BENNET, Neb. — A BNSF Railway spur line is expected to be out of service for three weeks after a bridge collapsed as a result of a coal-train derailment Thursday evening.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said 18 cars were involved in the derailment, which occurred about 5 p.m. BNSF spokesman Ben Wilemon told the Lincoln Journal Star that railroad personnel were on site “and using heavy equipment to clear the location and assist with repairs,” and that the cause is under investigation.
The line involved connects Lincoln and Nebraska City, Neb. It was reactivated in 2020 after 17 years to serve an Omaha Public Power District generating plant. It was the second derailment on the line in about a year; 10 cars derailed in the same area in June 2021 in an incident where heavy rain was a contributing factor [see “BNSF coal train derails …,” Trains News Wire, June 28, 2021].
I don’t Understand why BNSF is having Problems with State and Government Official’s About getting Permits to Replace Bridges and Infrastructure to get Better Service to There Costumers
So happened we were through this area a few times when the line was being prepped to go back in service. To the casual observer, it was pretty much completely rebuilt. I can’t help but think the bridges would have been check according to whatever standard is used for bridge inspection.
Too many questions need answering until cause is determined. Where in train did derailment start loco, mid train?, . start on bridge or before? Slack action? Pull apart? rail roll over? low spot of track? Class track, speed limit? Last inspection?
The line will be out of service for three weeks after a bridge collapsed as a result of coal train derailment. Or could it be the other way around? The derailment was the result of a bridge collapse? Reactivated in 2020 after being out of service for 17 years. Then putting a how many ton coal train on it?
Is this a case of, “damn the engineers, put it in service?”