Large train derailment in Ohio.

[Freedommachine]

I think it's time to nationalize the railroad system here in the US. Private industry seems to be not very trustworthy.

And federal agencies are?

I would agree some improvement is in order but if it was nationalized, it would just become another bottomless pit for taxpayers while companies like NS reap all the savings.

Maintenance of national infrastructure is all farmed out to contractors anyway. The government would nationalize it and hire NS as the contractor to maintain it.

Unless you see it different somehow?

 

[tdmidget]

~~~~~~Mod Delete - Politcal baiting ~~~~~~~~~

 

[evil monkey]

Evidently many chemical tank cars involved. Photos look amazing.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tran...ohio-train-derailment-investigation-hotboxes/. Apparently a hot roller bearing caused his wreck and either the hot problem was ignored or the detectors were not working. Hot boxes became an old problem after railcars stopped using bronze sleeve bearings and upgraded to rollers, so I am guessing the hotbox detectors were not maintained properly due to a rare over heating problem .

 

[DDoug]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tran...ohio-train-derailment-investigation-hotboxes/. Apparently a hot roller bearing caused his wreck and either the hot problem was ignored or the detectors were not working. Hot boxes became an old problem after railcars stopped using bronze sleeve bearings and upgraded to rollers, so I am guessing the hotbox detectors were not maintained properly due to a rare over heating problem .

You are guessing wrong.

 

[gustafson]

You are guessing wrong.

Yeah IIRC wasn't it detected and they were trying top slow down when it happened? Maybe better detection is a thing

 

[DDoug]

Yeah IIRC wasn't it detected and they were trying top slow down when it happened? Maybe better detection is a thing

No, my point was directed to "Hot boxes became an old problem after railcars stopped using bronze sleeve bearings and upgraded to rollers, so I am guessing the hotbox detectors were not maintained properly due to a rare over heating problem ."

Detectors are a new thing, to replace one of the many functions of the caboose.

 

[BoxcarPete]

Yeah IIRC wasn't it detected and they were trying top slow down when it happened? Maybe better detection is a thing

The "guess" was that detectors were not properly maintained or functioning. The report states that the bearing in question was measured and found close to the limit but below the threshold for an alarm at one detector, then alarmed out at the next but it was slightly too late. It's just one of those worst-case scenarios. In Engineering you have the choice to either A: make everything work with the absolute worst possibility that you can think of, or B: can catch 95% or more of the real life conditions and spend half as much on the system. Even option A won't get all of them because the smartest engineer may still be wrong about the true worst case.

Using a government agency to mandate option A will increase cost burden significantly and perhaps decrease failures a little bit, but it makes us all feel good right? Because once we tell those greedy rail companies they have to run cargo safely to its destination, they'll do it!

 

[michiganbuck]

The now extinct caboose guy would likely not have seen the problem.

 

[jim rozen]

"I would agree some improvement is in order ..."

Yeah and the Titanic hit a little ice.

The reason the hotbox detectors were ignored for the first two samples was the train crew was under the gun to deliver the goods on time or be fired. RR companies are all about the money.
Yes they should be nationalized becuase things are coming off the rails (literally) pretty often these days. Screw the RR company profits.

 

[Freedommachine]

The reason the hotbox detectors were ignored for the first two samples was the train crew was under the gun to deliver the goods on time or be fired. RR companies are all about the money.

I didn't know that. Can you post a link for a report containing this information?

Yes they should be nationalized becuase things are coming off the rails (literally) pretty often these days.

What happens when a government you loathe gets control and messes it up... have you considered that?

How will they be held accountable? Other than a congressional investigation that wastes money and goes nowhere - there is no accountability and it becomes much harder to fire the director when government is involved.

 

[DDoug]

What happens when a government you loathe gets control and messes it up... have you considered that?

How will they be held accountable? Other than a congressional investigation that wastes money and goes nowhere - there is no accountability and it becomes much harder to fire the director when government is involved.

Joe will have the trains running on time...regardless of anything else...."They MUST run on time !"

"I love Amtrak, and I want it to go 250 mph
everywhere ! Same with the freight, 250 mph ! I'll show everyone !"

 

[Halcyon]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tran...ohio-train-derailment-investigation-hotboxes/.

Im interested to read that article but it's behind a paywall. Can yoh copy/paste it here?

 

[Rob F.]

Im interested to read that article but it's behind a paywall. Can yoh copy/paste it here?

Try this site, txtify. I just put it in here and it worked, this is a good program to get around some paywalls. There are other similar sites as well, search here the txtify and you should find discussion mentioning others:

txtify.it

Convert web articles to plain text

txtify.it

 

[michiganbuck]

Likely the government will mandate that all trains be painted a nongender-related color... that should help.

 

[Halcyon]

Likely the government will mandate that all trains be painted a nongender-related color... that should help.

Trains are inherently masculine. If you've seen Naked Gun you know what I mean.

 

[ghost of christmas past]

Im interested to read that article but it's behind a paywall. Can yoh copy/paste it here?

I shouldn't, because the Washington Post is garbage (Janet Cooke, Amber Heard, etc etc) but just turn off javascript and you can go there fine. If it cuts into their profits I'm all for it, just don't believe anything they say.

 

[CarbideBob]

It is Ohio. Who cares.

 

[jim rozen]

" RR companies are all about the money."

""I didn't know that. ""

Wake up and smell reality my friend.

 

[evil monkey]

No, my point was directed to "Hot boxes became an old problem after railcars stopped using bronze sleeve bearings and upgraded to rollers, so I am guessing the hotbox detectors were not maintained properly due to a rare over heating problem ."

Detectors are a new thing, to replace one of the many functions of the caboose.

been around since bronze sleeve bearings so not a new thing, at least since the 70,s when the idea was related to me by a Southern RR dispatcher that I knew personally

 

[evil monkey]

You are guessing wrong.

so they ignored the hot bearing and kept on going ? I bet that goes over like a fart in a space suit when this goes to court