http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-01/urgent-csx-train-derails-in-washington-dc-possible-hazardous-leak

Washington (AP) -- A CSX freight train derailed near a Metro stop in Washington, D.C., on Sunday morning, sending about 10 cars off the tracks and spilling hazardous material from one of them, officials said.

No injuries were reported and no evacuations were ordered.

The train derailed Sunday about 6:40 a.m. near the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station and one of the derailed leaked sodium hydroxide, which is used to produce various household products including soap and detergents, CSX spokeswoman Kristin Seay said.

Sodium hydroxide, also known as corrosive lye, is a chemical that can irritate and burn the skin and eyes. CSX says it is working with first responders to contain the chemical.

Pictures being released.

Museum update:

The coal train is not gone. I haven't checked, but this probably means Block Authority Rules are still in effect, which means the speculative train orders I posted last week are wrong. The ones involving mainline movement, that is.

It will probably be more like, "431, you are authorized to depart at 11:00 and operate in the Bend Block eastbound and the Karstens Block in both directions." I probably can't authorize the Grove Block because that's probably where the coal train is. I would not authorize the Bend Block in both directions so as to keep my options open in case the switcher wants to work in it while the train is out. 431 would call me from Signal 152 after they pass it eastbound, to clear the Bend Block, and from Signal 151 for further authority westbound; I would then grant them the Bend Block westbound and return to Station 1 via East Switch (if the main is out of service for tie replacement) or the Bend Block westbound and the Olson and Town Blocks in both directions and return to Station 1 (if it's open).

Also, the coach train has gained a couple of trainmen, one of whom is designated as a student conductor (who is a professional railroader, but has to be qualified on our particular railroad (and passenger is just slightly different than freight (they don't often use tailhoses))), but no actual conductor, and the streetcar has lost its other motorman, so I'll have to do it.

It is forecast to rain on Saturday morning, so I won't be in any hurry to bring the car out.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Another update:

I checked the Bulletins that are posted online last night. Then I made an inquiry about a seeming discrepancy in them and learned that not all of them are online. But anyway...

Automatic Block System is restored to service as far at Johnson Siding. There is still a coal train stored on the east end of the railroad. Also, AFAICT, the Main is still out of service past the depot.

So, I expect my orders will be something like: "431, you are authorized for a xx:xx departure to Seemann Road. You have no meets eastbound, no meets westbound. You are authorized to operate in both directions in the Grove Block up to the out of service limits. Return to Station 1 via East Switch. You may wait until you return to report clear of the Grove Block." Or, if I expect the switcher to want to use the Main, I might tell 431 to return to Signal 151 and call for further orders.

The coach train would get similar orders. The crew sheet says the power will be BN 5383, but that's only because that's what it was last year. Could be anything. I kind of hope for IT 1605.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

The coach train would get similar orders. The crew sheet says the power will be BN 5383, but that's only because that's what it was last year. Could be anything. I kind of hope for IT 1605.

Crew sheet now says BN-1 for the coach train. Still no conductor. No motorman on 431 either.

Also, I've been forgetting to mention that we have a Take the Throttle person on coach.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Ooooooooyyyyyyy........

On Saturday, I issued 25 authorities that I wrote down, not counting switch moves and myself and 431 going to bed.

On Sunday, I wrote down 14 authorities, again not counting switch moves (which there were fewer of). I also got 3142's trolley pole messed up enough that the guys from the Car Department had to drop the substation and then climb up on the car roof with a ladder and put another ladder on the roof to reach the wire and free the pole. Then they told me to wye the car, which meant I had to order 714 to do-si-do out of the station and in again behind me.

Interacted with Signal Department both days. Got mildly chewed out for leaving 3142 unattended too long without properly securing it. Got questioned by the General Manager about the way I was issuing orders, and then he later said on the radio that he looked it up and I was right.

I am thoroughly worn out. It didn't help that the depot restrooms aren't open yet.

Yaaaaawwwwnnnn.....

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Follow-up to my post about the weekend. The Superintendent wants to talk to me about the trolley pole incident.

There are many more nauseating details in the TLPTP thread at Einstein.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Another of those long North American trains. This was a scheduled run in rural BC in 2014, not sure if the service still operates.

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Well this pic is from 25th March this year

Kaoham Shuttle (CN 10800 & CN 10900 AKA TU-108 and TU-109) – built in 1999 by Jim Busby Services of California, these two diesel multiple units run on the former British Columbia Railway / BC Rail line between Seton Portage and Lillooet, British Columbia in a partnership between Canadian National Railway and the Seton Lake St’át’imc Nation. After passenger service on the line was ended by BC Rail in 2002, the Kaoham Shuttle was established as a replacement to access the isolated communities of Seton Portage and Shalalth (combined population 1,100) which are easier served by rail than by gravel road. “Kaoham” means “to meet the train” in St’át’imcets (Lillooet language) and has been called Canada’s greatest hidden rail trip by the BBC. (March 25, 2016)

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Thanks for that Bernie.

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Another of those long North American trains. This was a scheduled run in rural BC in 2014, not sure if the service still operates.

Copyright David Gunn. I wonder if that's the former president of Amtrak.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

June is going to be exciting for steam in Chicago. NKP 765 will appear at Franklin Park Railroad Daze Days Featuring Railroad Day, then the next day it will run an excursion to Janesville, WI.

Three weeks later, it's running to Galesburg Railroad Days. No details yet, but presumably twice.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

BBC - Polish Train driver dash to save passengers or on Euronews

A Polish train driver is being hailed a hero after saving his passengers from death and injury.

A truck had broken down on a level crossing and there was not time to stop the train.

The driver raced through the carriages telling passengers to lie down seconds before the impact.

On the 2nd May I with my club visited Vale of Aylesbury Model Engineering Society (VAMES) who are situated within the Buckingham Railway Centre at Quainton Road. VAMES each year have an open weekend on the Sunday and Moday of the May Bank Holiday where locos from other clubs come and play trains on the VAMES track. I include a photo of me with my loco on the steaming bay road waiting to go onto the main track. My loco is 5" gauge 4-6-4T Halton Tank, a Henry Greenly design.

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A person who makes no mistakes, creates nothing.

Wow, that looks like a lot of fun.

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On last Wednesday (11th May) I with members of my club paid a visit to Severn Valley Railway in Kidderminster. We travelled up by train from Marylebone station in London to Kidderminster. We had to change trains at Birmingham Moor Street. Whilst waiting for our connecting train I suprised to see a water crane on the adjacent platform



Here some photos of engines that we saw

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A person who makes no mistakes, creates nothing.

The 4 pics don't show up here.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Well they appear on my computer. Let's see if you can see the photos via this link
Severn Valley

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A person who makes no mistakes, creates nothing.

Well they appear on my computer. Let's see if you can see the photos via this link
Severn Valley

I think they appeared on your computer because it is your Microsoft live account.

I was asked to sign in when I opened them in a new tab and when I did they still did not appear.

The new ones are One Drive and flash a banner asking me to add them.

Sorry but since MS reduced my One Drive account from 30GB to 5GB I wont touch One drive.

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