BLMR Doomed4

While braking on a curve, the leading truck of the empty lumber car jumped the track. They drug it for nearly a mile before the derailment occurred, engineer had no idea it had derailed. I always thought if I'd spent 5 more minutes videotaping the train I could have flagged it down or brought attention to the derailed car so they could bring it to a safe stop. The train was traveling only 10-15 MPH at the time the derailment. It cost the shortline railroad over $1M to repair and the line to Walla Walla was out of commission for about a week.

Taken Monday April 14, 1997.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• BLMR
• derailment
• derail
• ninemile
• walla
• wallula

[bowtieracer]

I remember that way too well!!!!

[VMac822]

You may recall it was the second time they derailed in that area within a few months. I think they let the engineer go after this one. He would tend to speed, I paced him doing nearly 40 between Touchet and Lowden once with a ~30 car train, those cars were bucking like mad.

[bowtieracer]

I recall it very well. I am the one that had to fire the crew.

[VMac822]

Wow, never woulda guessed anyone associated with that incident would see these videos.

I remember rail car No. 450101 sat near the tracks for a few years before they finally hauled it off to scrap.

[R34RACR]

@Subaruguy8508

An object in motion wants to stay in motion.

Considering that there are tons of steel being pulled, it takes a while to neutralize the momentum. If it stops by force, as it did here, it simple skips the track and the cars accordion together.

[Subaruguy8508]

Oh my....thats a big mess for only going 15 mph!

[dontwantone1001]

i was the conductor that day.i remember that day well to

[trangerstx]

FUCK YOU Bennett!

[bnsf1918]

Holy crap i dont remember that.

[mafarnz]

Neat look back into the early days of BLMR.