Community Response Locomotive Details Location/Date of Photo
Views: 12,550 Favorited: 16 Since added on February 05, 2022
» BNSF Railway (more.. (more.. » Milepost 159.36 (more..
Locomotive No./Train ID Photographer
» BNSF 3973 (more.. (more.. » Philip M. Goldstein (more.. Contact Photographer Photographer Profile
Remarks & Notes
No injuries to driver or train crew; which is good, because I know the engineer personally. Glad you're ok ZM...
At 10:54 CST, the H-TEAEGW 1-03A inadvertently struck a disabled three axle semi-tractor. As Normangee VFD was being toned out, with an initial report of a derailment, I threw on long pants and a sweatshirt and made a bee line for the location 8 miles up the line from my house. Fortunately there was no derailment, and it was emphasized that no hazardous material spilled.
Information obtained directly from the BNSF engineer and emergency responders; is that the driver of the truck experienced frozen brakes after stopping for the MP159.56 - Main Street grade crossing in Normangee; DOT Grade Crossing 597156Y (gates, lights, bells). When the crossing warnings activated, driver jumped clear. It was 27 degrees the morning of and the night before (in central Texas!), so it is likely moisture in truck brake lines froze.
Fortunately, this area of track also has a speed restriction on the this part of the line coming into town, and train was "only" going about 15 mph. The truck was pushed approximately 800 feet south before the train was brought to a safe & complete stop just before the OSR grade crossing at MP159.36.
Lead locomotive 3973 had moderate damage to front pilot and steps, but the truck is a write off with the hood and rear axle from the chassis and laying back at the point of impact the frame twisted.
After the truck was removed from the track by tow recovery, maintainer cleared the locomotive for travel and track supervisor found no damage to the track; so the train was okayed to continue south on its original track warrant.
weather at time of collision: dry, overcast, cold, 25 degrees; moderate wind, 15 mph gusts / 21 mph out of NW
BNSF
Red River Division
Houston Subdivision
MP159.56 Main St. / MP159.36 OSR gc
Normangee, Texas, USA
04 February 2022 - 11:00 CST
BNSF H-TEAEGW1-03A (southbound manifest, Teague, TX to UP Englewood Yard, Houston, TX)
BNSF 3973 [GE ET44C4]
BNSF 6900 [GE ES44C4]
all images © 2022 ~ Phantastic Pherroequinology / Philip M. Goldstein
Photo Comments (2)
