question. I looked a little more to the west and discovered that they had hit the car. Our police called and gave me the all clear as the local PD was unable to locate the car. I told her that I located it and it was welded to the front of the train blocking the crossing. I knew the DS on the UP. When she got the call, she quit listening when they told her the street name as it was a street where they commonly did crew changes in Stockton. Unfortunately, the street they needed protected was in Fresno. Nobody hurt, just an old junker taken out of service.

All that to say, maybe somebody did call the number and there was an issue getting the crossing protected. Down near LA, we had CHP get with our MOW guys and secure track protection BEFORE hauling a big load across. I guess they don't do that everywhere as this isn't the only mishap I've seen. I had a lowboy rip out some of my rail outside of Bakersfield.

 

[rrrr]

Local news story on the crash. Terrible that two UP employees lost their lives just days before Christmas.

That distillation unit (I think that's what it is) probably took months to build. It was a massive piece of steel. While @welldigger00 provided good info about oversize loads, the last line of defense against an accident is the pilot car driver and the trucker. The crossing had a very obvious and significant rise. A few minutes and some phone calls might have averted tragedy.

WATCH: Texas train crashes into tractor-trailer, derails

Two people are dead and three others were injured when a train crashed into a tractor-trailer in West Texas on Wednesday.

www.fox4news.com

 

[lbhsbz]

I would really like to think the driver would’ve seen that hump in the crossing, and questioned it, seemed pretty extreme. Maybe watching the mirrors too much. At least he pulled the pin before abandoning truck. Really infuriating if he was really stuck there for an hour.

They had an hour to get every vehicle in sight together stem to stern to push that thing off the tracks. Surely the repair bill would be less expensive than the damage incurred this way.

This is the world of "stand around and watch and take video" that we live in now....most are worthless and afraid to make a decision and execute.

 

[Waterjunky]

They had an hour to get every vehicle in sight together stem to stern to push that thing off the tracks. Surely the repair bill would be less expensive than the damage incurred this way.

This is the world of "stand around and watch and take video" that we live in now....most are worthless and afraid to make a decision and execute.

This looks like farm country. I guarantee something big enough to remove the problem (one way or another ) in a real hurry was only minutes away. Then again, the tracks might have sustained damage in the process and caused the same issue.

 

[Cdog]

We have a cool switch I can add to Peterbilt’s to avoid this kinda situation where it does an air bag over inflate to get you over the tracks.

 

[monkeyswrench]

We have a cool switch I can add to Peterbilt’s to avoid this kinda situation where it does an air bag over inflate to get you over the tracks.

Getting semis into event centers for shows sometimes took creativity, like a lowrider in a driveway. Those were only 53ft double drops, like Kentucky or Bekins. Something like this would be really rough. Due to length, just the truck lift may not change the angle enough. Lifting the rear in addition would also help, but then trailer mods may be needed as well, as a lot of the heavy stuff runs a type of walking beam.

I haven't seen how much it weighed, or the overall length. Looked pretty massive, and pretty stout too just looking at the remaining piece by the wrecked building.

 

[yz450mm]

Getting semis into event centers for shows sometimes took creativity, like a lowrider in a driveway. Those were only 53ft double drops, like Kentucky or Bekins. Something like this would be really rough. Due to length, just the truck lift may not change the angle enough. Lifting the rear in addition would also help, but then trailer mods may be needed as well, as a lot of the heavy stuff runs a type of walking beam.

I haven't seen how much it weighed, or the overall length. Looked pretty massive, and pretty stout too just looking at the remaining piece by the wrecked building.

The lead locomotive actually lifted up when it hit it, so whatever was on that trailer had to be well into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

 

[Cdog]

Getting semis into event centers for shows sometimes took creativity, like a lowrider in a driveway. Those were only 53ft double drops, like Kentucky or Bekins. Something like this would be really rough. Due to length, just the truck lift may not change the angle enough. Lifting the rear in addition would also help, but then trailer mods may be needed as well, as a lot of the heavy stuff runs a type of walking beam.

I haven't seen how much it weighed, or the overall length. Looked pretty massive, and pretty stout too just looking at the remaining piece by the wrecked building.

When I spec a real Heavy Haul truck usually adding new way suspension, which allows for superior articulation.

Too many variables for either one of us to Monday quarterback from the Internet. I was just offering some information on how options are available on trucks and a lot of people don’t even know exist.

 

[Roosky01]

all someone had to do was ground the two rails together with a jumper cable, piece of wire, any metal, etc and it would activate the gate and throw a red stop signal at the nearest control point to the train. dispatcher would see it too. good to do in a pinch while a call is being made

Does this actually work? If so, why didn't we know this at about 8 years old so we could've really stirred up some trouble?

 

[rivrrts429]

They had an hour to get every vehicle in sight together stem to stern to push that thing off the tracks. Surely the repair bill would be less expensive than the damage incurred this way.

This is the world of "stand around and watch and take video" that we live in now....most are worthless and afraid to make a decision and execute.

You’re not moving that load with anything you can see in that video. That load is massive if it lifted the lead locomotive like it did and how many people carry tow straps that could move that thing lol

 

[4Waters]

The lead locomotive actually lifted up when it hit it, so whatever was on that trailer had to be well into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Holy shit it did, I slowed it down and it lifted like 3 feet

 

[lbhsbz]

You’re not moving that load with anything you can see in that video. That load is massive if it lifted the lead locomotive like it did and how many people carry tow straps that could move that thing lol

I disagree. You put 10 pickup trucks bumper to bumper, that's more torque and traction that than tractor has.....it's worth a shot, and better than taking a goddam video of the carnage.

 

[lbhsbz]

You’re not moving that load with anything you can see in that video. That load is massive if it lifted the lead locomotive like it did and how many people carry tow straps that could move that thing lol

You need maybe 20% more power and traction than it took to get it stuck there.

 

[rivrrts429]

I disagree. You put 10 pickup trucks bumper to bumper, that's more torque and traction that than tractor has.....it's worth a shot, and better than taking a goddam video of the carnage.

There’s a reason when you see heavy haul push/pull type loads and they’ve got 50k pounds of counter weight on the push/pullers. It’s like dragging a car out of the Glamis dunes uphill.

I still don’t think they have anyone nearby that had the rigging or know how to rig up what you’re describing.

 

[OCMerrill]

You’re not moving that load with anything you can see in that video. That load is massive if it lifted the lead locomotive like it did and how many people carry tow straps that could move that thing lol

When you see a quad axle tractor stuck....

I cant believe the train could not be stopped after an hr, Seriously?

RIP to those who lost it all.

 

[Racey]

How does that work? Signal in the rails ?

The way the gates and flashing lights are triggered is by sensing a conductive path between the two rails. This is normally done by the axles on the train being within proximity of the gate (too far away means too high of resistance and it won't trigger). So if you manually trip it with a steel pipe, jumper cables, etc. It will signal that there is a train on the rails there. Throw the gates and lights, and also signal to rail control that there is another train on that section of rail which initiates all the safety procedures.

Here is a great explanation:

 

[lbhsbz]

When you see a quad axle tractor stuck....

I cant believe the train could not be stopped after an hr, Seriously?

RIP to those who lost it all.

I saw at least 3 pickups and a semi/car hauler in the video....if the car hauler, unloaded...got a running start for a few hundred feet (assuming it probably comes in at 30Klbs at least) and hit the front of the heavy haul tractor doing 10mph or so while the heavy haul guy was in reverse with 2 or 3 axles worth of tires spinning....it would have moved. It can't have not moved. Granted, there would be damage and likely injuries, but not deaths and not half a train derailed worth of damages.

Hell, with an hour to work this whole thing out....one could have hand carried a bunch of ballast or dirt or whatever and piled it under the tractor to solve this problem....but that would have required "approval" and someone with initiative to actually solve a problem.

RIP to the poor guys on the train with nowhere to go and best wishes to their families. They are the only victims here. Every outfit involved outside of the railroad should be sued to kingdom come until they're homeless.

 

[coolchange]

The way the gates and flashing lights are triggered is by sensing a conductive path between the two rails. This is normally done by the axles on the train being within proximity of the gate (too far away means too high of resistance and it won't trigger). So if you manually trip it with a steel pipe, jumper cables, etc. It will signal that there is a train on the rails there. Throw the gates and lights, and also signal to rail control that there is another train on that section of rail which initiates all the safety procedures.

Here is a great explanation:

Thanks that’s what I was looking for. Guess I could’ve googled it myself.

 

[lbhsbz]

When you see a quad axle tractor stuck....

I cant believe the train could not be stopped after an hr, Seriously?

RIP to those who lost it all.

Keep in mind...everything was moving until it wasn't. All you have to do it get it back to the point just before it wasn't moving...and it will move again under it's own power. In the mechanic world, we use a hammer for that. There's a whole bunch of hammers on wheels sitting there in that video that were worth a shot at the very least.

 

[monkeyswrench]

When I spec a real Heavy Haul truck usually adding new way suspension, which allows for superior articulation.

Too many variables for either one of us to Monday quarterback from the Internet. I was just offering some information on how options are available on trucks and a lot of people don’t even know exist.

It's cool that it's an option now, by manufacturers building trucks. 25 years ago, it was a goat rodeo with an old three axle that was never meant to do that stuff. The biggest issue was high centering into the building. Comparatively speaking, our stuff was light, but kingpin to axle riding 8-10" off the ground gets too low really fast.

You’re not moving that load with anything you can see in that video. That load is massive if it lifted the lead locomotive like it did and how many people carry tow straps that could move that thing lol

A single locomotive is something like 200 tons...5 times a normal loaded semi. Multiple locomotives, a bunch of cars, and the speed it was going into the impact...that's a massive amount of energy. You would think it would cut through most anything. The load stuck on the tracks was both very heavy, and very strong.

 

[4Waters]

 

[Tankerchief]

Why doesn't anyone call the 800 number and crossing index on the blue sign required to be posted at each rail crossing in the United States?

After so many of these crossing hits, it should be trained to every truck driver, pilot and LEO in the country.

 

[OCMerrill]

I saw at least 3 pickups and a semi/car hauler in the video....if the car hauler, unloaded...got a running start for a few hundred feet (assuming it probably comes in at 30Klbs at least) and hit the front of the heavy haul tractor doing 10mph or so while the heavy haul guy was in reverse with 2 or 3 axles worth of tires spinning....it would have moved. It can't have not moved. Granted, there would be damage and likely injuries, but not deaths and not half a train derailed worth of damages.

Hell, with an hour to work this whole thing out....one could have hand carried a bunch of ballast or dirt or whatever and piled it under the tractor to solve this problem....but that would have required "approval" and someone with initiative to actually solve a problem.

RIP to the poor guys on the train with nowhere to go and best wishes to their families. They are the only victims here. Every outfit involved outside of the railroad should be sued to kingdom come until they're homeless.

The one miserable saying in life...bad things happen to good people all the time.

Very good points you make for sure .

 

[OCMerrill]

Why doesn't anyone call the 800 number and crossing index on the blue sign required to be posted at each rail crossing in the United States?

After so many of these crossing hits, it should be trained to every truck driver, pilot and LEO in the country.

Heavy haul driver. He should be well trained. There was a massive amount of disconnect for sure.

 

[lbhsbz]

The one miserable saying in life...bad things happen to good people all the time.

Very good points you make for sure .

Doesn’t matter if nobody thinks it would work…nothing to lose by trying.

 

[bilz]

A well placed Tundra woulda got it done! Space Shuttle couldn't hold it back.

RIP to those who passed.

 

[Tank]

I’ve always been told two flares on an x pattern in the middle of the track a mile out will stop rail traffic.universal emergency ahead sign

 

[boatnam2]

The lead locomotive actually lifted up when it hit it, so whatever was on that trailer had to be well into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Looked like a tower for a refinery to me, pretty heavy for sure.

 

[DRYHEAT]

I’ve always been told two flares on an x pattern in the middle of the track a mile out will stop rail traffic.universal emergency ahead sign

That train appeared to be hauling ass, I don’t think a mile would’ve been enough for it to stop.

 

[DRYHEAT]

It's cool that it's an option now, by manufacturers building trucks. 25 years ago, it was a goat rodeo with an old three axle that was never meant to do that stuff. The biggest issue was high centering into the building. Comparatively speaking, our stuff was light, but kingpin to axle riding 8-10" off the ground gets too low really fast.

A single locomotive is something like 200 tons...5 times a normal loaded semi. Multiple locomotives, a bunch of cars, and the speed it was going into the impact...that's a massive amount of energy. You would think it would cut through most anything. The load stuck on the tracks was both very heavy, and very strong.

If that driver wasn’t paying attention and drove that load hard aground, you ain’t gonna push it off the tracks once it’s high centered. The only thing that was gonna move that was two crane’s minimum. Maybe had there been 2 or 3 D10 dozer’s on scene and they could get enough traction. Sad deal all around and it happens way too often.

 

[dirtslinger2]

Looked like a tower for a refinery to me, pretty heavy for sure.

It definitely is, looks to be about an 18ft diameter, possibly 100ft tall distillation column. Some refinery is incredibly bummed. These take around a year to build, cost 10's of millions to build, and their replacement T/A timing is planned years in advanced. This royally fucked somebody.

 

[riverroyal]

Not one person has mentioned a f150 could pull it off the tracks.

Seriuosly though, horrible preventable lose of lives.
So many errors. Pilot. Driver.
1 hour on tracks? Seems impossible. No cops in that hour? No farmer saying wtf did anyone call the number.
No passer by calling the cops?

I can't believe it was 1 hour.

Many ruined lives by human error.

 

[dirtslinger2]

Not one person has mentioned a f150 could pull it off the tracks.

Seriuosly though, horrible preventable lose of lives.
So many errors. Pilot. Driver.
1 hour on tracks? Seems impossible. No cops in that hour? No farmer saying wtf did anyone call the number.
No passer by calling the cops?

I can't believe it was 1 hour.

Many ruined lives by human error.

There's a Sherriff on scene in the video, he's on his motorcycle, not sure what he's doing, cause it doesn't seem like much.

 

[DRYHEAT]

Train was going 68 miles an hour when they applied the emergency brakes, the truck was carrying the base of a wind turbine according to this article.

PECOS, Texas — The Union Pacific train involved in Wednesday’s fatal derailment was going about 68 mph before beginning an emergency brake application, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement today (Friday, Dec. 20).

Maximum speed on most of UP’s Toyah Subdivision, including in Pecos, is 70 mph.

Two Union Pacific crew members were killed when the train hit a truck stopped on a grade crossing of U.S. Route 285 (Cedar Street) on Wednesday afternoon [see “Two crew members killed …,” TrainsNews Wire, Dec. 19, 2024]. That truck was carrying an oversized load — a base for a wind turbine, which was thrown by the impact into the nearby Pecos Chamber of Commerce building, a former Texas & Pacific Railway station.

All four head-end locomotives and 25 intermodal well units derailed. The event recorder from the lead unit has been recovered and is being transported to the NTSB material lab in Washington.

Still to be determined, the NTSB said, is how long the truck was on the tracks prior to the collision or if anyone had attempted to contact the railroad through the emergency number posted on a placard at the crossing. The agency is also asking eyewitnesses or anyone with video of the collision to contact the NTSB at [email protected].