Train crash in Ohio 19

[spsalso]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-train-derailment-causes-big-fire-evacuations/

Note the mention of extremely low temperatures.

I suspect that is the cause*.

And I suspect the train crew should have been told to operate at restricted speed, because of that possibility.

And/or the trackage should have been installed taking into account these temperatures.



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*I'm talking about the effects of rail contraction at cold temperatures. A rail joint could have failed. Or rail could have been pulled up on a curve. I suppose a rail could even have snapped.

Besides restricted speed, there's also the running of an inspection car ahead of the train.

 

[dik]

It may be a matter of poor maintenance which ultimately was responsible for the failed truck... may indicate general neglect which may be present in other rolling stock?

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[TugboatEng]

Honestly, there is a severe shortage of greases right now. Polyurea based greases are unobtainable. I am struggling to find many proper industrial greases. The only ones available are the ones that describe themselves as #2 grease which doesn't really mean anything. If I find out they were using *a common #2 grease*, I'm going to lose my top. In my current experience, all of the USA *leading bearing manufacturer* reps keep specifying that grease for a 150mm shaft bearing that runs at 1800 rpm because it's "good stuff" or it's what we always use. All of the *regional line shaft bearings* operators are experiencing bearing failures because of it. They're chasing the problem with shortened service intervals. The right grease doesn't even cost more. *Leading bearing manufacturer's* own grease worksheet on their website says the grease used by their reps is unacceptable.

Edited to remove *names* of involved parties. I don't want to be slanderous.

 

[1503-44]

If its true, its not slander.

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."

 

[FacEngrPE]

The condition monitoring equipment was available when the report I attached above was published.
To identify this heat, Hot Axle Box & Hot Wheel (HABD/HWD) detection units are mounted at the track side.

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/norfolk-southern-eliminated-key-maintenance-role-in-derailment-region-union-says[/URL]]Wayside hot-box detectors are typically placed every 25 miles along a railroad, according to a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) report. Their use has contributed to a 59% decrease in train accidents caused by axle- and bearing-related factors since 1990, according to a 2017 Association of American Railroads study.

Declining head counts have led to these mechanisms receiving less preventative maintenance, according to an official from the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen union.

The FRA has no regulations requiring the use or maintenance of hot-box detectors.

Both on board and wayside condition monitoring have maintenance requirements. The spacing for trackside units needs to consider the risk related to the typical length of an outage. This could be a point examined by the NTSB.
I doubt either is an inherently better, they could be complimentary.

An addvert for an on board condition monitoring module.

https://rail-vision.com/rolling-stock/on-board-condition-monitoring/bearings/

SKF's version

https://www.skf.com/group/industries/railways/solutions/insight-rail

WABTEC's version

https://www.wabteccorp.com/digital-...t-management/bearing-acoustic-monitor-railbam

 

[Cool_Controls]

Polyrex EM is still available, I use to use that on container crane gensets. I wouldn't think railcars would be using a polyurea based grease. The lead time on eletrical gear has gotten even worse in the last 6 months, I was being told 56weeks, now it's up to 78weeks!

 

[FacEngrPE]

Timken’s Premium Rail Grease
This lubricant meets Association of American Railroads specification M-942-98 "Journal Roller Bearing Grease". The specification seems to mostly be met with a calcium grease. Normally re-lubing these bearings is a depot level repair performed only when the axle is remove from a truck.
Mobil Arapen RB 320

Timkin "Rail Journal Roller Bearing Grease Weepage Inspection Guide" attached.

I was not able to find a recommended grease service life. I suspect that the grease service interval is longer than the axle service interval (things like crack inspection, wheel truing, ect).

 

[FacEngrPE]

Only 1 attachment per post, so here is a second.
Timkin Guide to TRACKSIDE INSPECTION OF ROLLER BEARINGS - attached.

 

[FacEngrPE]

Dave with the Cumberland Mine Railroad posts some information about hot box detectors. Dave is of the opinion that the failure could have been either a failed axle bearing or hung up brake rigging. Either can result in axle locking up and wheel skidding, to the point of derailment.
A Failed Defect Detector and the Train Derailment at East Palestin
It is perhaps important to note that the Cumberland Mine Railroad while being a class 1 railroad does not have track connections to any other railroad. It is a coal only railroad.

This clip was posted after a derailment (Cumberland Mine Railroad) that resulted from a defective bearing that did not lock up the axle. The bearing end of the axle was cut completely through.
Coal Car Derailed - Axle was Cut in Half!
This is a typical result of an undetected bearing failure that does not lock up the axle. ( Cumberland Mine Railroad)

 

[enginesrus]

Did rail transport learn new lessons? Don't have all the nasty stuff all loaded in one consecutive line, space them 10 to 20 cars apart, costs doing that?, cheaper than a huge law suit and clean up. Lesson 2, is 3 part, when shipping dangerous stuff, first have an inspector check the line, next thoroughly check the systems on the rail cars on that train, last slow way down when traveling near citys and homes. The fire was set, to burn off the chemicals, just look for the real news.

 

[SWComposites]

Nope, rail mgmt has no interest in learning new lessons that might cost them $. The only effective approach will be to make the rail co execs personally financially responsible for this mess.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Not sure whether this has been mentioned before, but...

Yes, a train safety rule was repealed in 2018

The Department of Transportation repealed a mandate in 2018 that required safer brakes on trains that carried hazardous materials.

https://www.verifythis.com/article/...heck/536-d0ad26f7-84b6-4707-bcb1-7dc6e0a9f09f

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[TugboatEng]

This is an engineering forum. Let's discuss what would have made these brakes safer, how they were supposed to prevent THIS accident, and why the rule was repealed.

 

[dik]

Keeping that legislation may have made the breaking system safer and prevented the accident. It's an interesting dilemma when you can pass something dangerous off, as good engineering. Manitoba Hydro's flooding of South Indian Lake, 50 years back, is the reason I don't wear an engineer's ring.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[spsalso]

"Safer brakes" would not have prevented this crash.

The crash happened because a truck failed, and cars derailed.

The cars with vinyl chloride were the third through sixth car behind the first derailed car (which was carrying polyethylene). "Safer brakes" would have had no significant effect on these cars.

SOME of the following cars could have avoided derailment if the cars had better braking, but they would have been among the last cars to go off the rails.

The only way this nasty mess could have been prevented is if you can stop 120 tons moving at perhaps 50 mph in about 5 feet. Repeatedly.

It might be instructive to do some fancy computer simulation to find out how the crash would have developed if "safer brakes" were used. Also of interest would be the results based on the extent of the usage of such brakes in the train.

"Safer brakes" might have helped IF the crew had used them to slow the train to a stop or near stop. The same holds true with regular brakes. It appears they did not, but that will be revealed from the data recorders.


spsalso

 

[TugboatEng]

This was an identifiable failure, there are so many ways to identify a failed bearing. This one is bad enough simply looking at it could have provided indication. We have all seen the videos of the wheel on fire. There were many more moments to prevent derailment before brakes were necessary. Was the bearing failure undetected? I don't think we know this yet. Was there pressure to keep the train moving despite condition? This is a big question. We recently lost a ship in the marine industry, El Faro, to pressure from above and an accommodating captain.

 

[debodine]

From an engineering standpoint regarding railroad truck failures, since most modern automobiles now have tire pressure sensors reporting tire pressure to the main car computer and position sensors to monitor driveshaft revolutions, what about placing appropriate sensors (heat sensors for bearing failure detection, position sensors for axle failure, etc.) and have them report to a main computer on each railroad car? Then each railroad car reports to a computer in the engine (and possibly also to the dispatch office) to keep the crew apprised of potential or actual failures immediately?

This type of monitoring infrastructure is also required for transport aircraft. I am sure the railroad bean counters cost/benefit analysis would argue against it, but perhaps it could be regulatory like seats belts were mandated decades ago. Aircraft bean counters and automobile bean counters also fought it, but had to succumb to the need for public safety.

 

[spsalso]

Of some interest is that, of the 39 cars that derailed, none were owned by railroads.

So the cost to modify those cars would not be carried by railroads, but by the owning entities.

63% of the 1.3 million freight cars in the United States are privately owned (as opposed to railroad owned).



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[cranky108]

I believe many containers do have sensors for refrigeration, entry and other things, so that is possible on rail cars. But in the case of containers, I believe they use some type of cellular or satellite reporting back to the owner.
In the case of the company I work for, all the cars are leased from a leasing company, and we do our own replacements of axils. But I do know that some cars have been set off because of mechanical problems at really strange locations (at least to me). But then, we don't transport such hazardous materials, only flammable materials.

I believe on tank cars, there are special couplers to prevent a disconnected car coupler from puncturing another car.
But that only works on the coupler, as other things can break.

 

[drwebb]

Anyone know how US rail HAZMAT safety performance stacks up against other jurisdictions? There may be some best practices worthy of consideration unless a) US is already best-in-class so can only now focus on continuous improvement, or b) US system is so unique that outside learnings cannot be read across.

 

[spsalso]

Refrigerated containers, and many refrigerated trailers, have status reporting transmitters. They also commonly have electrical power available. In the olden days, many refrigerated trailers had status lights on the front left corner of the trailer--the driver could easily check by looking in his rear view mirror. Which was, and is, a common occurrence. The looking.

A problem with railcars is they rarely come equipped with electrical power. THAT is certainly not insurmountable; simply an added consideration.

Of more import might be that the sensors and likely the related electronics will be under the car, where "things" get kicked up. Or stolen.


Whatever the solution, it's better to base it on the assumption that things will go wrong, things will fail, and things won't get done. But it still works.



spsalso