From: otterpower@xhotmail.com   
      
   On 5/22/2014 11:03 AM, Jishnu Mukerji wrote:   
   > 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.   
   >   
   Thanks for the reassurance.   
      
      
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