Tornado vs. 20,000 Tons of Steel Freight Train

[forcefedcobra]

a train going full speed could not outrun a tornado.

maybe the Japanese version of the Amtrak could that goes like 200 mph could, but yeah, a freight train like the one in the video could not.

ideally what's supposed to happen is the Railroad is supposed to be monitoring weather for all trains and advise them to stop and let the weather pass, but someone dropped the ball on this one.

not that tornadoes are predictable because they can form at anytime during the life cycle of a thunderstorm. but just the same, that's why the NWS puts out watches, and warnings, and someone wasn't paying attention.

Yes you are correct that the dispatch center will/should issue a weather warning and depending on conditions and train type how to respond to that warning. That train being a manifest train should have been informed of conditions and would have had to stop. (mainly to prevent large scale damage to trackage if blown over). However a train could outrun a tornado as long as it had clear signals to run on. Most tornado's around here might get to 35 or 45 mph on a big gust front system but 70 mph on an intermodal will get the job done.

And thats why I have a job, Sh!t like this...Gotta love Train Derailments.

my goal each day at work is to make sure I dont have to see you guys. LOL!

Holy crap I'd hate to of been in the trailing unit seeing that tank car coming at me

yes that would suck but that video is more than likely a loco cam. They are supposed to keep idiots that try outrunning a train at the gates from making our (trainmen) lives a living hell in the court room and save the company millions in lawsuits.

Really? What railway stops trains account weather?
Also you do realize that trains can travel / run 60 mph. Just how fast do you believe that a tornado travels on the ground (not the rotational speed)?

Down here it is a must Kel. A couple months ago before I went furlough I was working a local in Kansas and we were slowed due to severe weather and then stopped due to a tornado warning. The tornado passed maybe 1/8th to a 1/4 mile behind our train. Loaded grain/coal is exempt from high wind sever weather stuff but all others have different restrictions. Plus we get to run 70 mph out on the transcon!!!!

 

[camaross0002]

Really? What railway stops trains account weather?
Also you do realize that trains can travel / run 60 mph. Just how fast do you believe that a tornado travels on the ground (not the rotational speed)?

actually almost all railroads stop for tornado sightings, high winds, high water, and other weather activity that is considered extreme.

I work for bnsf I have been stopped by dispatchers on numerous occasionals due to high wind and tornado's ahead. I know csx and ns follow some of the same guidelines we do in forms of tracks orders. But yes we do stop for extreme weather reasons.

 

[dogfighter]

didnt budge the engine

 

[camaross0002]

Down here it is a must Kel. A couple months ago before I went furlough I was working a local in Kansas and we were slowed due to severe weather and then stopped due to a tornado warning. The tornado passed maybe 1/8th to a 1/4 mile behind our train. Loaded grain/coal is exempt from high wind sever weather stuff but all others have different restrictions. Plus we get to run 70 mph out on the transcon!!!!

Did you get furloughed or were you able to make a move somewhere, right now shits getting really tight up in chillocothe sub might have to make a move to tx nobody is offering letp classes right now.

 

[CobraMarkVIII]

holy crap awesome thread. I heard that the tornado we had in Ct last week tore right through streets clean right to the ground several feet down. I guess once debris makes it in to the tornado it is like a super scaled up water jet cutter or sand cutter. I sure as hell don't want to be near this shit.

 

[forcefedcobra]

didnt budge the engine

four hundred thousand plus pounds.

Did you get furloughed or were you able to make a move somewhere, right now shits getting really tight up in chillocothe sub might have to make a move to tx nobody is offering letp classes right now.

chased around oklahoma and kansas for almost 6 months this year and got tired of it. had a chance to go furlough and decided to do it. I got called back friday but it might not last since it was more than likely due to the holliday weekend.

 

[04spinbra]

Really? What railway stops trains account weather?
Also you do realize that trains can travel / run 60 mph. Just how fast do you believe that a tornado travels on the ground (not the rotational speed)?

the only time we quit running trains was when the hurricanes came!!! ive been less than 5 miles from a twister that went across florida about 2yrs ago. we came by a green on the n.e. of summerfield and ran the red on the s.e. of summerfield(it dropped right in front of us). this was CSX. they claim that they care but they dont. we fought bad weather the whole night!!

four hundred thousand plus pounds.



chased around oklahoma and kansas for almost 6 months this year and got tired of it. had a chance to go furlough and decided to do it. I got called back friday but it might not last since it was more than likely due to the holliday weekend.

Good luck with the furlough!! i did it back in 2002/2003(furlough) for about 5-6months and i quit a year and half ago!! Got sick of being away for a couple days and coming home staying at the house for 8-10hrs and going back on the road.. Its not for everyone.. only thing i miss is that paycheck..

 

[filmnews]

Thats Crazy!

 

[forcefedcobra]

Good luck with the furlough!! i did it back in 2002/2003(furlough) for about 5-6months and i quit a year and half ago!! Got sick of being away for a couple days and coming home staying at the house for 8-10hrs and going back on the road.. Its not for everyone.. only thing i miss is that paycheck..

thanks. I have been thinking about going into management since I am way overqualified to be pulling throttle or copying track warrants but I do love the train service. I'm not too excited about getting called back. I was just getting into the groove of having a normal life again. I'll more than likely hide out on a yard job for a while since I have been used to being at home rather than go back to that old crap grind of being on the road even though the paycheck wont be near as much.

 

[KONA BLUES]

Really? What railway stops trains account weather?
Also you do realize that trains can travel / run 60 mph. Just how fast do you believe that a tornado travels on the ground (not the rotational speed)?

I can tell you that Union Pacific will stop trains if the tornado warning is issued by the NWS. This is of course after they confirm your EXACT location when the warning is issued. After all, you could be by the affected area already.

And as for your 60MPH comment, if the RR didn't give you enough HPPT (HorsePower Per Ton) now known as TPA (Ton Per Powered Axle) on the UP, your train my be cleared for 60 or 70MPH but only have a maximum speed of 45-50MPH.

Manifest trains such as this one are usually cleared to run 40-50MPH, depending on the type of cars entrained.

I would have soiled myself when I saw that tanker coming at the head-end.

Hope you guys that are furloughed ATM get back soon. I know all to well your frustration :beer:

 

[Hrbdizzle]

I did not know that there was this many other rails on here. What carrier do you all work for and what craft.

I'm a groundhog for UP Western Lines, Roseville Service unit....

 

[SupaNOVA]

Interesting choice of Howard Webb to do the officiating in this one.

 

[Oman_cobra]

mother nature > Train

+1 on that,

 

[forcefedcobra]

I did not know that there was this many other rails on here. What carrier do you all work for and what craft.

I'm a groundhog for UP Western Lines, Roseville Service unit....

I've made a handful of railroad friends on here. I work as a conductor for BNSF. My bud SVTKel works B&B up in canada. Camaross0002 works train service for BNSF also.

 

[TH3N0TH1NG]

Great POST!!

+1. Good find!

 

[F8Lbite98]

Screw that...i'll stay on the east coast in VA....nothing ever really happens here. Knock on wood...nothing does anytime soon.

 

[03SvtSonicCobra]

I did not know that there was this many other rails on here. What carrier do you all work for and what craft.

I'm a groundhog for UP Western Lines, Roseville Service unit....

This was a awesome post. Me and my buddy at work were talking about this not to long ago. i told him i don't think a tornado can knock over 416,000 pound engine. looks like i was right.

Add another railroader here. I'm a Carmen for the Indiana Harbor Belt RR.

 

[svtsmo]

 

[IShb3w]

did some googling

F3 -Severe tornado
158-206 mph

Roof and some walls torn off well constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in fores uprooted

The Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity

I live in Southeast Texas and we have been getting hurricanes every year for the past 3 years. It's crazy to see the amounts of damage they can cause. Down on the beaches there are peoples yachts on land, full houses wiped off the slab, canal barges on land; just crazy stuff.

 

[yosemiddysam]

That video was awesome. That Haz Mat car coming at the cam was wicked. I would hate to clean up that mess though.