RailRoadFan.com

I saw the GDLK today in Moline while riding my Mini Bike and noticed that GDLK 4125 has a new door going into the cab and a new side panel (both on the same side). I don't know if this has been done recently or some time back just curious what may have caused them to be replaced!

GDLK FAN wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 14, 2022 11:23 pm

I saw the GDLK today in Moline while riding my Mini Bike and noticed that GDLK 4125 has a new door going into the cab and a new side panel (both on the same side). I don't know if this has been done recently or some time back just curious what may have caused them to be replaced!

Maybe this? https://www.flickr.com/photos/conrail6809/46748235002

Found a more recent picture https://foursquare.com/v/grand-elk-rail ... decaa27d79
The panel is the battery box cover. The acid causes them to rot. Quite common and a pre-accident picture shows it had that issue before.
Likewise, it's not unusual for the door to need replacing and getting sent out in primer.

DaveO wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 15, 2022 6:38 am

GDLK FAN wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 14, 2022 11:23 pm

I saw the GDLK today in Moline while riding my Mini Bike and noticed that GDLK 4125 has a new door going into the cab and a new side panel (both on the same side). I don't know if this has been done recently or some time back just curious what may have caused them to be replaced!

Maybe this? https://www.flickr.com/photos/conrail6809/46748235002

Thank you, I didn't realize that until was in a derailment. I haven't been following the GDLK as much as I would like to. That answers my question for both doors then. Thanks again

It seemed like the Kalamazoo-Elkhart/NS road freight turn has been all over the place in timing and days of operation for several months. Is it back on any kind of a regular schedule now? Does the 105 job still do the daily turn from Kzoo down to Bristol and back to work industries? TIA!

GP30M4216 wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 11, 2022 8:12 pm

It seemed like the Kalamazoo-Elkhart/NS road freight turn has been all over the place in timing and days of operation for several months. Is it back on any kind of a regular schedule now? Does the 105 job still do the daily turn from Kzoo down to Bristol and back to work industries? TIA!

Manifest runs south in the very early morning hours. 501/503 still work customers south of kzoo. Leaving south between 0500-0630 normally.

Not exactly a train, but posting here: Grand Elk large MOW truck heading south through Byron Center at 9:12am. Had a full load of large pieces of concrete barriers, probably fixing up some bridge abutments.

Regular MOW pickup truck north across 92nd St in Byron Center at 10:58am.

This morning at 6:20 am Portage Fire responded to Center St. and Schaver Rd. to a two car collision. One car was on the Grand Elk tracks and yup the lights came on. A southbound train was coming but not before firefighters were able to pull the driver out of the jeep before the train hit it.

Super Chief wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:40 pm

This morning at 6:20 am Portage Fire responded to Center St. and Schaver Rd. to a two car collision. One car was on the Grand Elk tracks and yup the lights came on. A southbound train was coming but not before firefighters were able to pull the driver out of the jeep before the train hit it.

Per usual, no one knew to read the bright blue sign on the crossing and call Watco. Could have prevented the whole thing.

In other news, I see the GP35M #3534 is back in service.

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:26 pm

Super Chief wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:40 pm

This morning at 6:20 am Portage Fire responded to Center St. and Schaver Rd. to a two car collision. One car was on the Grand Elk tracks and yup the lights came on. A southbound train was coming but not before firefighters were able to pull the driver out of the jeep before the train hit it.

Per usual, no one knew to read the bright blue sign on the crossing and call Watco. Could have prevented the whole thing.

In other news, I see the GP35M #3534 is back in service.

You work at Watco dispatch? No? Then don't assume how things happened.

Its been back for awhile.

1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:47 pm

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:26 pm

Super Chief wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:40 pm

This morning at 6:20 am Portage Fire responded to Center St. and Schaver Rd. to a two car collision. One car was on the Grand Elk tracks and yup the lights came on. A southbound train was coming but not before firefighters were able to pull the driver out of the jeep before the train hit it.

Per usual, no one knew to read the bright blue sign on the crossing and call Watco. Could have prevented the whole thing.

In other news, I see the GP35M #3534 is back in service.

You work at Watco dispatch? No? Then don't assume how things happened.

Its been back for awhile.

Fair enough. It just seems that is a common theme in situations like that.

Thanks for the info. I don't get over to Kzoo much anymore, and I was surprised when I spotted it in the yard last week. Great to see it back!

Well as safety officer of my fire department if you guys can't stop a train on tangent track with red and blue lights next to a crossing then somebody doesn't have situational awareness of their surroundings. Come down to Heimbach Road with a semi waiting to get on US 131 and gates down on him your guys won't come out as good. I know the block signal was green but the crossing is blocked. Will all jump and hope the driver does too. Last week we had a car on your tracks so it happens often.

There is a video of the incident on WWMT’s story.

https://wwmt.com/news/local/rollover-cr ... lic-safety

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:26 pm

Super Chief wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:40 pm

This morning at 6:20 am Portage Fire responded to Center St. and Schaver Rd. to a two car collision. One car was on the Grand Elk tracks and yup the lights came on. A southbound train was coming but not before firefighters were able to pull the driver out of the jeep before the train hit it.

Per usual, no one knew to read the bright blue sign on the crossing and call Watco. Could have prevented the whole thing.

In other news, I see the GP35M #3534 is back in service.

I am not a train expert but I am pretty sure you can not stop a train in a matter of minutes. Would take at least a mile or more to stop.

Super Chief wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 1:30 pm

Well as safety officer of my fire department if you guys can't stop a train on tangent track with red and blue lights next to a crossing then somebody doesn't have situational awareness of their surroundings.

You don't stop a train just because you see red and blue lights...

Watch the first seconds of the video. A police officer and fire fighter are at the crashed Jeep attending to the driver. As the crossing protection activates a second fire fighter is walking up carrying their bag. The fire fighters have just arrived on scene.

The Jeep is dark colored with no lights showing. The fire truck in the intersection clear of the track with bright lights flashing will obscure dark unlit objects.

It's probably a good learning example for fire fighters and police. Did they do a 360 on arrival? Toss a couple flares out on the track? Post a safety watch?

Andy24 wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:43 pm

I am not a train expert but I am pretty sure you can not stop a train in a matter of minutes. Would take at least a mile or more to stop.

Some trains, in some situations, can take more than a mile to stop. However, the vast majority in the vast majority of cases, even at higher speed, will be able to stop in less than a minute and in far less than a mile.

What ultimately matters, and honestly I don't know why Operation Lifesaver doesn't be more realistic, is that trains are setup to operate beyond line of sight. In other words, they cannot necessarily stop short of obstructions on the track, because everything including signals are designed to allow trains to operate in such a way so as to assume the track is clear ahead of them. In contrast, if you're driving down a road, you cannot assume the road is clear, and must be able to stop within your range of vision.

IMHO, there simply needs to be more training for local first responders on what to do regarding incidents involving the railroads, including track obstructions, derailments and pedestrian strikes. Far too many are unaware of what hot track really entails, and how to get protection. AFAIK the railroad I work for sends annual letters to all local jurisdictions regarding proper means of contact and such, but whether or not this is properly integrated into their response planning and training is up to the department.

And none of this is to blame the local first responders. They're all heroes running into danger and unknowns, for which there often is no playbook. Sure, the track is hot and not protected, but they may still have to make the risk calculations to proceed anyway. What I'm really trying to say is, as a railroader first and foremost, when something happens, they should make their own risk assessments and proceed accordingly, but somebody needs to be on the phone immediately with the railroad. Given an accurate location description, trains should all be able to be stopped within 3-5 minutes of the first call, making the track safe for all involved, including any potential victims and first responders.

Maybe that could have happened in this case, maybe not. We don't know how much time elapsed between discovery of the wreck on the tracks and the arrival of the train. There's always a chance that there simply isn't enough time. But all too often, there was a window to prevent additional carnage and it simply gets blown.

Super Chief wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 1:30 pm

Well as safety officer of my fire department if you guys can't stop a train on tangent track with red and blue lights next to a crossing then somebody doesn't have situational awareness of their surroundings.

You really need to get some training from Operation Life Saver or some other authority that can explain exactly what it takes to stop a train.

"Train tracks are considered live, active tracks until there is confirmation from the railroad company that train traffic has been stopped. It’s imperative for first responders and dispatchers to be aware that each crossing has a Blue and White ENS sign with a specific 800 number and crossing identification number.

"Railroad companies need to be notified immediately regarding anything on or near railroad tracks. On-scene responders should be prepared to give their dispatch the 800 number and crossing identification number in emergencies."

https://oli.org/materials?name=&file_ty ... &topic=All

The lights on your vehicle do not change the laws of physics. Never assume that a train crew has seen you and can stop. Always assume the opposite until (as OLI states) the railroad confirms that rail traffic has been stopped.

justalurker66 wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 22, 2023 5:13 am

The lights on your vehicle do not change the laws of physics. Never assume that a train crew has seen you and can stop. Always assume the opposite until (as OLI states) the railroad confirms that rail traffic has been stopped.

After the railroad confirms traffic has been stopped, post watchmen in both directions just in case.

Dowagiac Train Dude wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 1:41 pm

There is a video of the incident on WWMT’s story.

https://wwmt.com/news/local/rollover-cr ... lic-safety

From the article:
"When officers arrived, they found two vehicles, both damaged, police said.
The department did call the railroad to notify them there was a crash with a car left on the tracks, police said."

Go therefore and do likewise.