Train derails into Sandusky Bay (Ohio)

[Ian David]

Source: The Plain Dealer

Two Norfolk Southern train cars derailed on a bridge over Sandusky Bay about 4:45 this morning.

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The train cars were not tank cars that carry oil or hazardous materials.

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Ottawa County Sheriff Robert Bratton told the Associated Press that authorities assume the train cars were blown off the bridge by high winds. The National Weather Service says gusts of more than 50 miles per hour were recorded across northern Ohio overnight.

Railroad officials say that frigid temperatures cause cracks to form in train rails. When a heavy, rocking train passes over the cracks, the rail can break apart, sending cars crashing to the ground.


Read more: http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/01/_us_coast_guard_responds.html

[mod mom]

1. It was deinitely windy! and the temp dropped from 50's to mid teens.

[OzarkDem]

2. We had a lot of downed power lines in greater Cleveburg

Hope they get it cleaned up soon.

[liberal N proud]

3. 53 to 15 in 3 hours

Things were hitting the house all night long

[TwilightGardener]

4. Wow--glad no one was hurt, but that would be something to see...

[noonwitch]

5. It must have been a big bridge, like the Highway 2 one

That causeway across the bay-we used to go to Cedar Point with our parents' best friends and their kids. Their dad hated bridges and would have panic attacks when we drove over a big one like that. But it's totally open, to the bay and the wind coming off Lake Erie can be vicious. It is really windy in Detroit today.

I love Highway 2 from Toledo to Sandusky, even though the Detroit media refers to it as one of the deadliest roads around. That's because cheap Michiganders like my dad and I always use it to get to Cedar Point without going on the Turnpike. So, it's a mostly 2 lane road, with tons of traffic-many vans and busses of youth groups and such-going from Detroit to Sandusky.

[lonestarnot]

6. Our new train track in AZ already have like 12 different cracks in the rails.

No trains yet. :rofl:

[dazzlerazzle]

7. rail breaks in inclement weather

There are "pull-aparts" even in the long(1200ft) sections of welded ribbon rail, mostly due to drastic changes in temperature. Usually they affect the signal system, putting up a "stop" indication. Track inspectors normally are dispatched to check for washouts during heavy rains or flooding, also there are many instances of high winds turning over rail cars. Also, routine track inspection is done when the inspectors can get the rail time to do their job. I live in NE Ohio and I was out from 2AM to 5:30AM and the wind was moving my car all over the road. I would believe that the wind probably tipped the cars.

[truthisfreedom]

8. We dropped (Minneapolis) from mid-forties Monday to -15 last night...

I got a call from an employee who thought something was terribly wrong with her furnace when the house began cracking and popping... I was at work late, and took my cell phone into the warehouse to let her hear the ceiling in there popping like mad over the phone.

[WittyUsername]

9. Ahhh more failing infrastructure.