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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Freight cars derail around America
2024-06-28
16 freight cars derail in rural Nevada; no hazardous spills [of radioactive waste] or injuries reported

Freight train carrying gasoline, propane derails [last Friday] near Arizona-New Mexico line amid aftermath of severe weather [and burns]

Train derails in Pennsylvania, sends several cars into Lehigh River

Freight train derails in Illinois, residents evacuated [long term] due to 'hazmat' situation: report
Posted by:Skidmark

#13  /\ Thanks Bobby. Add that to the very long list of the very interesting stuff I've discovered I know almost nothing about.

* I never welded a single section.
Posted by: Besoeker   2024-06-28 16:11  

#12  Of course, everybody knows extreme weather = climate change, right?
Posted by: Bobby   2024-06-28 16:09  

#11  To #6 - when rails were jointed every 39', expansion and contraction of the steel took place in the joints. When the joints were eliminated, with welded rail, the changes in rail length are restrained, so instead of movement, you get stress in the rail (50-60,000 psi, IIRC).

Ties and ballast are the restraint; too much (hot) stress leads to a track buckle and a derailment. Excessive cold stress leads to a 'pull-apart' which does not always lead to a derailment, since the rail alignment is maintained.

Requirements are well-understood in the business, but mistakes happen in rail installation or track maintenance. Extreme weather highlights the 'mistakes'.
Posted by: Bobby   2024-06-28 16:05  

#10  ...the Urbanist islands that want to dictate to the rest of us their radical agenda don't appreciate that its not just 'foreign' agents that understand that vulnerability.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2024-06-28 16:04  

#9  Trial runs or response systems assessments?

Consider the impact, and simplicity, of simultaneous railroad locations at key choke points, like the Cajon Pass for example. And consider how simple to do so at remote, unobserved locations by small teams of imported military-aged men among the 8 million illegals over the past 3.6 years.

Curious idea, but since the days of intermediate warehousing of commodities like food have been replaced by "just-in-time" logistics and "retail swipe to production demand" at centralized production locations, widespread interdiction by key rail arterial routes could produce enormous impact and shortages, with consequent disruption and public unrest. Who might find that useful?
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2024-06-28 14:10  

#8  You can't spell incompetent without Pete.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2024-06-28 13:57  

#7  Last week during the weeklong heat wave a stretch of downtown expressway was abruptly closed so that a failed piece of pavement could be replaced. There was no explanation of exactly why that happened. I go over that stretch twice a day & it was fine up until the closure a few hours later. I think it was because of the sustained heat. Local officials said nothing about the cause. Patch was fully functional after the repaving.
Posted by: Gromble+Dribble4342   2024-06-28 12:18  

#6  Google "heat wave derailment" for more information on this (apparently) well known vulnerability of rail travel.
Posted by: Gromble+Dribble4342   2024-06-28 10:29  

#5  Railroads and pipelines helped make America Great. They must be eliminated.

[sarc off]
Posted by: Besoeker   2024-06-28 08:46  

#4  No one talks about the deteriorating state of our nation's rail infrastructure, even though it is still the most cost efficient means of freight transport we have.

And, believe it or not, the drive motors run on electricity (with a diesel generator or two powering them). Their power generation system is the only thing 'icky' for some folks.
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2024-06-28 08:41  

#3  Directors of Security for major Railroads and Homeland Security need to have a meeting at a media-free, undisclosed location.
Posted by: Besoeker   2024-06-28 04:27  

#2  Ignoring the reality, Pete defends a fantasy:

Buttigieg clashes with Republican who called EV mandate 'dictatorial'

Why nearly half of EV owners want to switch back to gas vehicles after major buyer's remorse
Posted by: Skidmark   2024-06-28 04:02  

#1  
Posted by: Frank G   2024-06-28 02:44  

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