UP Derailment on KCT Railway - Kansas City, MO
At approximately 0749 on September 15, 2020, UP Train MCXNP 14 ran a stop indication and derailed on a crossover switch at State Line Jct. on the KCT High Line while crossing over from 75 to 74 Track. The switches were out of correspondence, being thrown while the stop signal violation took place. At over 20 MPH, both engines and the head 5 cars derailed, listing but upright.
The derailment thankfully stayed on the ballasted deck bridge without falling to the ground below, but presented a unique challenge with where the equipment came to rest, necessitating the use of several contractors to remove the locomotives and railcars.
Wilkerson Crane Rental, Inc., and Cranemasters did most of the lifting, while Mainline Services LLC., under the direction of BNSF engineering forces, as they have the MOW contract on the KCT; replaced the track. Watco/KCTL dropped new ballast with a BNSF rock train to replace what was removed from the bridge deck during cleanup.
A myriad of other contractors also assisted in moving the needed materials and equipment into the site. The line returned to service at 0450 on the 17th without the crossover, which will be restored at a later date. It was nothing short of a fascinating procedure to watch as the equipment was recovered.
The sun sets on the first evening of work, roughly 12 hours after the derailment, after the first autorack was lifted and set to the ground.
Locomotives: UP 6539, UP 9104
Rolling Stock: TTGX 697357, ETTX 702028, CTTX 690172
9-15-20
Kansas City, MO
UP Derailment on KCT Railway - Kansas City, MO
At approximately 0749 on September 15, 2020, UP Train MCXNP 14 ran a stop indication and derailed on a crossover switch at State Line Jct. on the KCT High Line while crossing over from 75 to 74 Track. The switches were out of correspondence, being thrown while the stop signal violation took place. At over 20 MPH, both engines and the head 5 cars derailed, listing but upright.
The derailment thankfully stayed on the ballasted deck bridge without falling to the ground below, but presented a unique challenge with where the equipment came to rest, necessitating the use of several contractors to remove the locomotives and railcars.
Wilkerson Crane Rental, Inc., and Cranemasters did most of the lifting, while Mainline Services LLC., under the direction of BNSF engineering forces, as they have the MOW contract on the KCT; replaced the track. Watco/KCTL dropped new ballast with a BNSF rock train to replace what was removed from the bridge deck during cleanup.
A myriad of other contractors also assisted in moving the needed materials and equipment into the site. The line returned to service at 0450 on the 17th without the crossover, which will be restored at a later date. It was nothing short of a fascinating procedure to watch as the equipment was recovered.
The sun sets on the first evening of work, roughly 12 hours after the derailment, after the first autorack was lifted and set to the ground.
Locomotives: UP 6539, UP 9104
Rolling Stock: TTGX 697357, ETTX 702028, CTTX 690172
9-15-20
Kansas City, MO