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Omaha Steve

(99,792 posts)
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 07:09 PM Mar 2

Three trains involved in 'collision and derailment' in eastern Pennsylvania; no injuries reported

Source: AP

Updated 2:10 PM CST, March 2, 2024

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say three trains were involved in a collision and derailment in eastern Pennsylvania on Saturday morning that caused no reported injuries or evacuations but left some railroad cars scattered along a riverbank and at least one partially in the river.

Officials in Northampton County said the derailment was reported at about 7:15 a.m. in Lower Saucon Township along the Lehigh River. The township’s police chief, Thomas Barndt, said arriving emergency personnel found “multiple trains derailed” but no reported injuries. No hazardous materials were involved and no evacuations were ordered, he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said preliminary information indicates an eastbound Norfolk Southern train struck another Norfolk Southern train that had stopped on the same track. Wreckage from the striking train spilled onto an adjacent track and was struck by a westbound Norfolk Southern train, the NTSB said in an email to The Associated Press.

Authorities said the collision led to the derailment of an unknown number of cars, but there were no reported injuries or release of hazardous materials. A team “comprised of experts in train operations, signals and train control, mechanical systems, and human performance” was expected to arrive later in the day, the NTSB email said.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/train-derailment-pennsylvania-3491b1e1c9496414bc88262b54c3d250

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Three trains involved in 'collision and derailment' in eastern Pennsylvania; no injuries reported (Original Post) Omaha Steve Mar 2 OP
OOPS!!! elleng Mar 2 #1
3 trains? how does that happen? OAITW r.2.0 Mar 2 #2
OBVIOUSLY! elleng Mar 2 #3
River grade. DEbluedude Mar 2 #5
Three trains. That almost takes coordination. Helluva coincidence, eh? keithbvadu2 Mar 2 #4
Not that far-fetched. An similar but deadly 3-train crash happened last year in India. Eugene Mar 2 #10
Not really. TheCowsCameHome Mar 3 #17
Amazing that there were PlutosHeart Mar 2 #6
GPS for train traffic? yankee87 Mar 2 #7
This will be fun to untangle and sort out Warpy Mar 2 #8
I'm going to wager that one or more of the trains was undercrewed Kennah Mar 2 #9
My B-I-L worked for a railroad here in the west before he retired. He was a Union Rep for a long time Attilatheblond Mar 3 #14
I'm in Washington, and I attend WSLC (Washington State Labor Council) Kennah Mar 3 #19
I'm going with blaming Norfolk Southern on this one. eggplant Mar 2 #11
Beat me to it... IthinkThereforeIAM Mar 3 #16
You bet it was a minimum crew-profits you know no matter who or what gets hurt or killed Stargazer99 Mar 3 #12
John Oliver Talked About This Very Problem chwaliszewski Mar 3 #13
Surely 'Precision Scheduled Railroading' had a part in this collision... EarthFirst Mar 3 #15
Norfolk Southern again Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Mar 3 #18
Dumped diesel fuel into the Lehigh River - I'd call that hazardous to river life Number9Dream Mar 3 #20
The rail corporations have been laying off workers, we can expect more rail disasters, one would think the insurance ShazamIam Mar 3 #21
Not surprising since a lot of railroad tracks in the USA look like this. Crowman2009 Mar 3 #22
YouTube video of the wreck Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Mar 4 #23

OAITW r.2.0

(24,680 posts)
2. 3 trains? how does that happen?
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 07:38 PM
Mar 2

Do you ever wonder why train wrecks seem to be always close to or in streams/rivers? I think it's because 1) it was cheaper to lay track beds and track on land adjacent to water ways...and 2) obviously no EPA existed when they were planned out and constructed,

DEbluedude

(816 posts)
5. River grade.
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 08:45 PM
Mar 2

Less tractive effort required to pull. Minimal cuts and fills.
You're correct. It's cost effective.

Eugene

(61,969 posts)
10. Not that far-fetched. An similar but deadly 3-train crash happened last year in India.
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:51 PM
Mar 2

Train A hits train B stopped on the same track.
Trains derail onto a parallel track as train C
is passing.


TheCowsCameHome

(40,169 posts)
17. Not really.
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 01:32 PM
Mar 3

One train rear-ends another train, a third train coming from the other direction strikes the wreckage.

yankee87

(2,182 posts)
7. GPS for train traffic?
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:18 PM
Mar 2

There has to be some kind of GPS tracking on trains. Forward radar?
Putting my conspiracy hat on. Right wing terrorism?

Warpy

(111,389 posts)
8. This will be fun to untangle and sort out
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:19 PM
Mar 2

My money's on another aging and poorly maintained locomotive with shit brakes. This was low speed since no one got hurt, so the moving train that hit the stopped train had to be going really slowly.

The oncoming train on the other track just had bad luck, no mystery about that.

Kennah

(14,348 posts)
9. I'm going to wager that one or more of the trains was undercrewed
Sat Mar 2, 2024, 09:28 PM
Mar 2

A crew of two (engineer and conductor) was the minimum, but railroads pushed for a crew of one. I believe because they want a crew of none.

Attilatheblond

(2,231 posts)
14. My B-I-L worked for a railroad here in the west before he retired. He was a Union Rep for a long time
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 10:50 AM
Mar 3

and you are correct. The bosses want to avoid paying the workers needed to operate safely.

Kennah

(14,348 posts)
19. I'm in Washington, and I attend WSLC (Washington State Labor Council)
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 04:09 PM
Mar 3

WSLC is the AFL-CIO state affiliate. All AFL labor participates. I talk to the train guys and listen to the issues of other groups. It's surreal some of the corporate similarities. Train companies want trains with NO CREW, and companies like Uber and Lyft want self driving cars. Cut the workers COMPLETELY out.

Stargazer99

(2,600 posts)
12. You bet it was a minimum crew-profits you know no matter who or what gets hurt or killed
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 12:19 AM
Mar 3

CAPITALISM IS A FAILURE

EarthFirst

(2,905 posts)
15. Surely 'Precision Scheduled Railroading' had a part in this collision...
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 10:57 AM
Mar 3

This is no ‘accident’ -this is a culpable act by railroad CEO’s to conduct more with less (crews; maintenance; upgraded infrastructure/equipment…)

Regulatory fines are cheaper than the alternatives to investor profit.

Rinse and repeat.

Number9Dream

(1,564 posts)
20. Dumped diesel fuel into the Lehigh River - I'd call that hazardous to river life
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 05:16 PM
Mar 3

The Allentown Morning Call reported that it dumped diesel fuel into the Lehigh. It's not plutonium, but it is still hazardous.
Thanks to Trump for deregulating Norfolk Southern.

ShazamIam

(2,577 posts)
21. The rail corporations have been laying off workers, we can expect more rail disasters, one would think the insurance
Sun Mar 3, 2024, 11:16 PM
Mar 3

companies would be making some kind of demand for enforcing safety regulations that would include adequate staffing for maintenance. We had a recent derailment in Northern California along the Feather River. Coal, so at least no toxic chemicals. '

I wonder when the disasters and deaths will be sufficient to put a stop to the de-regulation.

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