At least 6 killed, 45 injured as passenger, freight trains collide near Moscow
Last edited Wed May 28, 2014, 08:05 AM - Edit history (1)
It's news, but it's not of national interest. Thus, I originally put this not in LBN, but in General Discussion. So why did I move this to the Economy forum?
This is an example of a wreck that could not be prevented by positive train control (PTC). That makes it like the derailment in December of the tank cars carrying crude oil in Casselton, North Dakota. At the time, it was thought that an axle on a car on a westbound train broke, sending cars directly into the path of the eastbound train, which consisted of train cars carrying crude oil. In a situation like that, there is nothing that PTC can do to stop the wreck. It's as if you're driving a motorcycle, and a deer hops onto the pavement a few feet in front of you. What can you do?
Emergency Order UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Petroleum Crude Oil Railroad Carriers
On December 30, 2013, 13 cars in a westbound BNSF Railway (BNSF) grain train derailed near Casselton, North Dakota, fouling an adjacent main track. At the same time, an eastbound BNSF petroleum crude oil unit train with 106 cars was operating on that adjacent main track. The petroleum crude oil unit train reduced its speed but collided with the derailed car that was fouling the main track, resulting in the derailment of the lead locomotives and the first 21 cars of the petroleum crude oil unit train. Eighteen of the 21 derailed tank cars ruptured, and an estimated 400,000 gallons of petroleum crude oil was released. The ruptured tank cars ignited, causing a significant fire. Approximately 1,400 people were evacuated. Damages from the derailment have been estimated at $8 million.
See: Regulatory Agency Turf War Halts Implementation of Positive Train Control
In the Russian wreck, it looks as if a container on a train headed in one direction fouled the path of the passenger train headed in the other direction. How can PTC pick up on something like that?
At least 6 killed, 45 injured as passenger, freight trains collide near Moscow
A freight train has crashed into a passenger train in the Moscow Region. There are reports about multiple injured and at least six dead. Injured passengers are being carried out of the carriages by hand. Rescuers are working at the scene.
“Today at 12:38pm (08:38 GMT) a freight and a commuter train collided on the Bekasovo-Nara railroad near the regional center of Naro-Fominsk,” reported the transport police press service.
