About 7:00pm last night a train crew reported that the Yellowstone River at MP 129 just west of Forsyth, Montana had eaten away the bank up close to the track and it needed to be inspected.

At 7:30pm a track inspector reported from the site that the bank had sloughed off up to within 5 ft of the tie ends and large ground cracks were visible. He told the dispatcher to put a 10 mph speed restriction on it and that all trains would have to be walked over the spot. "Walked over" means that there must be a MOW person on the ground with a radio watching the train go over it so they can stop the train if anything changes. (They do this frequently with broken rails, letting train traffic continue to move until the repair forces arrive). The foreman said that they would need a work train in the morning with rip-rap (boulders) and they would want to begin dumping at 700am.

After several trains went by the spot a coal train from Sheridan (with a Sheridan crew) came along about 1:00am. There were two MOW foremen there to watch the train over the spot. Of course it was dark and the washout/slide had grown to about 1000 feet.

Next thing you know... oops! The last 9 cars of the train and the DPU (radio controlled Distributed Power Unit shoving on the rear end) derail and the DPU is on its side in the Yellowstone River with only the handrails on the top side showing above the water. I would NOT want to be the foremen that ok'd that move.

Wyhog

Another victim of the effects of global warming?

quote:

Another victim of the effects of global warming?

Mike...I hope you're kidding with that comment.

Wyhog that's scary to hear

We've had that happen here a few times on the Kenova District of the Pocahontas Division (NS).

A few years ago we had a loaded grain train derail 3 cars into the Big Sandy river.

Then back in the early 80's a Bluefield I.D. crew dumped 3 motors into the Ohio River close to Ironton,Ohio.There was only minor injuries in that.

And about 15 years ago I noticed a "dip" then soft spot in the main 1 track near Ft.Gay WV.
I notified the dispatcher,then she notified a maintainer.
He asked her to reroute the train behind mine to main 2,and give them a 10 mph slow order.
When that crew got up to the hotel they said that the main 1 had washed out for about 3-4 car lengths (150-200 ft),and started to creep under main 2.
The railroad shutdown for 12 hrs. while MOW filled the slide in.

That goes to prove that one must be ready for anything on the railroad.It can be an unforgiving place.

Concerning Global warming? Possible?? The watershed that feeds the Yellowstone river is one of the most unusual areas in the United States. Subject to significant rainfall, or not, the area has a lot of coarse volcanic rock that does not hold water well and vegitation is subject to significant burn areas. So water that falls most likely runs off. One of the two river systems that originates in Yellowstone National park, it is not controlled as it leaves the park. The other river system (Snake River) is contained by dams installed at Jackson Lake part of the Grand Teton National park, north of the Jackson, Wy. I have been told that this lake has never been completely filled. On the other hand Yellowstone lake is full and very large. The potential for what is wild to stay wild in the Park is maintained, so what happens is a true experience of the natural wild. Significant snow fall through winter months would still be contributing to run off at this time of year. So potential damage to water level routes, still popular with railroads, can be a problem as it has been since railroads began.