Roseville, Calif.

April 15, 2003

A derailment occurred on the 7 to 30 fan, a group of rails, at the East end of the Bowl in the Roseville Yard. There were two remote control engines parked, one in 29 rail and one in 30 rail. The engine that normally works the City Yard, about 1 mile to the east switching locals, was moved to the Bowl because the three remotes could not keep up with the work (Note: three remote jobs replaced two conventional jobs). The City Yard job was working down the lead on the 16 rail. Another job came out to go to work and had a problem with their engine. They were instructed by the Console Herder to take the engine in the 30 rail and line back for the other job. Not seeing the engine working in 16 rail they lined back for the engine in 29 rail assuming it was the other job. This left the 30 rail lead switch lined for 30 rail (Note: 29 rail switch is off of 30 rail). The City job working in 16 rail was informed by the Herder that the other job lined behind, assuming the lead was lined they made a double over to another rail, operating the remote engine from the vicinity of 16 rail switch. They proceeded up the lead toward the Pull Back track, running through the 30 rail switch. Then stopped with a center beam lumber car with one truck over the 30 rail switch. They started shoving westward for the other rail. The West end of the lumber car goes back down the lead, the east end and toward 29 rail. As they continued shoving back the lumber car turned sideways and tipped over landing on the nose of the Unit, Y623, in 29 rail. Along with the damage to the 30 rail switch and some track damage, five railcars were derailed. Two of the cars TT2X 86909 and MP 273473 were so heavily damaged that they were scrapped. The front of Unit Y623 was also damaged. The damage was said to be at least $60,000. Being this happened in the middle of Roseville we were very lucky this accident did not involve hazardous materials. Could this have been avoided? If there had been an Engineer on board they probably would have noticed the 30 switch was not properly lined and stopped short (Rule 6.28). Or, if they didn't notice the switch they may have heard and felt the engine run through the switch and stopped. Or, if they didn't notice they had run through the switch the Engineer may have, while shoving back, felt the cut bogging down and stopped, there-by reducing the damage. And if there was an Engineer on board they would have been totally responsible for the accident (Rule 6.28).