MAJOR DERAILMENT on Tehachapi Pass

[@EH-nw6bu]

There are times when you just want to know what is going on. No BS, no speculation, no catastrophes waiting to consume the earth. I appreciate your presentation of this situation and the fact you were straight forward and clear about your knowledge of the actual cause and recovery. Best News coverage ever

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thank you!

[@cameronmachado1774]

Wreckage is still there. American rail companies are disgusting at how they operate their business. The practical reality of decades of deregulation and cost cutting

[@scottfranco1962]

I fly over that area a lot. The Tehachapi loop is amazing, and sometimes I get lucky and see a train going through it. Sad about the accident.

[@royreynolds108]

In situations like this, a lash-up of locos available would be assigned to get the rest of the train as an expedient. There probably were one or two units on the rear as DPU so if they sent 3 up then there were 5 down. The first task is to get the line clear and relay the track; then worry about any cars/cargo on the ground. Panels usually are 39 feet long( length of bolted rail) to fit on regular flat cars and can be hauled on flatbed trailers. Considering that most of Tehachapi is laid with concrete ties, the panels may be made up of concrete ties for an emergency like this. The oil will be pumped out of the cars into tank trucks. Those side-boom dozers can carry a locomotive if needed. The cleanup crew will stay as long as the railroad wants or until the track bed is clear if they are needed elsewhere.

[@zaklex3165]

Most if not all of the track panels used for Tehachapi actually use wood ties, as those in the video clearly show.

[@user-mk7yw2jc3p]

Why you speaking Chinese?

[@DesertHighIron]

Great footage Mark. Certainly will never wish a derailment to happen but can’t deny it’s interesting stuff, thanks for going out in the freezing cold to document it for us. I’m glad nobody was hurt and it’s amazing how quickly they get the line back open when it happens.

[@michaelmorgan7893]

I like your sense of dedication to your friends and railfans. Gotta admire that. I wouldn't have lasted ten minutes on that cold. Great video, as usual Mark.

[@woodstock911snoopy]

Thanks for the information, I live in Northern California (Sebastopol, CA) and watch the cam of the loop last night. There were two (2) trains at the cut or switch. I at first thought one train had stopped passed the signal and tapped the other train. But, then realized something wrong because of nothing moving. Was not unit morning when I was seeing equipment arriving (seeing track panel arriving) then realized a derailment had happened. Again thanks for the video and update.

[@kens.3729]

I was Hoping today that I would be able to find some Coverage on this Derailment. Thanks for taking the Time to cover this Derailment, Mark. 👍🙏

[@bullfrogger1208]

That tank car is amazing. Major forces at play and no spill.

[@JawTooth]

We get trains stalling coming out of the Ohio River Valley into Crescent springs , Kentucky. Haven't seen them pile up from trying to back down though. Excellent video Mark!

[@jacktaggart2489]

Great video, Mark! Really cool seeing the recovery activity in a difficult environment. Thanks for being a good pair of eyes and an interesting commentator for this remote Pennsylvania viewer.

[@markfryer9880]

Recovery activities Never occur where access is easy! There always has to be some sort of wrinkle in the system to make things tricky for the recovery crews.

[@Interesting_Banana]

That is one of the places I always saw in train simulators and thought, that would be the WORST place to derail, massive drop-off. Great video and thank goodness it wasn't the head end of the train that derailed! 😬

[@eligebrown8998]

Glad everybody is ok and looks like no chemicals spilling anywhere.

[@jerrysanders9101]

Hopefully not toxic .. like the EV car batteries everyone thinks are so grand.

[@gerrym75]

We drove through there yesterday and those containers are still laying all over the side of the hill. We also managed to see a train moving through the tunnels as we were driving along the hwy.

[@jangravemaker1785]

Thanks Mark, great you're recovered soo well that you could climb to get some much better close up's and not be totally out of breath. Thank God, Thanks for your report.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I was climbing slowly on that frozen ground!

[@josephcrowshaw950]

Nice work on this video. Catching the car sliding down the hill was a nice bonus.

[@kurtflint64]

Every time I'm about to click away there's another fascinating detail. Great video.

[@johnstashik8896]

Fantastic reporting Mark. Our guy on the scene!

[@davesargenti9876]

Thx Mark.. I woke to find that happen on the Tehachapi station web cam..Now you are shedding some light on what is happening up there...

[@GMONEY220-LVRB]

I just passed through there on my motorcycle yesterday,i was like ohhh chit😮Didn’t know it happened in January Cars are still laying there. Great video man,thanks👊🏾

[@charlesglandon7840]

I wasn't able to watch until Monday morning, wow great coverage of the derailment I was on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to see more of your speculating☺☺☺and your commutary and video update Thank you for all you do.

[@patricianoon8588]

Great video Mark Pays to be in the right place at the right time !!!!

[@25vrd48]

They do derail quite often . Great video Mark .

[@Starsnu1]

Excellent video. Great catch! Thanks for sharing this.

[@oldcoastie2637]

Great coverage Mark, we appreciate your effort. Keep up the good work.

[@cherylm2C6671]

Thank you for posting this video. At least the creek is dry.

[@dmorgan28]

Great video Mark. You always cover everything and do a terrific job. 👍❤️

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Wow Great coverage Mark, in a difficult area! Nice work our friend! (Dave).

[@jpaulkepler4638]

Thanks for the report and views . Somehow, I see a drone in your future for videos of what is probably the most famous section of railroad in California.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I plan on getting one. Just have to pull the trigger!

[@randallfawc7501]

WOW.... What a mess!!! great pics and vid Mark!

[@mattc.310]

Thanks for hanging out and shooting in the cold. They do get those tracks open pretty quickly.

[@ronaldradtke8577]

Great footage !!! Very wise n respectful on ur part to stay out of their way !! Keep up the great footage n be safe !! Thank you !!

[@ronselliers6951]

Thanks Mark, I'm sure you enjoy not having to rewire after the derailment, ain't retirement great!

[@babydriver8134]

I go by there every trip south. Thanks for the post.

[@Sunset4Semaphores]

Precision scheduled railroading at its finest. Warren Buffet should be proud!

[@rdm5190]

More shipping delays make more money thru increased prices for the available supply..... Basic Buffet economics 101 Delays are a new marketing tool

[@raylrodr]

Whut?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

This was a UP train

[@AccountInactive]

Why Buffet? Maybe Vanderbilt?

[@simisteve1425]

Mark is our Rapid Responder!

[@normsweet1710]

I’m sure many RR personal are thankful for wisdom to stay outta the way ……. plenty to concern themselves about. I figured we’d see drone coverage ( unless it’s unlawful ?) at any rate we’re grateful for your diligence 🙂👍❤️

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

A couple of people posted drone pix on FB RR groups. They are NOT illegal over the tracks. I don't have one and the channel only covers the gas and occasional meal!

[@jameslang6767]

Speaking as an amateur film maker, you did a great job! The wind noise is bothering, you might want to used resolve 18 as they have a voice isolator. It works great, I do a lot of river boat recording and the wind is a real killer. That feature does an excellent job of getting rid of the wind sound and brings up the voice very sharp,

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thanks. I have a homemade dead cat that works pretty well, but it was jut a breeze. I didn't think it would be an issue. I'll check out the equipment you suggested. Thanks for checking it out!

[@25vrd48]

Standard panel rail are built with 39 ft. rails . I have seen some longer ones but they were built on site .

[@ishehaxor]

Your attitude is awesome! Enjoyed the video and your coverage of it!

[@TheOriginalNaugaHyde]

Great reporting. Thank you.

[@artillerest43rdva7]

rail cars no longer use “last contained” placards only regular regulated marks with UN numbers and the hazard class. if none are present then the material is not regulated by DOT or FRA. some materials are regulated in bulk quantities and not less then 119 gallons in size for liquids. have a great day Mark, good luck getting the shots.

[@jcure]

You only have to placard hazardous loaded Tank Cars Mark. Commodities like vegetable oils, corn syrup, molasses etc. do not require them. Those are general service tank cars so it's hard to say off hand. Could have oil or petroleum-based products, or veg. oil. Or like you say, just empty tank cars. (not tankers) Very good reporting and videography.

[@cdavid8139]

if the car is empty but previously contained hazmat then they have to be placarded as well. (Empty last contained) There are some exceptions. If the car previously contained hazmat but has been cleaned then it can move without placarding

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

As it turned out, it was mineral oil

[@beeble2003]

@@cdavid8139 Yep -- an "empty" car will still have several gallons of product sloshing around in it, plus any vapours. Customers don't generally clean the tanks before sending them back to the shipper -- the shipper's going to have to clean them out anyway, as they wouldn't generally trust the customer to do it properly.

[@jcure]

@@MarkClayMcGowan- - ever intrepid reporter

[@petermerrett7740]

Those tank cars derailing and tumbling the best part of 100' down an embankment without leaking is testament to the standard they were built to. Not sure who in the US sets the standards for these things no doubt they will be looking at videos like your Mark to check out what worked and what needs to be improved upon.

[@BobN.WB1EVU]

Thanks for great shots Mark.

[@Fluffyx_sxs20]

I am 21 till this day I forever will like trains the RailRoad Community is so lovely :D i havent subcribe yet But you for sure earned it Thnx all your content you provide god bless ❤

[@tonymckeage1028]

I've got this in reverse I'm viewing the day after, after i had viewed the 2 days after! thanks for sharing

[@jimsmith9819]

we had a train derail locally a couple years ago, it was at a grade crossing just leaving the yard so they just had to lift two cars back onto the tracks, it was still interesting to watch though

[@motobutch929]

Thanks for bringing us this video. Great job!

[@wasatchrangerailway6921]

Hey Mark, a track panel, or a section of "snap track" is normally 39 feet. They can however be longer: 70 feet or so. This train is a victim of excessive buff forces.

[@cdavid8139]

and you know that...how?

[@muffintop701]

@@cdavid8139 Someone is offended!

[@royreynolds108]

@@cdavid8139 Because the cars went to the outside of the curve. If the cars "stringlined", they would have gone to the inside of the curve. Old railroader.

[@cdavid8139]

@@royreynolds108 so it couldn't have been a broken axle? Or broken rail? Or shifting loads? Or rocks falling on tracks? Old railroader here as well and I have been around dozens of derailments and one thing I learned without a doubt is not to jump to conclusions. Especially when all the evidence you have is based on a video. Surely if you are an old railroader you would have learned that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Yeah, when I was editing I thought "they bring them in on semis, dummy!" 39 makes perfect sense

[@timothyshepodd7826]

So glad that chlorine tank car is not the one that fell and leaked! Blessings!

[@cncpgreatlakesdiv4896]

Hi mark nice coverage thx for the post.😊😊👍👍

[@tylerg7567]

Thanks for sharing. Syracuse NY

[@davebrock6618]

great video Mark. Thanks for sharing.

[@garym4009]

Thank You Roy.

[@skimmer8774]

Can you imagine the noise all this made when it happened.

[@brianhickey5949]

Holy moly! What a derailment. So it was likely due to localized overheating from engine wheels spinning during the ascent. Makes sense. If you overheat this type of steel it changes the structure and will fracture from the extreme heat differences. I wonder if the engines were out of sand? We may never know. What a mess to have to clean up to get traffic moving again. God bless the teams who respond to these derailments. They are always under such pressure and working in a dangerous environment.

[@AntFlynn]

Wow big mess . Thanks for taking us along

[@kens.3729]

So did train in Reverse cause Breakage and Derailment or did Spinning Wheels from the Locomotive cause the Damage and resulting Derailment ? Thanks! 👍🙏

[@glennfoster2423]

Good questions! I can double-dog guarantee you there will be flange marks on the top of the rails and/or marks on the ties (marks, spalled and chipped concrete, damaged clips, marks in the ballast and dirt, etc ) that the ppl l the story. Did every wheel detail at about the same place (like downhill West of the broken rail or many spots unrelated to the broken rail? Was the broken rail on the North rail or South rail? In a curve, tangent or spiral?

[@kens.3729]

I’m wondering if the Conductor is Required to get off and walk the train before they place the train in Reverse to park it on a parallel track. Stalled train Not good. 🤔

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Not in a situation like this. The conductor is a mile from the end of the train and there are rules covering this type of move in this type of track where no public crossings are involved, etc.

[@Jason_Stephens]

Train cars are still on the side of the mountain. Tankers are still at the bottom. Looks like they’re building a road at the bottom of the canyon to get some heavy equipment in there.

[@conductorcammon]

Texas conductor here. Went to bed saying I'd go OD at 10am...woke up it said 2am! Wondered what happened to those trains! Lol

[@anthony75040]

Thank you

[@moonshinefuel]

We just had massive rains, probably softened an already vulnerable area. Tehachapi is a nice area, lots of hills, but probably something to do with the recent rain storms.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Not a factor. We really haven't had that much rain. This track has been here for 145 years and has seen much higher levels of rain and two major earthquakes. UP also surfaces the track every few years. It's solid.

[@StephenHSmith-mn4iq]

passed by there not even five minutes ago, them cars still laying there on the hill😮

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

There is no hurry to get to it. I was up there yesterday with a subscriber. I was asked to say they were empties (which some were) in this video, but there are those who want to be seen as railroad insiders on facebook who felt the need to to shout out that not all cars were empty. No matter, it would have become evident soon enough. The video I did yesterday will show what the thieves have done. Thanks for checking it out!

[@StephenHSmith-mn4iq]

@@MarkClayMcGowan danngg thats crazy, no problem! saw it driving down to vegas and hadda look it up

[@MRRAILFANVON]

It was a perfect Railfan day mark I enjoyed it

[@HashDogg06]

I hope someone got some drone footage.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

@HashDogg06 The Department of Fish and Game did. They had a monster drone! I saw on Facebook that someone got some drone pix. I don't have one. I'm an old fart on a fixed income!

[@ramonalfaro3252]

Wow!!! Crazy!!! Hope everyone is ok.

[@jamescotter5376]

Thank you for that video that was very very cool hope nobody got hurt

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

No injuries. Thanks for checking it out!

[@nate4745]

It was fun listening to this report. Thanks.

[@jeffhodge7272]

My dad worked for The B&A in Me.Bangor and Aroostook. I only remember 1 time in his 25 yrs.a multiple derailment happen. What a mess.🥺

[@ralphwatten2426]

I heard about 40 years ago that there were derailments on the BN system every day. Run through switches and small stuff like that and the occasional big one.

[@Jeffagarcia66]

did that make the news in SOCAL? I dont recall seeing this on KCAL or KABC 7 Wow!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

It didn't make the LOCAL news for two days. The railroads don't advertise this stuff, and unless you're really looking off the freeway here, you wouldn't notice it.

[@Jeffagarcia66]

@@MarkClayMcGowan well thanks for posting I would have never known otherwise

[@jaminova_1969]

I'm guessing the recent rainstorms may have caused some erosion and weakened the tracks. I've never heard of a train stalling. I'm impressed they were able to reopen the line so quickly!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

It had nothing to do with weather. There simply hasn't been that much rain around here. Look at the creek I'm near. It's just a trickle.

[@4NDR01D5]

Yes there is more derailments because of PSR 1.) way longer trains, more stress on power & tracks 2.) less maintenance, less workers, less preventable situations avoided.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

That may be true elsewhere, but it's not true up here. They were putting them on the ground regularly when I hired out in 1979. That's not opinion; that's experience. UP has not engaged in deferred maintenance. If you doubt that, go to my "How Things Work on the Railroad" playlist and check out the videos on the work over the last couple of years, and it was going on while I was still working.

[@glennfoster2423]

Mark is correct, as usual. My experience suggests that you should be careful to have good information and data before arriving at a conclusion as to cause. Citing PTC as the cause is akin to citing loss of the war to a horseshoe nail Many are the discussions where vindication of reasonable cause is elevated to final determination of actual cause after careful analysis of what is fact and what is blatant supposition

[@Brl46574]

Oh please, maximizing power use and optimizing workforce size for need is very basic railroading from a corporate standpoint, PSR is just a further extension of whats been done for a long LONG time, not some catalyst for a huge uptick in issues

[@buddyboy66]

why so many derailments on the tehachapi lines and so few in Cajon Pass?

[@DesertHighIron]

Because Tehachapi is far more treacherous and difficult to operate than Cajon is, you can tell just by the speed limits that one is a way different ball game (23 in Tehachapi vs 40 in Cajon). The grades are higher, the curves are tighter and all the trains share one track as opposed to 4 like in Cajon. Cajon had a pretty nasty derailment about a month ago if I remember right, coal train dumped about 30 cars at Frost.

[@buddyboy66]

@@DesertHighIron Thanks. i knew there was a reason.

[@wolfeyez77]

Interesting... The first time I drove to Tehachapi for a job in the area (coming from Sacramento), I think it was late in the year, maybe around 2015 or so, and there happened to be a train derailment then too and looks like it might've been in the same area.

[@grapeape16]

What do you guys think? Rather be cleaning up this mess in 30 degree weather or in the summer time with 95 degree weather?

[@lwilton]

30 degrees is usually better for outdoor work. You generate a fair amount of heat if you are moving around, and with some even moderately heavy clothing the cold isn't a problem. On the other hand, if it is 95, it is hard to lose heat when you expend effort, so you get tired fairly quickly. Now, if the question was 95 or minus 25, the answer may go the other way around. You need thick clumsy clothing at those temperatures.

[@rwisswell]

I’ll take the heat over the cold any day!

[@fhowland]

30 degrees not even a question

[@PacoOtis]

Dude! Excellently presented and we hope you are a teacher somewhere! Best of luck!

[@ruthmusser4449]

I saw a pink peterbuilt with trailer way down over the mtn once on its side.

[@normcochran9414]

What happens when you push a string?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Backing down this grade, there was no pushing going on. Momentum did most of the damage

[@jasonpetersrailadventures]

Mark, is this something you would have had to go to, all hands on deck, if you were working with them?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Not in this case as there was no signal damage. I would have been called when it happened, assessed any signal issues, and went home. Possibly come back to bond the panels, but sometimes even that isn't necessary when copper mesh is placed in the angle bar (fishplate) for continuity as it was here. Thanks for checking it out!

[@Jack-dw2sz]

I have been running a simulated train on Run8. There has been an emergency. I noticed that the section of Tunnel 7 is a tricky place

[@Alexander-tq5iu]

Great video thank you!

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

Are they ever going to enlarge the loops oh Tehachapi Loop? Running a 100 car train through there makes about as much sense to me as trying to pull a 50 car Lionel train through an 027 curve.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

There have actually been very few derailments on the loop. It can not be "widened out." If you had ever actually been there, you would understand why. And how is running a 100 car train around it any different than running a 75 car train around it? They will both utilize the entire loop. This isn't a model train set. The forces involved aren't in the same realm of physics.

[@elpayin1]

Sir, I don’t know if you belong to an organization, you are a private citizen or what but I know that you made an EXCELLENT video. Muy bueno. Double thumbs up.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thank you. I retired from the SP/UP signal department after 40 years. It's the reason I have good access to some of these places.

[@thomasking4136]

Great video. Wonder if railroad was operating too long a train with inadequate power, or did a unit or two quit? Gotta wonder after this if railroad is really saving money in long run. Idk.

[@LuckyBaldwin777]

I was wondering if one of the units ran out of sand. Then I saw all the units they sent to rescue the back end of the train. I think they did that to have a bunch of wheels under dynamic braking. Now I'm thinking the rails were icy.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I understand multiple units were having issues

[@LuckyBaldwin777]

@@MarkClayMcGowan If that's the case, I find it strange they didn't just power down and wait for help when it stalled instead of spinning the wheels and burning the rails.

[@islawilliams9572]

very interesting comentary and good footage thank you from the u.k.

[@em2attic]

So for everybody wondering, one of the units in the lead consists of the MRVWC 19 went belly up and quit loading so they were instructed to try and continue pulling up the grade three times. With them doing so the last DPU(UP SD70M) the only DC traction locomotive in the consist burned up the rail in 6 spots, after they gave all their effort they attempted to shove the train back into double track and in the process those 6 spots of broken rail broke sending 11 cars into the ditch in total. The MRVLA 20 which was the train sitting on main 1 at Marcel was having issues with the air as well so they had to stop anyway. Rear half of the train had to get pulled back to Bakersfield to repair the last car (single intermodal well car) before being repowered and sent back on the way to West Colton 2 days later after the rail was already repaired. Nobody was injured or in trouble. But when you hear a railroader say they hate SD70M or any other DC traction units, well this is a great example of why. Also those intermodal's are empty, autorack empty, and the tanks were the only loads that had major damage.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thanks for the info!

[@jesseestrada5903]

How come this wasn't reported in the news or the newspaper? I would have heard that derailment as it is, since my family and I live near there. My brother and I would have definitely heard something since I went to sleep at 3 that morning and my brother went to sleep a little after 2:30 am. Hmm 🤔, interesting. Channel 17 or 23 websites don't say anything about it either

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I don't watch the local news or read the Californian, but I heard they did something on it a couple days later. One of them messaged me and asked if they could use my stills, but I don't know if they did.

[@swansong.cloudd]

Hey, it's June 10th here. The remains still lay on the side of the track. I am unsure if it is recent or this. It is very identical.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

It's the same one. UP has let the cleanup contract. It's now a government permit thing.

[@swansong.cloudd]

@@MarkClayMcGowan Thanks for notifying me. Great video

[@LuckyBaldwin777]

I wonder if icy rails had something to do with the stall.

[@bigmacfullerton7870]

Nobody there at 7. Every agency known to man out there by 10. 😂 Nice video!

[@anthonypaparo1975]

Hey Mark. Seems to be quite a few derailment around the country these days?

[@chrisstromberg6527]

Great coverage Mark. Just out of curiosity, how many large derailments like this do you think you worked over your career?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Major stuff...just a guess...maybe 30-35?

[@planck39]

With AC Drive Motors with a stiff control, US Cargo Trains wouldn't stall all the times. Friction 0.37 instead of 0.17 in case of a weak DC drive. Would decrease track wear too.

[@Brad-S]

Well if those tankers were full? That says a lot about how well they must be built. Thanks Mark.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

They are quite robust and quite full!

[@scootertrash911]

Extra engines for dynamic braking.

[@michaeltb1358]

Great video with informative soundtrack. Combination of poor track maintenance and crazy long trains seems to have made such events routine. Clearly must be cheaper than preventive maintenance.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

There is a misconception about lack of track maintenance on UP. That is simply not the case. They have been changing rail, ties and switches, and doing major surfacing jobs over the last decade system wide. The system rail gang is on the Tehachapi right now on a three month project. You should go find my "How Things Work on the Railroad" playlist. I have covered a great deal of that work. Thanks for checking it out.

[@MrEricmopar]

There have been a ton of stalled trains on UP and BNSF recently... The executives have decided that trains with barely enough power can make do with even less... you know, toxic big business going even farther, because modern railroad execs have never actually operated trains, like decades ago.

[@jerrysanders9101]

Electric trains ? 🙄

[@remylopez4821]

I am guessing that if those container cars were mixed in with the manifest freight train, and more than likely they were empties but that’s just my best guess

[@remylopez4821]

And Mark, I saw your truck on the loop camera

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Hey! You love to speculate too! The ones they pushed over sounded empty, but I'm just guessing too.

[@jasonharrington2106]

those ajpx cars are from my work.thnks again for vid

[@nerd3d-com]

14:35 "I'm not a car counter" yeah and if it really stalled it would seem who ever assigned the power isn't a car counter either.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Multiple unit failures. It left with enough power. It just didn't end up with enough power