A lot of fantastic decisions made here to make up for one very bad one. The dedication of the response crews, cleanup efforts, restoration of the line. But I also believe there are a few engineers at General Electric that should be praised here - so impressed that the GE safety cab on the converted Dash-9 withstood a terrible crash and maintained integrity - it is unbelievable. I do wish a speedy recovery, both physically and mentally for that crew.
If level crossing where just taken out of the pics would not got problems like this nor would the public have to be victims to it I live in the UK where its not as easy to make for a crossing free network but yet in the last 30 years we have more than half the number of crossings that was previously in operation The USA has more space to ues the make 2 3rds of its crossings dissappear and could do a lot more to make the outheres safer Just an observation I am sure there meny who will tell me I am wrong and how impossible it is but the cost of this clean up will be more than the cost of a bridge
@@brickleyyard4966 The beam that was hit was for a bridge for that exact purpose -- to create a bridge over the tracks, to avoid accidents like this, and to clear up traffic bottlenecks waiting for trains to pass by.
Incredible footage. Thanks for sharing! I've worked on construction jobs there at McKee and know exactly where this is. What a mess. Glad no lives were lost.
this could have been so much worst, someone was looking out. The back log of traffic (train traffic) is wild. 369 plus , on one haul. Safety wishes for all working on the clearing . Best wishes to 2 crew on there mend.
The fact that the locomotive took so little damage from hitting that reinforced concrete tress is amazing. It's also surprising how fast those steel train tracks were straightened out.
You know what would be cool to watch? A drone-based time-lapse where you could see the scene go from full-on-wreckage to fully cleaned up and cleared out, from the same vantage point. The engineering and execution of these rail repair/salvage operations happen so quickly and are super fascinating to watch and think about.
The amount of reconstruction work done in such a short time scale is just so impressive! .. and also, Great video, Thank you! Edit: Love the "About" in your profile 😊
The 5 box cars are loaded with rolls of paper to be made into corrugated boxes If they handle them right they can still be used. I worked for Georgia Pacific container for 43 years
They will go to Southeastern Paperboard or another job lot converter... We owned and operated a job lot paperboard converting operation from the 1980's - 2010 and did tens of thousands of tons of salvage reclaim paper & board. I got every damaged roll of paper and paperboard from CSX for 5-7 years.
Interesting, NS interchanges in Geneva NY with Finger Lakes Railway. We have a cardboard recycling plant in Solvay. Would be interesting if it came from there.
Brilliant footage...very impressive to see the new track in already...if this had happened here in the UK there would probably have to be a couple of weeks of investigations before any work at all was started!!...
150ft of truck & load wouldn't have just ambled across the tracks in the UK!!! This is 2022, the UK learned its lesson with abnormal loads and train crossings in 1968- look up 'Hixon Disaster'
@@tl50camiva Aye, you're dam right there, rules and procedures that are written in blood. Its no fluke that Britain has one of the safest networks in the world.
That construction project is about to experience some serious delays - they don't have the part of the bridge structure that is built over the railroad tracks even started yet. The railroad will require safety flagmen that are in communication with the train crews for that - and back at the crossing where they maybe should have had one in the first place.
im sure the engineer & conductor thought "this is it, were dead" about 5 seconds before impact.glad both were ok. for the truck hauling the beam, you would think it wouldve has escorts to alert the driver to all of his surrounding conditions.after all, that IS what escorts are required for.
The truck was stopped by a red light (probably in a line of traffic) that left it with its load across the tracks. They now are going to have to coordinate the rail crossing gates with the traffic signals, i.e., stop the street traffic at the rail crossing long before the train gets there.
Or, when the train is detected (by track circuit) a block or two out then turn all the other road signals to red and the road that crosses the track to green to allow the crossing to clear. I've seen this happen at some crossings in the US so why not all?
There won't be any changes. Stupid people sitting on the tracks at a light has long been an issue. I was taught in driving class not to enter unless I'm sure I can clear it. And it's not just with tracks, around here it's even just in traffic. During rush hours people will block intersections when the light at the next block turns red. It's completely obvious they won't be able to go anywhere yet they pull another 30 feet ahead and block cross traffic. In this case with such an unusual load, we'd need to know what the truck driver was told. I'd think if the intersection hadn't been discussed ahead of time, that the driver should have seen the problem and called for police to direct traffic rather than get caught on the tracks
You also mentioned the rare configuration of the train you filmed. Our local news reported that the speed limit of the train through that area was going to be limited until after the first of the year until all repairs and cleanup were done. Maybe the extra power was there to ensure more control over such a large train.
They were putting extra power on the end of trains that were taking the detour over to Varnell. In order to access that alternate route trains have to head east towards Knoxville then reverse and head south. So it was necessary to have power on both ends. They may have sent this train on the detour route but then the line was reopened so they didn’t need to detour. The power ended up being surplus.
I could not get there in time for that. It’s a 2 hour drive from here and it would have been dark when I got there. Watch my video of the train wreck cleanup at Duluth, GA. I was there for several days shooting that one.
The lead engine's camera footage should be released as an educational safety video on the importance of making sure a vehicle can clear the tracks BEFORE starting the crossing. Clearing being past gates / lights or at an uncontrolled crossing, signs.
There’s also a video of the exact moment the train hit that beam. Unbelievable footage. This reminds me of the Amtrak crash into the dump truck on the tracks in Missouri a few months ago. My opinion is nothing should ever stop on or interfere with track clearance whether signals and arms are activated or not. Keep those tracks clear period.
Those rarely ever get released publicly. The ones that do is because someone video taped it from a crew room on their cell phone or it got sent to someone who sent it to a friend type deal.
Interesting outcome of blame to come. TDOT project: What is their responsibility? GC of project - what is their responsibility? Trucking company getting permit for over size load and given route instructions from TDOT - what is their responsibility? Driver obeying signals gets caught but should of been protected by his permits. NTSB will have their hands full.
@@noveless Since the Semi-tractor needed to make either a left or right turn immediately after crossing the bridge, there could have been oncoming traffic interfering with the tractors continued forward progress... that or, that all important construction site flagger stopped the semi, not realizing they'd hung the semi across the Choo-choo tracks
I'm impressed at how quickly they've opened up the line again. Glad the crew survived okay, and that the beam didn't lift and go through the cab windscreen. Stuff of nightmares. Looking at the construction site, that bridge beam was so close to its destination. As commented elsewhere, in the UK this would have taken a lot longer. Depending on the circumstances, the police could close off the site as it could be down to a criminal act and they want evidence for any future prosecution. Then we have the RAIB, a government body that deals with investigating railway accidents, gathering evidence of what the cause was, then publishing reports with recommendations etc. Sometimes debris is taken away and reasembled to find the cause, just like air crash investigators do. Any accident can be a learning tool for preventing a similar situation in the future, be it down to mechanical failure, poor operating procedures, not following the correct methods, complacency etc. One last year involved an oil train, the investigation found it was down to poor maintenance, poor procedures, bad record keeping. Also, I don't know if it's the same in the US, but on most of the network there are also wires for operating the signals etc along side the track. In a derailment there's a good chance that it gets damaged to, so adds even more time to the repairs.
Did you see around 22.48 in the video that there is a crew there working on getting the new bi-di signal wired in? It's already fitted in place by then - again, good work and good planning.
I grew up just a few miles from there and still cfross that crossing quite often. It is amazing how fast they have restored it. I am surprised that they are allowing drone flight there. There is an airport just a couple miles down the road from there from the direction the crashed train came from. (The direction the train you filmed was heading)
@@HotspotsSoutheast I know, it is a municple airport, but has a long enough runway to support small executive jets. But It is only one runway and it perpindicular to the tracks.
Thanks Adam! I was one of the many people that cleaned that up! Yes still not done but takes time! Lots of hard work to straighten that out so they can get that rail back up and running!!!
I watched this video two weeks ago. I was hoping you would be providing updates of the clean-up progress. I guess it was probably all cleaned up a week ago. Oh well....
I agree with many comments below about how this incident was approached and the very efficient & professional work done by the recovery crew. I add my best wishes for the train crew who have been through an awful ordeal but agree that good loco design clearly worked to help them and hope they have a speedy and full recovery. Things that stand out for me are: - I've seen a number of US rail incidents via Virtual Railfan and RUclips and the quality and skills of the teams tackling the recovery stands out - well done all! - It is clear that once personnel and primary safety concerns are tackled then the recovery team gets on and gets the railroad mobile again as its priority - I won't list the issues I see that have been tackled by this time in the first phase but I was in awe - but then this is the first incident I've seen with such wide implications. I agree that if I compare the US response in general with the response here in the UK then the UK response doesn't have the correct focus and is slow and lethargic. Our Network Rail - sorry, I should say that I'm in the UK - (who are responsible for all things track and signalling) need a priority action team to address incidents and who will prepare the ground ahead of the recovery team followed by an infrastructure team to restore basic services as quickly as possible - within hours not days. The things I see as different to UK in this video are: - - Rapid environmental impact response and protection - sorry, NR, don't see that happen in the UK. - Site preparation with recovery and work space for the heavy clearance and recovery teams. - People and machinery still working with the first train running through - I flippantly will say that NR wouldn't allow anyone but train crew near the incident in that first pass - and I accept a flame if anyone feels that way. - Focus on commercial priorities - something I'm sure NS staff have near the top of their list, I'm sure! Every one of those cars that isn't moving is costing NS money and so moving them in that huge train is vital. My comments are my own and part of my response is from over 15 years working with UK rail. I accept response from UK rail people and encourage discussion as I'd like to be fair to Network Rail. At a personal level, I had to smile when I saw NS sending a raggedy-annie UP Dash-8 through over the new track ahead of the shiny NS SD70ACe. Better theirs than ours, eh? But your crews are clearly plenty good enough! Hope they're getting a decent bonus!
You're missing the main point in your many paragraphs of comment Martin- there seems to be Zero communication between the Transport Company and the Railroad! All this could've been avoided. Look up Hixon Disaster- that was in 1968, pretty much 55yrs ago to the day! This event is completely unnecessary.
The cab protection structure inside the lead locomotive really did its job. Had it not been there, that bridge beam they hit would have totally crushed the cab and most likely killing both crew members.
nice train to catch going thru what a monster, any knowledge on why the truck was sitting across the track, and yes they got the line back in action quick, still a lot of work left
Fast efficient work getting the line reopened. That's the difference between public and private. If it was a public road damaged, it would take weeks of not months to reopen. Private railroad company gets it done in hours. Hopefully you'll be there to see them lift the locos back on the rails or on a flat car.
I'm interested in knowing how the tractor pulling that concrete beam, got hung up at the crossing: 1. Was the lead vehicle prevented from getting across the tracks and thru the intersection by a construction site flagger??? 2. Was the tractor mis-routed and sent along a road not rated for the load??? 3. Was there oncoming traffic interfering with the tractor making the left or right turn needed to continue its journey??? 4. LEO??? These and other questions await an answer and it depends on just how long the NTSB want to take.
I would like to know where his escorts were and why he sat at a red light with the train bearing down and the horn blaring and why wasn't the train schedule checked when moving such an oversized load?
Does anyone know the length of the train that passed through in the video? Looks like it had 2 leads,2 mid dpu’s and 4 pushers. Longest I’ve seen in awhile.
The lead locomotive is looking angry! I’m sure it’s salvageable! You would think with a big azz concrete beam like that the DOT would of have communicated with the railroad to safely make it across the train tracks. To make sure a train wasn’t coming anytime soon. Glad everyone is okay, it could of been a-lot worse.
That used to be the prettiest spot in Collegedale. Between the grass, the trees paralleling the road and tracks, and the Collegedale greenway path/commons, it was really pretty. Now, it’s nothing but dirt and gravel. 😭
Yeah, I think the railroad needs to consider clearing the trees short of the crossing along “Trucker Ln.”coming around that curve crossing traffics view is obstructed.
Great footage and progress at the site,I saw the video of the impact,incredible ,glad no one was seriously hurt . I'm just wondering, when there is construction at a railroad site is there not always some sort of rail supervisor overseeing the safety aspect of the job,seems to me this accident was avoidable . Thinking lawsuit against the truck driver and company hauling that span or was that the railroads employees?
The construction site is a half mile down the road. This is just a standard crossing so no special precautions were taken. Collegedale is a weird location. The roads lead in but don’t really go anywhere. For example there are no gas stations or fast food or anything really in Collegedale. There are no roads that lead anywhere directly. Everything is a round about route. This new highway they are building will crossover the tracks to avoid accidents like this and connect the town to other towns more directly.
Without seeing both the dashcam from the truck, and the train, I would hesitate to blame any party. In the video of the accident itself you can clearly hear the semi truck blowing his horn. I'm a truck driver myself, nothing specialized like that, but it's astounding how clueless the general public is about any large vehicles, and the physics governing them. I've seen a lot of folks in comments jumping right to blaming the truck driver, and he might be at fault, but there's just no way to know that from the videos that are public.
Any load like this goes through tons of planning with state DOT and engineers. The weight of the beam is compared with weight limits on roads and bridges a long the route from the manufacturer to the jobsite. Since there was a railroad crossing involved it should have included a railroad representative to make sure the load crossing was timed with the trains schedules. This planning can take weeks of time and permits have to be pulled along with escorts for the load. There should have been a rep from the RR onsite to prevent this. Someone dropped the ball and the driver isn't at fault here.
@@davemoulton2971 In agreement with you Dave,bottom line to me is that the driver put the rig in harms way,he was behind the wheel,I believe heads are going to roll as there where safety fails at every level of the operations at that site
@@JamesJones-rg3dn I was reading comments on the video of the crash and someone said that the RR was notified and the trucking g company was given a 30min window to cross. He said the train left its last stop 10 min early and was going 15mph faster than it should have. Sounds like the RR is a fault here. There still should have been a rep from the RR onsite with radio communication with the approaching train!
Where is this shot in relation to the grade crossing that the collision occurred? I am assuming that it ISN"T the crossing near the locomotives sitting in the mud.
The crossing is right next to where the third unit was dragged to. The train only went a short distance before stopping. When the track is torn up and the locomotives start digging ditches in the ballast they slow down pretty quick.
@@HotspotsSoutheast Thanks. I was wondering about that. So the train stopped in a few hundered feet? It looked like they were going at least 50. The construction of the locomotive saved the crew. I saw a video about haw they are built. It seems amazing that it is possible to provide crash protection at the head end of a massive train. That is one reason that crews in the steam era resisted cab forward designs as they believed that having the cab at the back of the locomotive was safer. Great drone video of the site!
Most traffic will bypass the town completely so it shouldn’t be that bad. That’s the point of the new road. To pass over the tracks and around the town. Only locals will use the crossing.
I have written my congressman an idea of using a modified aircraft ADSB system on locomotives. With receivers in trucks, school busses that have to cross grade crossings. Fire and police vehicles in areas with grade crossings. As trucks sometimes take longer than the 23 seconds to get across the tracks. Long loads should have pilot cars or police that block traffic so no long or oversized load gets stopped on the tracks by traffic or traffic signals.. blast thru those red traffic lights oversized load drivers .
No. I was sitting in a chair not far away and a bird landed behind me. I record the audio from the ground with my phone. But I have had my drones bombed by birds many times. I’ve had to move to other locations or drop lower to get away from them.
@@dknowles60 a load like this is different than a normal trucking company load. This is specialized loads and carries a lot more than a million dollars. I would guess the insurance was more like 15 million bond. I know a house moving company that had to carry 10 million.
3.5 Million each for the three wrecked motors , other rolling stock to be scrapped on site. Three motors to go up to Altoona for rebuild . Leader may be scrapped tho' . Talked with NS staff there , got a NO COMMENT , when I asked about trucking company paying for all this . Good thing there were not any hazardous loads this day !!
How are they going to remedy this problem? All oversized loads must contact railroad dispatch before crossing to find out if there's a high-speed train coming? That'll cost extra.
Not near as much as this disaster is going to cost the trucking company and possibly the contractor. Besides it is generally required already that transport of loads like this must have coordinatination with all parties, including the railroads, and have proper safeguards and procedures in place which obviously was NOT the case here.
That's the process in the UK, every level crossing has a phone on either side and before and after you cross with an outsized load you need to contact the signalman to get permission and to confirm that you are clear afterwards, there's still a few crossings on tracks with line speeds of 125mph so you do not mess around with the rules
@@stevenbowers4164 And yet we still have incidents on a regular (annual?) basis with farm equipment in particular. Many drivers simply don't get "fast train = no time"
Thanks for letting me know as I'm ignorant to road projects outside of my area. That leads me to whether the broken bridge support was part of the project. If so, trucking companies, their escorts and the railroad ought to be on the same page with regard to communication.
The roads in the area used to lead basically nowhere. You drive into Collegedale, then you have to drive back out the way you went in to go somewhere else. It’s not a direct route to anywhere. The new road will make it a more direct route.
Not the drivers fault at all. This load and others like it are preplanned with the company moving the load and the state DOT engineers. This planning can take weeks at a time per load.
Any idea who is doing the clean up? I saw a bunch of red tractor trailers so I am guessing R.J. Corman. Hope the train crew is spending Christmas at home with their families and getting better.
Where is the big creams To put the train back together And to put the locomotives back on the track That is what's missing That is my observation Is there something I'm missing here
I wonder if anyone involved in the transportation of that concrete beam used common sense and called the railroad to find out if they had any trains approaching and alert them of the need to cross?
@@grandinosour - So if you're working for a company, they don't have the ability to call the railroad especially in this case? The beams were heading a short distance to a new road that was under construction so I would imagine there that state DOT officials would possibly be on scene but if not, someone was supervising the project that certainly should've had the ability to coordinate the crossing with the railroad. Can't wait though for the NTSB report to come out.
Responding to trucker. Maybe they don't, but they should. I worked at a place where we shipped superloads. Some required 4 state patrol escorts in addition to the company escorts. Maybe not all states require that. I find it hard to believe that there is that lack of communication about a main line crossing like that. Surely I a construction zone like that appeared to be the RR would have had a person on site. Pipelines sure do
When track is put back into service and there are crews working, track speed is limited to 10 or 15 mph. Once they are done and the track inspected speed will be increased. This is also a really long train. They may have doubled up two trains that were delayed by the accident.
Normal procedure, bring back the side mounted cranes, make sure the engines can still roll, put the engines on the tracks and pull them to a yard for repair or disposal.
@@nomenclature9373 What amazed me were the backhoe drivers clearing the lead loco debris - both drivers seemed to know where the wheelset and teaction motor need to be placed and got oon and did it - does that mean there are trained backhoe drivers as part of the team?
@@modeltrainsandtracks it's probably RJ Korman or whatever their name is running the backhoes and the whole operation. I think they clean up pretty much all the train wrecks and are very slick/knowledgeable about it all.
The engines were buried in gravel. They have special bulldozers with side cranes to lift them. The trucks on the lead unit were destroyed so not reusable. If the trucks are salvageable they will put the trucks on the rail then lift the locomotive and set it on the trucks. If the couplers are still good they will pull the locomotive to a shop for repair. If there are no trucks or the couplers and frame are damaged they will put it onto a flatcar. Priority one is get the cars out of the way so the track can be put back in. Then they save what they can and cut up the rest for scrap.
The restoration crews are highly specialized. There are dozens of people on site ready and waiting to perform their task. There are several managers who coordinate all of the crew members. When one task is complete the next task begins immediately. Everything they need is delivered and ready. Track is usually back in place in less than 24 hours.
I said it once and I’ll keep saying it until people see this comment. It doesn’t matter the speed of trains, they are big, heavy, and they can’t stop in time. This accident proves my point that you can’t stop in the middle of the line. Wait behind the gates and wait for the train to go before you proceed. I can’t stop saying it until people see my comment and be like: “he’s right. Why can’t we follow him and his advice? He’s speaking facts here.” And I am speaking facts unlike people I see nowadays. Bottom line, don’t stop in middle of tracks and wait for trains to go by. Thank you.
As a truck driver, you can't automatically blame the driver, something not right with the situation,, that truck should of had escorts and police escorts too..and when the lights start flashing,, the trains is pretty close,,that's a safety issue all by itself
@@davebrown4841 if anyone else thinks this comment is funny, it’s not. I’m serious and am not playing around. I know what I said and I want to preach the truth about this.
@@michaelskidmore5086 i am with ya Michael!!! I am a train wrecker! Meaning i clean this up!!!! Trains can't turn like a vehicle and people these days have NO common sense at all!!!! They are dumb!!!!
Yes, this is on the 'A' Line, about 5 miles from the end of Atlanta North District located at Heritage Park by Jersey. I video trains at both locations occasionally.
A lot of fantastic decisions made here to make up for one very bad one. The dedication of the response crews, cleanup efforts, restoration of the line. But I also believe there are a few engineers at General Electric that should be praised here - so impressed that the GE safety cab on the converted Dash-9 withstood a terrible crash and maintained integrity - it is unbelievable. I do wish a speedy recovery, both physically and mentally for that crew.
If level crossing where just taken out of the pics would not got problems like this nor would the public have to be victims to it I live in the UK where its not as easy to make for a crossing free network but yet in the last 30 years we have more than half the number of crossings that was previously in operation
The USA has more space to ues the make 2 3rds of its crossings dissappear and could do a lot more to make the outheres safer
Just an observation I am sure there meny who will tell me I am wrong and how impossible it is but the cost of this clean up will be more than the cost of a bridge
@@brickleyyard4966 The beam that was hit was for a bridge for that exact purpose -- to create a bridge over the tracks, to avoid accidents like this, and to clear up traffic bottlenecks waiting for trains to pass by.
@@kathykendall4215 oh the ironie lol
@@brickleyyard4966 one reason this government is hell bent on sending trillions of dollars to Ukraine instead of spending on our own infrastructure.
@@kathykendall4215 ❤
Let's all wish a speedy recovery for the train crew
New underwear for Christmas for engineer
Amen to that
without any sick days I'm sure they'll return to work healthy or not.
Incredible when you think of the size and weights involved that this can be cleaned up so fast and the track back on line.
amazed at the speed of track replacement and repair ! Good job by the workers ! Great footage btw
Incredible footage. Thanks for sharing! I've worked on construction jobs there at McKee and know exactly where this is. What a mess. Glad no lives were lost.
Great drone footage thank you for the update speedy recovery to those that got hurt 🚂 🚂 🚂
this could have been so much worst, someone was looking out. The back log of traffic (train traffic) is wild. 369 plus , on one haul. Safety wishes for all working on the clearing . Best wishes to 2 crew on there mend.
Amazing how fast these guys work. Line back open just a few hours later!
Mind blowing how fast the cleanup! Great footage
The fact that the locomotive took so little damage from hitting that reinforced concrete tress is amazing. It's also surprising how fast those steel train tracks were straightened out.
He must've been going wide open to jump a creek. 😂
@@frankhobsonKJ4CDM not speed of train is 50 mph to save on diesel fuel cost due to mountins and hills in Tn you dont see to many trains over 50 mph
Tracks were replaced.
Color me impressed they got the track back into operations within 48 hours.
I wish we gave them more sick days
Would love to see what the site looks like after restoration is complete.
You know what would be cool to watch? A drone-based time-lapse where you could see the scene go from full-on-wreckage to fully cleaned up and cleared out, from the same vantage point.
The engineering and execution of these rail repair/salvage operations happen so quickly and are super fascinating to watch and think about.
The amount of reconstruction work done in such a short time scale is just so impressive! .. and also, Great video, Thank you!
Edit: Love the "About" in your profile 😊
Excellent coverage , thank you!
Nice catch of NS 7302. Old SD90 rebuild.
yes seeing a couple of union pacific engines leading the way and a rare find is that bnsf engine in mix. excellent drone footage.
The 5 box cars are loaded with rolls of paper to be made into corrugated boxes If they handle them right they can still be used. I worked for Georgia Pacific container for 43 years
They will go to Southeastern Paperboard or another job lot converter... We owned and operated a job lot paperboard converting operation from the 1980's - 2010 and did tens of thousands of tons of salvage reclaim paper & board. I got every damaged roll of paper and paperboard from CSX for 5-7 years.
Interesting, NS interchanges in Geneva NY with Finger Lakes Railway. We have a cardboard recycling plant in Solvay. Would be interesting if it came from there.
Thanks. I saw those and was curious.
@@NSBlack_Stallion I wonder now much if any of that paper was on its way to become boxes for Fudge Rounds?
Little Debbie is in Collegedale.
Brilliant footage...very impressive to see the new track in already...if this had happened here in the UK there would probably have to be a couple of weeks of investigations before any work at all was started!!...
We'd still be wringing our hands and taking photo's of it for atleast 2 weeks here!!🤣
150ft of truck & load wouldn't have just ambled across the tracks in the UK!!!
This is 2022, the UK learned its lesson with abnormal loads and train crossings in 1968- look up 'Hixon Disaster'
@@tl50camiva Just had a read of that one....quite horrific....many thanks for the info....appreciated....
@@tl50camiva Aye, you're dam right there, rules and procedures that are written in blood. Its no fluke that Britain has one of the safest networks in the world.
The limeys were always big on the BS and hot wind affairs...
That construction project is about to experience some serious delays - they don't have the part of the bridge structure that is built over the railroad tracks even started yet. The railroad will require safety flagmen that are in communication with the train crews for that - and back at the crossing where they maybe should have had one in the first place.
im sure the engineer & conductor thought "this is it, were dead" about 5 seconds before impact.glad both were ok. for the truck hauling the beam, you would think it wouldve has escorts to alert the driver to all of his surrounding conditions.after all, that IS what escorts are required for.
The truck was stopped by a red light (probably in a line of traffic) that left it with its load across the tracks. They now are going to have to coordinate the rail crossing gates with the traffic signals, i.e., stop the street traffic at the rail crossing long before the train gets there.
Or, when the train is detected (by track circuit) a block or two out then turn all the other road signals to red and the road that crosses the track to green to allow the crossing to clear. I've seen this happen at some crossings in the US so why not all?
Should have had police escort so truck could have gone through the red light.
A railroad rep should have been on scene to make sure unit crossed before train was allowed to pass
There won't be any changes. Stupid people sitting on the tracks at a light has long been an issue. I was taught in driving class not to enter unless I'm sure I can clear it. And it's not just with tracks, around here it's even just in traffic. During rush hours people will block intersections when the light at the next block turns red. It's completely obvious they won't be able to go anywhere yet they pull another 30 feet ahead and block cross traffic.
In this case with such an unusual load, we'd need to know what the truck driver was told. I'd think if the intersection hadn't been discussed ahead of time, that the driver should have seen the problem and called for police to direct traffic rather than get caught on the tracks
@@itjustlookslikethis Escort & Truck Drivers should've used a bit of common sense and just gone through the red signal!
You also mentioned the rare configuration of the train you filmed. Our local news reported that the speed limit of the train through that area was going to be limited until after the first of the year until all repairs and cleanup were done. Maybe the extra power was there to ensure more control over such a large train.
They were putting extra power on the end of trains that were taking the detour over to Varnell. In order to access that alternate route trains have to head east towards Knoxville then reverse and head south. So it was necessary to have power on both ends. They may have sent this train on the detour route but then the line was reopened so they didn’t need to detour. The power ended up being surplus.
Looks like combined trains to me to limit interference with m.o.w.
Loved seeing the sd90 (7302) !! Such a longboi.
Great footage. Please have more especially the picking of the Engines and cars.
I could not get there in time for that. It’s a 2 hour drive from here and it would have been dark when I got there. Watch my video of the train wreck cleanup at Duluth, GA. I was there for several days shooting that one.
The lead engine's camera footage should be released as an educational safety video on the importance of making sure a vehicle can clear the tracks BEFORE starting the crossing. Clearing being past gates / lights or at an uncontrolled crossing, signs.
There’s also a video of the exact moment the train hit that beam. Unbelievable footage. This reminds me of the Amtrak crash into the dump truck on the tracks in Missouri a few months ago. My opinion is nothing should ever stop on or interfere with track clearance whether signals and arms are activated or not. Keep those tracks clear period.
Those rarely ever get released publicly. The ones that do is because someone video taped it from a crew room on their cell phone or it got sent to someone who sent it to a friend type deal.
@@noveless link to Amtrak, please
Interesting outcome of blame to come. TDOT project: What is their responsibility? GC of project - what is their responsibility? Trucking company getting permit for over size load and given route instructions from TDOT - what is their responsibility? Driver obeying signals gets caught but should of been protected by his permits. NTSB will have their hands full.
@@noveless Since the Semi-tractor needed to make either a left or right turn immediately after crossing the bridge, there could have been oncoming traffic interfering with the tractors continued forward progress... that or, that all important construction site flagger stopped the semi, not realizing they'd hung the semi across the Choo-choo tracks
I'm impressed at how quickly they've opened up the line again.
Glad the crew survived okay, and that the beam didn't lift and go through the cab windscreen.
Stuff of nightmares.
Looking at the construction site, that bridge beam was so close to its destination.
As commented elsewhere, in the UK this would have taken a lot longer. Depending on the circumstances, the police could close off the site as it could be down to a criminal act and they want evidence for any future prosecution. Then we have the RAIB, a government body that deals with investigating railway accidents, gathering evidence of what the cause was, then publishing reports with recommendations etc.
Sometimes debris is taken away and reasembled to find the cause, just like air crash investigators do. Any accident can be a learning tool for preventing a similar situation in the future, be it down to mechanical failure, poor operating procedures, not following the correct methods, complacency etc. One last year involved an oil train, the investigation found it was down to poor maintenance, poor procedures, bad record keeping.
Also, I don't know if it's the same in the US, but on most of the network there are also wires for operating the signals etc along side the track. In a derailment there's a good chance that it gets damaged to, so adds even more time to the repairs.
Did you see around 22.48 in the video that there is a crew there working on getting the new bi-di signal wired in? It's already fitted in place by then - again, good work and good planning.
That train that is passing thru by time it arrives at it's destination, the tail end would probably still be passing thru the wreckage
So impressive- would have taken weeks to do this in UK
I grew up just a few miles from there and still cfross that crossing quite often. It is amazing how fast they have restored it. I am surprised that they are allowing drone flight there. There is an airport just a couple miles down the road from there from the direction the crashed train came from. (The direction the train you filmed was heading)
It’s a small airport. Didn’t even pop up on the screen. Most likely has a limited flight approach so you’d have to be really close to get a warning.
@@HotspotsSoutheast I know, it is a municple airport, but has a long enough runway to support small executive jets. But It is only one runway and it perpindicular to the tracks.
Thanks Adam! I was one of the many people that cleaned that up! Yes still not done but takes time! Lots of hard work to straighten that out so they can get that rail back up and running!!!
Small corporate airport
@@mikecross4350 it is registered as a municipal airport. it is owned by the city of Collegedale
The train moving through during the video is impressive itself! I wonder just how long it actually is!?
New subscriber here...great footage!! Thanks for sharing
Wreck happened a little after noon and the track was reopened by 8 am the next morning
Show some more so we can watch the project. That train pulling through bus or been really trying to make up for lost time that was a monster
I watched this video two weeks ago. I was hoping you would be providing updates of the clean-up progress. I guess it was probably all cleaned up a week ago. Oh well....
Windshield firts locomotive not broken….amazing
I agree with many comments below about how this incident was approached and the very efficient & professional work done by the recovery crew.
I add my best wishes for the train crew who have been through an awful ordeal but agree that good loco design clearly worked to help them and hope they have a speedy and full recovery.
Things that stand out for me are:
- I've seen a number of US rail incidents via Virtual Railfan and RUclips and the quality and skills of the teams tackling the recovery stands out - well done all!
- It is clear that once personnel and primary safety concerns are tackled then the recovery team gets on and gets the railroad mobile again as its priority
- I won't list the issues I see that have been tackled by this time in the first phase but I was in awe - but then this is the first incident I've seen with such wide implications.
I agree that if I compare the US response in general with the response here in the UK then the UK response doesn't have the correct focus and is slow and lethargic.
Our Network Rail - sorry, I should say that I'm in the UK - (who are responsible for all things track and signalling) need a priority action team to address incidents and who will prepare the ground ahead of the recovery team followed by an infrastructure team to restore basic services as quickly as possible - within hours not days.
The things I see as different to UK in this video are: -
- Rapid environmental impact response and protection - sorry, NR, don't see that happen in the UK.
- Site preparation with recovery and work space for the heavy clearance and recovery teams.
- People and machinery still working with the first train running through - I flippantly will say that NR wouldn't allow anyone but train crew near the incident in that first pass - and I accept a flame if anyone feels that way.
- Focus on commercial priorities - something I'm sure NS staff have near the top of their list, I'm sure! Every one of those cars that isn't moving is costing NS money and so moving them in that huge train is vital.
My comments are my own and part of my response is from over 15 years working with UK rail.
I accept response from UK rail people and encourage discussion as I'd like to be fair to Network Rail.
At a personal level, I had to smile when I saw NS sending a raggedy-annie UP Dash-8 through over the new track ahead of the shiny NS SD70ACe. Better theirs than ours, eh? But your crews are clearly plenty good enough! Hope they're getting a decent bonus!
You're missing the main point in your many paragraphs of comment Martin- there seems to be Zero communication between the Transport Company and the Railroad!
All this could've been avoided.
Look up Hixon Disaster- that was in 1968, pretty much 55yrs ago to the day!
This event is completely unnecessary.
@@tl50camiva right on my friend. That is why I say not all the fault is on the truck driver.
SO much of that area has changed since I was last in the area... Circa 1975...
The cab protection structure inside the lead locomotive really did its job. Had it not been there, that bridge beam they hit would have totally crushed the cab and most likely killing both crew members.
Not windshield broken …..amazing
Absolutely! Amazing how it could take an impact like that.
I wonder with the length of the train moving thru if they just coupled two trains together to break the traffic jam of backed up rail traffic.
nice train to catch going thru what a monster, any knowledge on why the truck was sitting across the track, and yes they got the line back in action quick, still a lot of work left
Fast efficient work getting the line reopened. That's the difference between public and private. If it was a public road damaged, it would take weeks of not months to reopen. Private railroad company gets it done in hours. Hopefully you'll be there to see them lift the locos back on the rails or on a flat car.
That could be weeks or months from now.
@@HotspotsSoutheast If it was California, it would take months for an environmental impact survey, union bids, and literally miles of permit red tape.
Thank you for the video!
is anybody going to mention the double DPU ? Amazing train action
That was unexpected for sure. When I heard the engines on the rear approaching I said no way.
@@HotspotsSoutheast seeing how long the train is ,I was wondering ,but never expected a double DPU . WWoT would have enjoyed that one .
Looks like they did a pretty good job.
for once that C6M safety cab rebuild may have done something other than look more boring lol. glad the crew was ok other than some minor scratches.
I'm interested in knowing how the tractor pulling that concrete beam, got hung up at the crossing:
1. Was the lead vehicle prevented from getting across the tracks and thru the intersection by a construction site flagger???
2. Was the tractor mis-routed and sent along a road not rated for the load???
3. Was there oncoming traffic interfering with the tractor making the left or right turn needed to continue its journey???
4. LEO???
These and other questions await an answer and it depends on just how long the NTSB want to take.
I would like to know where his escorts were and why he sat at a red light with the train bearing down and the horn blaring and why wasn't the train schedule checked when moving such an oversized load?
Hopefully you can film how the locomotives will be lifted out & placed on flat cars. Except for the lead unit the other DPUs should be salvageable
Won’t know when that happens. Those units could sit on the ground for months before being moved.
They are available. We watched one last night..
Does anyone know the length of the train that passed through in the video? Looks like it had 2 leads,2 mid dpu’s and 4 pushers. Longest I’ve seen in awhile.
13k feet I heard. A whopper.
The lead locomotive is looking angry! I’m sure it’s salvageable! You would think with a big azz concrete beam like that the DOT would of have communicated with the railroad to safely make it across the train tracks. To make sure a train wasn’t coming anytime soon. Glad everyone is okay, it could of been a-lot worse.
Cool drone footage. Nice job. That accident is gonna max out somebody's liability coverage.
probably put that company out of business
@@mymisty7 Nope. This is why you have liability insurance. Train coming around a curve, no time to stop. Truck driver gonna be unemployed soon.....
Class 1 railroads pay more than a million dollars per day for insurance. At least that is what a retired train engineer told me 5 years ago.
@@stephenzamboiii336 it's not on their insurance. It's on the company that owned the truck.
@@mymisty7 probably
I wonder how they up righted the engines. Photos of the crash showed them leaning about 45 degrees and one the side.
Watch my video of the train wreck in Duluth GA. It shows locomotives being lifted.
24:44 I take it that's where that beam was going to.
Looks so...but now the project is on hold.. because Jorge can't drive...
That used to be the prettiest spot in Collegedale. Between the grass, the trees paralleling the road and tracks, and the Collegedale greenway path/commons, it was really pretty. Now, it’s nothing but dirt and gravel. 😭
In a few months it will be like it never happened. They clean up the area pretty well and even seed grass and trees.
@@HotspotsSoutheast How many trees got hit? It looks like they escaped.
Well, now we know where that concrete beam was supposed to be headed.
It is insane how long these trains are in the usa
Yeah, I think the railroad needs to consider clearing the trees short of the crossing along “Trucker Ln.”coming around that curve crossing traffics view is obstructed.
Great footage and progress at the site,I saw the video of the impact,incredible ,glad no one was seriously hurt . I'm just wondering, when there is construction at a railroad site is there not always some sort of rail supervisor overseeing the safety aspect of the job,seems to me this accident was avoidable . Thinking lawsuit against the truck driver and company hauling that span or was that the railroads employees?
The construction site is a half mile down the road. This is just a standard crossing so no special precautions were taken. Collegedale is a weird location. The roads lead in but don’t really go anywhere. For example there are no gas stations or fast food or anything really in Collegedale. There are no roads that lead anywhere directly. Everything is a round about route. This new highway they are building will crossover the tracks to avoid accidents like this and connect the town to other towns more directly.
Without seeing both the dashcam from the truck, and the train, I would hesitate to blame any party. In the video of the accident itself you can clearly hear the semi truck blowing his horn. I'm a truck driver myself, nothing specialized like that, but it's astounding how clueless the general public is about any large vehicles, and the physics governing them. I've seen a lot of folks in comments jumping right to blaming the truck driver, and he might be at fault, but there's just no way to know that from the videos that are public.
Any load like this goes through tons of planning with state DOT and engineers. The weight of the beam is compared with weight limits on roads and bridges a long the route from the manufacturer to the jobsite. Since there was a railroad crossing involved it should have included a railroad representative to make sure the load crossing was timed with the trains schedules. This planning can take weeks of time and permits have to be pulled along with escorts for the load. There should have been a rep from the RR onsite to prevent this. Someone dropped the ball and the driver isn't at fault here.
@@davemoulton2971 In agreement with you Dave,bottom line to me is that the driver put the rig in harms way,he was behind the wheel,I believe heads are going to roll as there where safety fails at every level of the operations at that site
@@JamesJones-rg3dn I was reading comments on the video of the crash and someone said that the RR was notified and the trucking g company was given a 30min window to cross. He said the train left its last stop 10 min early and was going 15mph faster than it should have. Sounds like the RR is a fault here. There still should have been a rep from the RR onsite with radio communication with the approaching train!
Can’t even imagine the final tally of costs when all said and done. Who’s gonna foot the bill on this mess ???
If you find out, let us know how much the cost was for the truck company/insurance claim.
It's scary that this was immediately adjacent to a public park with a playground.
A person could have been walking under the tunnel.
So truck driver got promotion, correct?
How did all the other concrete beams that are already in place get there did they cross the tracks at the same crossing?
You would think that with such a complex haul of the concrete truss that things would be better planned out so this would not happen 🤷♂️
Where is this shot in relation to the grade crossing that the collision occurred? I am assuming that it ISN"T the crossing near the locomotives sitting in the mud.
Ed p the signals were wiped out after the collision
The crossing is right next to where the third unit was dragged to. The train only went a short distance before stopping. When the track is torn up and the locomotives start digging ditches in the ballast they slow down pretty quick.
@@HotspotsSoutheast Thanks. I was wondering about that. So the train stopped in a few hundered feet? It looked like they were going at least 50. The construction of the locomotive saved the crew. I saw a video about haw they are built. It seems amazing that it is possible to provide crash protection at the head end of a massive train. That is one reason that crews in the steam era resisted cab forward designs as they believed that having the cab at the back of the locomotive was safer. Great drone video of the site!
Trucker calling their insurance company. “So exactly how much am I covered for in damages, just asking for a friend?”
I told em a long time ago they needed a separate locomotive parking area.
THANKING THE ALMIGHTY GOD ABOVE THAT NO LIVES WERE LOST IN THIS VERY PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT.
That crossing is going to be a nightmare in the future. The road intersections on either side are too close.
Most traffic will bypass the town completely so it shouldn’t be that bad. That’s the point of the new road. To pass over the tracks and around the town. Only locals will use the crossing.
I would think they will scrap the boxcars and railcar the locos up to Altoona for rebuild?
Which highway project is now going to be delayed while waiting on a replacement beam? It's not like Home Depot carries them.
You are looking at the road project that will be delayed. The driver was literally 5 minutes from making the delivery.
@@michaelharris3296 How many successful loads have been delivered?
@@waynespyker5731 At 25:22 I'd say 15. Not counting the other two new bridges closer to the intersection or any others.
Can you imagine the insurance claim on this for the trucking company? 50 mil?
Why is there a 4 lane hwy ending to a single dirt road?
I have written my congressman an idea of using a modified aircraft ADSB system on locomotives. With receivers in trucks, school busses that have to cross grade crossings. Fire and police vehicles in areas with grade crossings. As trucks sometimes take longer than the 23 seconds to get across the tracks. Long loads should have pilot cars or police that block traffic so no long or oversized load gets stopped on the tracks by traffic or traffic signals.. blast thru those red traffic lights oversized load drivers .
@13:27 is that a bird hollering at the drone?
No. I was sitting in a chair not far away and a bird landed behind me. I record the audio from the ground with my phone. But I have had my drones bombed by birds many times. I’ve had to move to other locations or drop lower to get away from them.
Never seen a train that long with 6 helpers
Didn't even chip the glass on 4067
It's bullet proof glass in the locomotives
Great video. Who pays for the lost cargo and damaged cars and reclamation of the derailment area?
The trucking company's insurance will pay for it.
@@itjustlookslikethis the trucking companys Insurance has a million dollar limit
@@dknowles60 a load like this is different than a normal trucking company load. This is specialized loads and carries a lot more than a million dollars. I would guess the insurance was more like 15 million bond. I know a house moving company that had to carry 10 million.
@@dknowles60 Can't imagine a load like that would get a permit without a lot more insurance than that.
@@heartysteer8752 On the other hand what insurance company would picture a truck blocking the crossing and causing damage like this?
3.5 Million each for the three wrecked motors , other rolling stock to be scrapped on site. Three motors to go up to Altoona for rebuild . Leader may be scrapped tho' . Talked with NS staff there , got a NO COMMENT , when I asked about trucking company paying for all this . Good thing there were not any hazardous loads this day !!
How are they going to remedy this problem? All oversized loads must contact railroad dispatch before crossing to find out if there's a high-speed train coming? That'll cost extra.
Not near as much as this disaster is going to cost the trucking company and possibly the contractor. Besides it is generally required already that transport of loads like this must have coordinatination with all parties, including the railroads, and have proper safeguards and procedures in place which obviously was NOT the case here.
That's the process in the UK, every level crossing has a phone on either side and before and after you cross with an outsized load you need to contact the signalman to get permission and to confirm that you are clear afterwards, there's still a few crossings on tracks with line speeds of 125mph so you do not mess around with the rules
It is a requirement for all permit loads (long loads, over size, or overweight) to coordinate with RR.
@@stevenbowers4164 And yet we still have incidents on a regular (annual?) basis with farm equipment in particular. Many drivers simply don't get "fast train = no time"
Why no police escort? Truck could have driven right through the red light. Police escort dead people all the time for the same reason.
I wonder what they’re gonna do engine 4067 Is it done or can it be restored??
Kinda strange why the massive road bridge leads to a small country road.
They are revamping the entire road for miles. It is a multi year project.
Thanks for letting me know as I'm ignorant to road projects outside of my area. That leads me to whether the broken bridge support was part of the project. If so, trucking companies, their escorts and the railroad ought to be on the same page with regard to communication.
The roads in the area used to lead basically nowhere. You drive into Collegedale, then you have to drive back out the way you went in to go somewhere else. It’s not a direct route to anywhere. The new road will make it a more direct route.
@@HotspotsSoutheast,
I appreciate the info. Will be interesting to see once the project is done. And thanks for the excellent video.
I hate for that truck drivers insurance co,pay day is gonna be unreal
Not the drivers fault at all. This load and others like it are preplanned with the company moving the load and the state DOT engineers. This planning can take weeks at a time per load.
Was a heavy haul/wide load tractor/trailer involved?
Any idea who is doing the clean up?
I saw a bunch of red tractor trailers so I am guessing R.J. Corman.
Hope the train crew is spending Christmas at home with their families and getting better.
That’s me on the 170 Komatsu, Holden railroad construction is doing clean up.
What kind of dronr did you use? Really nice footage.
Air 2S
Where is the big creams To put the train back together And to put the locomotives back on the track That is what's missing That is my observation Is there something I'm missing here
How did they scatter it that far?
I wonder if anyone involved in the transportation of that concrete beam used common sense and called the railroad to find out if they had any trains approaching and alert them of the need to cross?
You would think that would be in the permits to move that size load.
trucker here...states and railroads really don't have that kind of communication.
@@grandinosour - So if you're working for a company, they don't have the ability to call the railroad especially in this case? The beams were heading a short distance to a new road that was under construction so I would imagine there that state DOT officials would possibly be on scene but if not, someone was supervising the project that certainly should've had the ability to coordinate the crossing with the railroad.
Can't wait though for the NTSB report to come out.
Responding to trucker. Maybe they don't, but they should. I worked at a place where we shipped superloads. Some required 4 state patrol escorts in addition to the company escorts. Maybe not all states require that. I find it hard to believe that there is that lack of communication about a main line crossing like that. Surely I a construction zone like that appeared to be the RR would have had a person on site. Pipelines sure do
Way too many derailments here in the USA every month or two every month...
Why were the Engines so far apart?
🌺🌴🇮🇳🌾🌺
Nice Coverage
Why is this train sooo loooong?? And why so slow?
When track is put back into service and there are crews working, track speed is limited to 10 or 15 mph. Once they are done and the track inspected speed will be increased. This is also a really long train. They may have doubled up two trains that were delayed by the accident.
@@HotspotsSoutheast that's what I thought wouldn't want to wait for that train to pass but sat here and watched it .
Who’s doing the job? Rj corman or hulcher
What is the track speed here? Warp 3?
How do they get the engines out of the dirt like that?
Normal procedure, bring back the side mounted cranes, make sure the engines can still roll, put the engines on the tracks and pull them to a yard for repair or disposal.
@@nomenclature9373 What amazed me were the backhoe drivers clearing the lead loco debris - both drivers seemed to know where the wheelset and teaction motor need to be placed and got oon and did it - does that mean there are trained backhoe drivers as part of the team?
@@modeltrainsandtracks it's probably RJ Korman or whatever their name is running the backhoes and the whole operation. I think they clean up pretty much all the train wrecks and are very slick/knowledgeable about it all.
The engines were buried in gravel. They have special bulldozers with side cranes to lift them. The trucks on the lead unit were destroyed so not reusable. If the trucks are salvageable they will put the trucks on the rail then lift the locomotive and set it on the trucks. If the couplers are still good they will pull the locomotive to a shop for repair. If there are no trucks or the couplers and frame are damaged they will put it onto a flatcar. Priority one is get the cars out of the way so the track can be put back in. Then they save what they can and cut up the rest for scrap.
The restoration crews are highly specialized. There are dozens of people on site ready and waiting to perform their task. There are several managers who coordinate all of the crew members. When one task is complete the next task begins immediately. Everything they need is delivered and ready. Track is usually back in place in less than 24 hours.
The concrete barrier had to be distroyed
I said it once and I’ll keep saying it until people see this comment. It doesn’t matter the speed of trains, they are big, heavy, and they can’t stop in time. This accident proves my point that you can’t stop in the middle of the line. Wait behind the gates and wait for the train to go before you proceed. I can’t stop saying it until people see my comment and be like: “he’s right. Why can’t we follow him and his advice? He’s speaking facts here.” And I am speaking facts unlike people I see nowadays. Bottom line, don’t stop in middle of tracks and wait for trains to go by. Thank you.
As a truck driver, you can't automatically blame the driver, something not right with the situation,, that truck should of had escorts and police escorts too..and when the lights start flashing,, the trains is pretty close,,that's a safety issue all by itself
@@chadnelson924 but you understand where I’m coming from with the comment right? I see your point.
Gee, I'm sure most people know this... you can come down off of your throne...LOL 😂
@@davebrown4841 if anyone else thinks this comment is funny, it’s not. I’m serious and am not playing around. I know what I said and I want to preach the truth about this.
@@michaelskidmore5086 i am with ya Michael!!! I am a train wrecker! Meaning i clean this up!!!! Trains can't turn like a vehicle and people these days have NO common sense at all!!!! They are dumb!!!!
Is this located on the Alanta North End District?
Yes, this is on the 'A' Line, about 5 miles from the end of Atlanta North District located at Heritage Park by Jersey. I video trains at both locations occasionally.
@@alexnorfolksouthernmedia bro, I railfan this line mostly every Saturday, Glad I wasn’t there