From: jishnu@nospam.verizon.net   
      
   On 5/22/2014 7:38 AM, Sancho Panza wrote:   
   > On 5/21/2014 12:40 PM, Jishnu Mukerji wrote:   
   >> On 5/20/2014 7:35 PM, Stephen Sprunk wrote:   
   >>> On 20-May-14 14:50, conklin wrote:   
   >>>> "Stephen Sprunk"  wrote in message   
   >>>> news:lle7rn$10q$1@dont-email.me...   
   >>>>> On 19-May-14 19:11, conklin wrote:   
   >>>>>> If the lack in a freight train is so severe that it would harm a   
   >>>>>> human in the last car, then think of the shock done to the oil.   
   >>>>>> No wonder they derail.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> And that oil is in sealed containers full of liquid; oh no, the   
   >>>>> oil might suffocate and/or drown!   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> "Safe for oil" and "safe for humans" are very different things.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Until the shock causes them  to derail.   
   >>>   
   >>> Shock from slack action is purely longitudinal; it could damage humans   
   >>> or other unsecured cargo aboard the train, but the train itself will   
   >>> remain on the rails.   
   >>>   
   >>> Aside from the obvious case of collisions, derailments nearly always   
   >>> boil down to a train going faster than it should have--either due to   
   >>> crew error or due to the speed limits not being set properly for the   
   >>> actual condition of the track.   
   >>   
   >> Or in case of incompetent outfits like NJ Transit, if they forget to   
   >> maintain earth return straps in EMUs causing return current to flow   
   >> through the wheel bearings causing them to fail leading to a wheel and   
   >> axle falling off. In a manner of speaking I suppose that falls in the   
   >> category of going too fast since the train should be moving at all with   
   >> that kind of poor maintenance and safety monitoring.   
   >>   
   > Thanks for making a regular rider feel more secure and safer. (Actually   
   > informative posts like this one help prepare for contingencies and,   
   > hopefully, lessen the shock or surprise in case of an accident.)   
      
   The derailment took place between Portal Bridge and Secaucus   
   Jct.station. There was a bit of train staff incompetence involved too as   
   I recall. The train had set off a defect detector somewhere near North   
   Elizabeth or thereabouts. The train crew who for some reason did not   
   know how to use a Tempel Stick to verify a hot axle, missed the hot axle   
   and the train continued on its way. Finally the bearing failed just off   
   the bridge and the train derailed.   
      
   NJT got its hands slapped by the FRA and apparently have been much   
   better both in maintaining EMUs and training staff after that.   
      
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