Train - hazardous cargo "accident"

bcp · Jul 9, 2013

LAC-MEGANTIC, Quebec (CNN) —Canadian authorities have found evidence that a criminal act may have led to a train crash in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, that killed at least 15 people, provincial police Capt. Michel Forget said Tuesday.

There have been many questions about the crash and explosion that wiped out a swath of the town 130 miles east of Montreal. As of Tuesday evening, 35 people were still missing, Forget said.

Authorities offered no further details about the case but said it was not caused by terrorism.

"I will not speculate on the elements that we have recovered," Forget told reporters.

Read more: Cops: Criminal act may be behind train crash | National News - KETV Home

crazyal · Jul 10, 2013

First off let me say I have no proof, just a hunch but I suspect that it was a criminal act. I think the engine was tampered with in a way so that when the minor fire was set the firefighters or rail crew followed standard procedure to shut the locomotive down they would unknowingly cause the train to release the brakes. I'm not saying it was intentional, it could have been some kids who thought it would be "fun" to get inside the cab and push buttons. When they couldn't make the train move they could have set a fire and left. Or it could have been someone with an axe to grind with the rail company or protesters who wanted to disable the train. Hopefully we find out.

Leyenda30 · Jul 10, 2013

Air pressure would have to INCREASE to release brakes as in bottled air with an internal air leak from some source. JP

hogheadCTD · Jul 10, 2013

Soundguy said:
no crossing gates? i figured those would be on some sort of proximity sensor to lower when a train approaches.

lots of stuff wrong here.

brakes that DO NOT or MAY NOT work without power.. and safety controls that rely on a powered train? really?

in this day and age where a plane can almost land itself. there should be a button that can be pushed to make a train stop. just like your tv.. if it's plugged in.. even if the screen is off.. something is alive inside loking for the remote.. same could be done on the train. some system alive when train off.. awaiting emergency commands.. etc.

Ill try to explain the gate thing. If the train was running 60 MPH and the track speed was supposed to be "say" 10 MPH the grossing gates wont activate until its too late. Basically the train out runs the timing of the gate at that speed.

Soundguy · Jul 10, 2013

ok.. so the gat closes while the train is currently passing it.

reports i saw said no gates moved.

not that they moved late..

hogheadCTD · Jul 10, 2013

Interesting.....

bcp · Jul 10, 2013

Lac-Mégantic : la compagnie évoque le système de freinage à air | Tragédie ferroviaire à Lac-Mégantic | Radio-Canada.ca

En fin d'apré‘š-midi dimanche, Yves Bourdon, administrateur de la MMA, a pré¦—is Radio-Canada que les freins air de toutes les locomotives et de tous les wagons é¨�aient activé§¸, de méº¥e que les freins bras (mé¦—anique) de 5 locomotives et 10 wagons.

Google translation:
By late Sunday afternoon, Yves Bourdon, director of the MMA, told CBC that the air brakes of all locomotives and wagons were all activated, as well as hand brakes (mechanical) 5 locomotives and 10 cars.

hogheadCTD · Jul 10, 2013

Wow, the plot thickens! As a "rail" this story seems to get more confusing and interesting at the same time.

andrec999 · Jul 10, 2013

The president of MMA . Mr. Burkhart, that owns the train, just admitted in a press conference that the engineer of the train did not apply the parking brakes before he left the train.
The police had to interrupt the press conference and escorted him out ,for his own security,as the crowd and the press were getting a little aggressive.