Anyone out there worked on train wrecks?

Question

what is the largest wreckyou have worked?

Answer 1

I had a derailment in which one axle went on the ground.  That's it for me.  I've been lucky!

Answer 2

Yup, had 'em and worked on 'em.

Most were half a dozen cars or so, once in awhile 20 or a few more.

Usually I was in work train/wrecker service.

Never worked as a car knocker hooking up the cables and slings though.

Had one a few years back where 22 cars from our train went into the side of a local on an adjacent track, all together ther were 34 cars involved.

I didnt work that one though, went to hospital for blood and urine samples,  mandatory federal requirement.

All came back negative but I was off and got paid 3 days til the test results came back, :-)

got paid to go fishing!

Answer 3

Unfortunately, I have had many derailments to work with.  The worst is conjecture.  You decide.

1.  Six cars and a caboose overturned in Montague, California.

2.  Eleven pigs at Small, Calif.

3.  Six cars overturned on Bailey Hill, near Hornbrook, Calif.

4.  Five unit helper and twelve cars, north of Hilt, Calif.

5.  Four cars north of Hotlum, Calif., including a load of hydrogen-peroxide (nasty stuff).

6.  Lesser impact derailments at Brae, Redding, Anderson, Roseville, Sacramento, Black Butte, all in Cailf., as well as one in Klamath Falls and Chiloquin, both in Oregon.

There are others that I'm sure I have forgotten.

Answer 4

well, as a brakeman, i have worked work trains. i don't gress i really "worked"  any wrecks, as a brakeman.  but, i was on a coal train one night coming down a steep mountain. we turned 55 loads of coal over. you talk about a long shift.  when i got home the next day i was so tired i just barely could get in the bed.

Answer 5

Now that's an original question! A star for this one........No, I haven't.

Answer 6

didn't work this one but i was there about 1/2 hour after it happened. in city of commerce/montebello a few years back  about 30 + cars went on the ground at almost 100 mph after running away from a yard over 30 m iles east

words can't describe the destruction