WENDOVER, Wyo. – Two BNSF Railway coal trains derailed in a remote Wyoming canyon on Monday, injuring two people and spilling fuel into a nearby river.
The Star Tribune reports that a loaded coal train rear ended another train north of Wendover. Three locomotives and four cars derailed as a result of the incident. The crew aboard one train suffered non-life threatening injuries.
BNSF is working with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to remove the fuel from the river.
Railroad officials tell the newspaper that the incident remains under investigation.
My exact thoughts, William Delmar. Makes us local bumpkins go hmmmm….In my lifetime, I have seen 2 head-on collisions, and one rear-end collision. Neither one was a very pretty sight.
I thought BNSF has implemented PTC everywhere. If so, why did it not prevent this rear-ender?
I still scratch my head as to why rear end protection wasn’t included in PTC protocol…….
Not being an expert, I thought Mr. Delmar asked an interesting question. If PTC will not stop a low speed collision, watch the crap hit the fan when this happens to an Amtrak train.
Steven: I applaud your beverage selection but; will have some sour dough hard pretzels instead as we sit back to enjoy the “show”.
William, even if the line does have it, PTC WILL NOT prevent a rear end collision at restricted speed. That being said, I have no idea of the circumstances of this incident. I will just grab some popcorn and a Sierra Nevada and read all of the speculation by the experts.