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UP LOA31 Marlboro Switcher derailment in Orange, CA - 05/02/05 ...
north of the Taft grade crossing passing over the grade
I was waiting for the train to pass through Meats Ave enroute to Foamex on Batavia. After waiting a while I went looking for the train and found the engines stopped just north of the Taft grade crossing. The crew appeared to be tying down the power.
I was on my way to leave since I had lost most of the available light to get a photo when I came to the grade crossing I found it odd to have some guy waving people through. As a looked to my right while passing over the grade I noticed first the Yardmaster's vehicle parked next to the tracks, then the derailed train behind it.
Breaking point Rolled rail south of Taft Ave.
On the south side of the Taft grade crossing was one broken rail. This may be a result of a derailment or the cause. This is just before the grade crossing starts .
A couple guys were checking out the track south of the break. A closer look at it and it appears that the track rolled prior to the break. Or perhaps there were two break points. The tank cars made it across the grade without damaging the street, or at least I did not notice any damage driving over it twice in the process of checking things out.
A view of the tank cars A closer view of the tank cars
A closer view of the tank cars. The grade crossing appears to be intact, but the last two tank cars picked the switch that branches off to the left. I do not believe there are any rails passed the switch. The two tank cars were completely on ballast from what I could determine.
A view of the tank cars, the Anaheim Yardmaster and the Orange Fire Dept. arriving on scene.
A couple more photos taken the next day (05/03/05)
This photo shows the other break point on the rail. The break was at the lower part of the rail and the rail head and steel just below it broke from the base at the left, while the rest of the rail just came loose from the tie and further up broke again.
The heavy Cat's were on scene at lunch time working up re-railing the tank cars.
Related news: The Costa Mesa power came down in the morning to retreive empty hoppers and centerbeams from Marlboro but left the two boxcars that were brought down on Monday.