Train derails into Montana's Yellowstone River 1

[FacEngrPE]

June 24, 2023 1:31pm EDT
Train derails into Montana's Yellowstone River

Multiple tanker cars were damaged and are leaking petroleum products near the Yellowstone River.

Location, pre accident

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.686...kqiXSNAKahaWDg8w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu

Montana Rail Link is a privately held Class II railroad in the United States. It operates on trackage originally built by the Northern Pacific Railway and leased from its successor BNSF Railway. MRL is a unit of The Washington Companies and is headquartered in Missoula, Montana.

 

[hokie66]

Train derailment or bridge collapse? Which came first? The AP report says the bridge collapsed, causing derailment. But how does their reporter come to that conclusion?

 

[spsalso]

There appears to be a pier missing. There's a nice looking one over on the right. But I don't see nuthin' over on the left, between the two truss spans.

The high water level has me thinking the pier washed out.


spsalso

 

[thebard3]

Railroads have a system to detect a broken rail. Maybe partial washout and bridge stayed intact until the train crossed.

Brad Waybright

The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

 

[TugboatEng]

It's possible the pier laid over during the collapse.

 

[spsalso]

Maybe. But piers are usually VERY sturdy. And a train derailing, and kicking a truss span out, will usually not knock a pier down.


spsalso

 

[azcats]

These articles are about the bridge that was adjacent but demolished b/c of erosion under the piers.

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.ypradio.org/environment-science/2021-04-07/twin-bridges-road-bridge-to-be-demolished-section-of-yellowstone-river-closed[/url]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/demolition-scheduled-for-bridge-near-reed-point-in-danger-of-collapse[/url]

 

[azcats]

And they are right up near peak flow during this time of year.

 

[FacEngrPE]

Do railway bridges get the same inspection that highway bridges do? Per the following it seems not, inspection is the responsibility of the railway.

Bridge Safety Standards
printer friendly version
Action: Final rule. (2010)
Summary: FRA is establishing Federal safety requirements for railroad bridges. This final rule requires track owners to implement bridge management programs, which include annual inspections of railroad bridges, and to audit the programs. This final rule also requires track owners to know the safe load capacity of bridges and to conduct special inspections if the weather or other conditions warrant such inspections.

 

[LittleInch]

Looking at those Street View pictures the pier looks to be quite damaged on the upstream side.

Looks more like a pier collapse to me.

Now maybe it moved enough to cause the derailment which then caused more damage but the bridge would be my first thing to look at.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Murph 9000]

Scour can certainly result in a significantly undermined pier that's close to collapse but with relatively small movement in the rails. It's conceivable that the pier failed under the weight of the train.

RAIB Report 22/2016: Structural failure at Lamington viaduct

 

[Nukeman948]

More pictures here:

https://billingsgazette.com/news/st...932344506.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Notice that other piers are leaning.

Also the failed pier and the company that did the recent rehab work:

http://www.coldwaterengineering.com/projects

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[hpaircraft]

...Also the failed pier and the company that did the recent rehab work...

Looks like they have already removed it from their site.