Four Injured After Locomotive Unhitches From Train and Crashes Into Vehicles

AP ^ | Mar. 10, 2004

[nuconvert]

Four Injured After Locomotive Unhitches From Train and Crashes Into Vehicles

Mar 10, 2004

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - A locomotive unhitched from a parked train and crashed into five cars while rolling through crossing points Wednesday, injuring four people. The locomotive broke loose from a freight train undergoing an engine change at a repair area in an industrial section of Queens, said Long Island Rail Road spokesman Sam Zambuto. It traveled more than a half mile before coming to a stop.

Two men were injured when the locomotive hit a car as it went through the first intersection, Zambuto said. They were hospitalized in critical condition.

The locomotive went through several city blocks before hitting a second car at another crossing. A third car was hit, but it was unclear where. Two people were hospitalized in stable condition from those crashes.

The train also hit two trucks belonging to the New York & Atlantic Railway, setting one of them on fire, Zambuto said. No one was injured in that crash.

[RightWhale]

Hardware malfunction. The rail plant is past obsolescence.

[nuconvert]

It unhitched? Broke loose?
It was sitting there one minute and then struggled free?

[Professional Engineer]

Trying to attack SUV's?

[nuconvert]

Lol

[templar]

Don't those things have parking brakes?

[RoseofTexas]

SOMETHING IS WRONG here folks!! The govt. needs to get involve to figure out WHO is causing all these train accidents!! In my hometown there were 2 train derailments a few months apart! Some cars were carrying chemicals and automobiles! Something smells!

[76834]

No doubt a human error.
The crew should have set derails and tied down the locomotive.
UP had an incident similiar to this a few years in Ft Worth.
Seems like safety procedures were not followed and the loco rolled approx 30 miles before entering Centennial yard. Estimated speed nearly 90 MPH. Hit an outbound train and killed 2 crew members

Railroad careers will be ended by this FU

[engrpat]

This can happen when locomotives runaway. This happened in Northern California in 1979.

[engrpat]

We had a train in Niles, Ca roll backwards about 4 miles before it stopped. The crew had jumped off to get a "fast" hamburger came back the train, the whole train was gone. No one was hurt.

[Poohbah]

We had a train in Niles, Ca roll backwards about 4 miles before it stopped. The crew had jumped off to get a "fast" hamburger came back the train, the whole train was gone. No one was hurt.

"Dude, where's my train?"

[engrpat]

That's about it. Talk about that empty feeling in the pit of the stomach.

[76834]

On the BNSF here in Texas I have never heard of something like this happening.
Either the conductor (engineer qualified) or the engineer is in the cab at all times.
When both have to leave, maybe a dog catch, the locomotive is ALWAYS TIED DOWN.
Breaks set, reverser centered and center lever in the engineer's pocket

[engrpat]

That is the what the book calls for, tieing down the equipment and setting the brakes but when you are dealing with people stuff happens. I am sure that BN has had a runaway or two.

[annyokie]

Ping! Did this happen near your neck o' Queens?

[76834]

You betcha they have.
All of them have had bad stuff happen.
I always say that the GCOR is written in blood.......

[Mr. Lucky]

...the government needs to get involved...

The Long Island Railroad is OWNED by the government, Dr. Einstein.

[UPcrawfish]

I wonder (article does not state) if any of the crossings protected by gates or flashers? If they were, then the drivers have to assume some collateral responsibility in getting hit by a locomotive. Oh, excuse me - I forgot, our society is getting away from that pesky "personal responsibility" thing.

I work for the UP and deal with service interruptions as part of my job... I have always wanted to show the root cause of a derailment as "CRANIAL - RECTAL INVERSION ON PART OF TRAIN CREW"... My supv. tells me I need to hold off on using that one for a while.

[76834]

Probly appropriate in this case.
I have always taken this approach.
Always Look and Listen.
Dont give a damm if a train hasnt been over the track in the last 10 years.
Look Listen Live

[engrpat]

You are so right about the book being written in blood. I got a report of the NTSB early investigation of the deadly collision at Carrizzoza last month. Seems that one of the engineers (the one that died) was dirty. Some just don't learn.