Train Wreck, Lincoln, Al


grande man

Bonafied Grande Nut
Preliminary reports are that two trains were involved. This is in the Talledaga area. News footage is showing a huge fire. Sodium cyanide is believed to have been carried by one of the trains. Area residents within a 1 mile radius are being evacuated. Some residents are blocked from leaving by one of the trains. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the train crews and local residents.

Story unfolding as this is typed.
 
Sorry to hear that. What RR's are involved? Sodium cyanide? That sounds pretty dangerous?
 
Wow that sounds bad. I hope to that the rr crew is safe as well as the residents in the area. It just goes to show, trains can be dangerous, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy them like I do :D
Chris
 
One of the local stations has pre-empted all other broadcasts covering the fire involved. One of the trains involved is carrying liquid sodium cyanide, but it is NOT known if those cars are involved. Several neighborhoods in the area have been ordered evacuated, but some people can't get out because the trains have blocked the crossings. The area involved is a "rural" area (well built up, semi resort communities), around Lake Logan-Martin. Judging by the earlier pictures from before sundown, where the derailment has occured is just a few hundred yards from the lake.

The fire looks very intense and hot, and the latest pictures showed what appeared to be firefighters/haz mat personel approaching the fire to fight it.
 
We just got back home and one of our pilots had left a message on the answering machine that he (and all other flights) had been vectored around the plume from the fire on his way back to Birmingham tonight. I hope that no hazmat is involved, but it's better safe than sorry, thus the precautions. Once again, our prayers go out to those involved and their families.
 
Latest updates are saying 3 NS employees are hospitalized WITHOUT life threatening injuries. :cool: Reports are that one train rearended the other (Train on siding not clear of the main).
 
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Glad do here the injusries are not life threatining. Wow, that sodium cyanide looks bad, all the stuff that can happen from inhalation.
Chris
 
Boy, this just isn't Norfolk Southerns style, 3 major derailments in 4 months, they had one up in Sterling IL not to long ago.
 
So far, the EMA types are reporting that the cars they've been able to inspect show no signs of sodium cyanide leakage. :)

Hopefully, none were involved in the fire. Time will tell.
 
grande man said:
So far, the EMA types are reporting that the cars they've been able to inspect show no signs of sodium cyanide leakage. :)

Hopefully, none were involved in the fire. Time will tell.
Morning Grande Man. From what I have seen on the news this morning,NO Sodium Cyanide was on fire,the cars were away from the burning wreckage,but it is safe to say that the Atlanta East/West main is going to be out of servicefor at least the next few days. From the news photos,the cars involved were mostly autoracks and container cars. Also,the locos on the train that rear-ended the train are pretty much a total loss. I am glad however,that the crews on board are going to be alright. Man,talk about a mess.:eek: :( William.
 
Talk about not being NS's style. This is the 2nd interruption to the Atlanta - New Orleans mainline on NS this week. This will be the 3rd consecutive day that Amtrak can't run the Cresent south of Atlanta. The first wreck this week was a CSX train operating over the NS derailed 25 cars in Cuba, AL. Cuba is on the western border of AL.

Yesterday's accident blocks the mainline from B'ham to Atlanta. I guess they could detour trains through Chattanooga or Columbus.

It is good to hear that the crews escaped!

It will be interesting to go to Irondale at lunch time and see if any trains are moving.
 
Grandeman, and All who have replied,

Thanks for the post and updates, it will be interesting to see how this all unfolds.

If I may, Let's keep in our hearts and prayers, the crews involved. While the physical injuries may not be life threatening, the psychological effect this has on crews can be devastating. Some can handle it while others may never be the same. Just my thoughts.

God Speed to the crews,

Johnny
 
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grande man said:
Glenn, I'm guessing that the train watching in Irondale may be a little slow...

Eric; It was anything but!!:) There were two trains, one on each side of the crossing on the bypass track. There was a train waiting to come into the yard and while we were there the transfer run from Thomas yard came in. I'll post some pix of what we saw tonight;). Can't do it from work.

PS. The yard looked VERY full!!!!

CJ
 
Eric:

The NS is full of trains. When the BNSF transfer came in the signal in the block it cleared didn't go green. It only went yellow which means there was another train head east not far behind.

I talked to the brakeman of one of the stopped trains. He said the wreck was still burning. He didn't know when the line would reopen.

Glenn
 
Ya know, after my earlier post, I began to wonder if the yard would be a log jam due to the closed main to ATL.

Ya'll coulda called me...;) I'm always up for veiwing an overcrowded prototype.
 
Evening guys. From what I am hearing on the news this evening is that things are starting to settle down. It would seem as if most of the wreckage has been cleared away except for what is still up there. But the main thing is,as bad as it looked on TV,it most certainly could have been worse.I can only imagine what those fellowes on the locomotives were going through at the time,but it is good that all are on the road to recovery,and maybe soon we will know what caused this disaster.BTW CJ,did you see any of the train or trains that were involved while you were at the platform today? I didn't see or hear many trains at all on the NS.Mostly CSX,if at all. I am glad it's over.Man,what a mess.Makes one quite humble. Talk to y'all later.William.
 
grande man said:
Ya know, after my earlier post, I began to wonder if the yard would be a log jam due to the closed main to ATL.

Ya'll coulda called me...;) I'm always up for veiwing an overcrowded prototype.

Well Eric, whatja think? First we had one working the yard, trying to get ready to leave, those two down on the bypass track, (only got pix of one, we were gonna get some of the second, but ran outta time), cause just as we were about to leave the signal turned red and the Thomas Yard Transfer showed up. Turns out the train waiting to get into the yard was a unit coal train and had a couple of SF units in it. These were still in original SF paint with the only indication of BNSF ownership now is the small BNSF under the number at the windows. I do prefer the "old" Warbonnet, over this one but it hasn't been too long that any SF units have been showing up here. There was always BN units since the BN got the Frisco, just not ATSF units.
 
Great pics, Carey. We need to start railfanning Irondale more. We usually end up at Boyle's, but a change of pace every now and then is nice. Look's like ya'll did pick a good day for it! I bet it was tough to work for the NS in Bham today... Delays, delays, delays.
 



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