Removing a Norfolk Southern Locomotive from the Lehigh River, Lower Saucon, Pennsylvania - 3.3.24

Watch exclusive drone video of crews removing the Norfolk Southern locomotive that crashes and derailed into the Lehigh River in Lower Saucon, Northampton County Pennsylvania

[@bobwickes1380]

Absolutely fascinating drone footage of how easy it is to lift a 400,000 lb locomotive uphill out of a river.

[@ellisjackson336]

Through the mud

[@scootertrash911]

with the right equipment @ a million dollars an hour.

[@jasonboche]

Yes it is amazing.

[@chris4321das]

@@scootertrash911 If it was a million dollars an hour they'd just let the loco swim with the fishes 🐟🐟🐟

[@ryanfields5181]

They cut out the best part! It's fascinating how they flip a locomotive upright with all the people and machines working together.

[@Harrison2253]

Unfortunately they missed or edited out a lot

[@bobwickes1380]

It was almost 2.5 hours. I'm assuming they had to change drone batts at that moment. I was annoyed also that they missed it but it's still a very professionally done video.

[@BlackMan614]

The best part? The best part is how NS Dispatching could have 2 trains running on the same track!

[@bobwickes1380]

@@BlackMan614 BILLIONS FOR PTC and this is what humans do. RUN a red signal. Luckily no deaths but two guys are out of a high paying job.

[@jasonrackawack9369]

What a wreck....3 trains....Gomez Adams would be proud of that.

[@PaulSurguy]

I will see if I can find a picture of Gomez Adams handy work,

[@falconseyeaerialservicesll8176]

It happened in December 1995 on the now CSX, an Conrail line in Effingham, IL., between Indianapolis, IN., and St. Louis, IL. A westbound Conrail extra 6437 train stopped on a signal on a two track main while waiting for the eastbound to go by. The second westbound Conrail extra 5012 operating on a "restricting" signal indication which permitted a maximum speed of 15 mph, collided with the rear of extra 6437 west at an estimated speed of 27 mph. Conrail extra 6437 west was stopped at a stop signal. Neither crew gave warning to the approaching Conrail extra 6259 east that a collision had occurred. The eastbound train exited a right-hand curve and collided with the derailed cars of extra 5012 west resulting in a derailment and fire. The engineer and the conductor of extra 5012 west were fatally injured in the collision and fire. The conductor of the extra 6259 east was fatally injured and the engineer sustained minor injuries. Transcripts of radio conversations that occurred shortly before the accident indicated that the crewmen of extra 5012 west were awake prior to the collision. However they may have thought that extra 6737 west was stopped further to the west than it actually was.

[@DieCastoms]

look up the Great East Thompson Railway Wreck of 1891. VERY similar to this wreck. two freight trains collided head on. A third Express train on an adjacent track hit debris from the first wreck, and a -fourth- Express train on the adjacent track rear ended the third. Hundreds of people were injured. TWO died. The house my father grew up in was struck b nd subsequently repaired with pieces of a boxcar from the wreck.

[@eddieweigel9490]

LMFAO 😂 😂 😂

[@FarmerDrew]

😂

[@mec4703]

Those Mantis cranes are amazing.

[@henryparker1882]

The "TEAM" from Cranemasters never cease to amaze...These men and women are known for the professionalism and capabilities!!! Another amazing job done without incident, under extenuating circumstances, at a moments notice...Well Done Team!!! Well Done!!!

[@courtneallen9990]

This !!!!

[@philbob99]

Yes! Thanks for the name. Did not know who this outfit was. Have seen Hulcher many times.

[@backho12]

Well done and well paid!

[@duotronic6451]

Guys standing next to those under tension cables have huge manly balls. ❤❤❤

[@Charlesbjtown]

Or an unlimited supply of stupidity.

[@thekingsilverado3266]

Just figure it this way if one breaks its over pretty quickly and when they snap it is usually either a clean amputation or death. But the newer cable retrieval systems have dead fall design to them. I don't rightly understand how it works. My brother was a Trackman for Conrail he now woks for a smaller RR in Tennessee. Over the years he told me uprighting a fallen engine is some feat.. I know years ago they used to hook other weighted cables to the retrieval cable lines. The Navy used to do that on moor lines as well. That I know I am Navy & Marines. In some instances like this one that probably is not possible.

[@Charles-um5hd]

like Big Daddy Sacks

[@dennisb-trains23]

Hairy ones too!

[@tomt9543]

Big balls or small brains!

[@richgaulin3633]

I just pick mine up and put it back on the track. 😂

[@wrayds]

Yeah, but this is more prototypical!😄

[@RedPlayz1145]

@@MD76MAC 💀💀💀💀

[@wendyalexander1893]

Hahahaha

[@bill90405]

Yes but you dont run one train into another and then another head on. Way Pugsley Addams!

[@jonredd650]

Fr!

[@wesc.8061]

This is an impressive display of skills and teamwork as this locomotive is maneuvered back onto the ROW. Superb filming by the drone operators to share this operation with all of us desk jockeys. Thanks!

[@michaellavric5097]

Now that was some amazing coordinated efforts, the way the machines worked together. Impressive, very impressive!

[@haroldreardon1407]

The people worked together, NOT the machines.

[@davidarnovitz628]

They do it almost daily………

[@robertstevens9656]

looks like the opening scene of Harrison Ford's "The Fugitive!"

[@a-fl-man640]

i'm impressed by the lifting power of those final 2 cranes. also talented riggers.

[@kens.3729]

Thanks for filming the Recovery of the Locomotive. Several pieces of Equipment and Plenty of Workers can get the Job Done and Line re-Opened. 👍🙏

[@vrmntthb]

Besides this fabulous footage,I’m amazed at how long the battery draw has been on the marker and headlight to be still lit…

[@davidarnovitz628]

the batteries are huge and last for days without charging

[@Bernard32]

The locomotive now deserves nose art. The River Dweller!

[@jeanacarter872]

I agree with the great videography! And what a fantastic feat to witness.

[@michaelmartin8036]

As a retired paramedic who has seen his fare share of life ending trauma, I can't believe how many people were standing, in what would be called the killing zone, so close to where if the cable were to snap that they would be dead before the top half of there body hit the ground. OSHA would have a field day with this!

[@rickprobst7555]

bc it's Norfolk Southern That's Why they don't give a F**k about safety fr fr that's no lie they Legit were heard saying at meetings saying they are More Worried about the dollar bill instead

[@rickprobst7555]

ik this bc I worked for them at one time

[@SteamCrane]

I was thinking the same thing. Cut in half.

[@SupremeRuleroftheWorld]

not just that, but pulling on the bogie wich they almost ripped off completly. its a shitshow from a safety and technical perspective. way too much yee-hawing going on.

[@michaelmartin8036]

@@SupremeRuleroftheWorldI really wonder exactly how many people were doing the job versus how many management persons were involved.

[@davidpulaski5628]

Excellent videography , ' must have required multiple battery changes for your quadcopter! Kudos to the heavy equipment guys also. Was that RJ Corman & Co. doing the heavy lifting ??? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@railseast]

A company called Cranemasters is on this scene. They do a lot of RR cleanup in the Pa and NJ area.

[@ethanmcdowell9677]

Looked like Cranemasters and Hulcher on scene. That wasn't a cheap recovery....

[@Mike44460]

​@ethanmcdowell9677 Money is no object in this situation. Get the trains through here ASAP.

[@jeffrosen8237]

I think they just plugged into a current bush! 😊 Those electric people need to go back to the drawing board!

[@bethweber9398]

I hope the conductor & engineer are both alright!

[@stevenhufschmidt9848]

All ok

[@jonredd650]

​@@stevenhufschmidt9848dummies

[@Carolb66]

That was a very complicated scene. Recovery was a very good job well done. What a way for that loco to end up, such a shame. Wish everyone well affected by this. ❤

[@user-cg9ly4wg2s]

That locomotive will be fixed and back to running again.

[@Carolb66]

@@user-cg9ly4wg2s that would be great to see! 👍🥰

[@SupremeRuleroftheWorld]

it was not a good job. if someone from osha was standing there he would have aneurysm.

[@Carolb66]

@@SupremeRuleroftheWorld I don't know who Osha is. Many people thought it was a good job & I did too just from what I saw, though I'm not in the industry just a railfan. 🥰

[@solo2r]

Amazing Work! And then lights are still on the Loco!

[@donnabarnes2115]

fantastic video coverage. thank you for taking the time and effort to do that.

[@lancelane217]

Great job getting the recovery on video! Thank you!

[@ILSRWY4]

Amazing there were no injuries... glad the crew made it out ok!

[@Harrison2253]

The head and number lights still on

[@JohnReall]

One of the ditch lights were on under water yesterday too.

[@1STGeneral]

John Bodett special

[@Harrison2253]

@@1STGeneral no room though

[@Kylejeepadventures]

Its gonna be fun seeing these locomotives at the General Electric plant in for rebuild where I work.

[@RockinRavenVA]

So they can be rebuilt? Good to know.

[@mt5144]

Anything is rebuildable as long as you got a massive pot of cash.@@RockinRavenVA

[@neilwilliams5173]

Great job by the recovery crews my hat is off to them.

[@Peter-xo6bn]

The average person has NO clue as to how heavy these locomotives are or the energy released when they derail. This crew was fantastic at removing those units from the river. Wrecks are a special breed of people.

[@roberthevern6169]

I could watch stuff like this all effing day!! Oh, the existential questions....

[@kennethwood2089]

Great Teamwork! Those "Mantis" lifters--amazing.

[@glashoppah]

The tracked cranes are incredibly powerful. I've never seen their like before. Incredible.

[@RaceIsOpen]

Wow, the power of the cranes and strength of the cables

[@edogle8163]

Thxs good video on the clean up.....

[@rosiemcnaughton9933]

Amazing footage of an amazing job done by these people!

[@Mike44460]

The proper application of force.

[@25vrd48]

Damn FOOLS for being that close to the winch cables . Guess they haven't ever seen anyone cut in two by a broke cable ?

[@bpp325]

Choreography only the Rockettes dream of. This was phenomenal to watch the crews do it like it was an everyday occurrence. Kudos to them all. 👍👍👏👏

[@BOBXFILES2374a]

Some of the most amazing footage!!!

[@ernestimken6969]

It's amazing how small the crains are next to the loco, but they get the job done.

[@rickkearn7100]

Surgical. Nice work by recovery folks.

[@brokenmotorwagen1328]

Great job. Looks like everyone knew what they were doing. It's rare these days.

[@WideWorldofTrains]

The power of those Block and Tackle cranes

[@JC-dt4jq]

This video ranks right up there with showing the Indy 500 and NOT SHOWING THE LAST LAP.

[@AndyfromG]

Sad to see 8157 in that position, but the guys did a great job to get her out of this mess

[@brendanpowell6613]

R.I.P. NS 8157

[@roberthevern6169]

Those guys are some good operators!

[@treydogg77]

There’s a lot of counter balance going on here

[@richarddrum9970]

Great work by the wreck salvage crew, but yes those guys were too close to those tension cables, ask any carrier flight crew member that has seen arresting cables snap on a landing, not pretty. Good work guys.

[@RFMCabooseNP1713]

Very cool. Nice work.

[@WiilyDerbbinphlatte]

The part I most wanted to see was how they rolled it back upright. Nothing ............figures.

[@raymondszybowicz7597]

Those cranes have unbelievable power

[@megatrains]

EPIC footage buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@DougGrinbergs]

If I was a TV news director, I'd want to license some of this drone footage 👍

[@KPMACHINE1]

They made that look easy! Awesome job!

[@sed6]

Absolutely incredible! The teamwork and coordination and the massive equipment involved is amazing. Those guys scrambling down the hill, they are real risk takers, real men! The video really needs to be played at a faster speed to appreciate the coordinated movements of that heavy equipment.

[@jameslist7385]

WOW the power of the equipment now a days

[@eddieafterburner]

This is precisely why we can’t allow one person crews and always need at least two alert and on-the-ball crew members in the cab having a social hou…erm, I mean, vigilantly monitoring the track ahead and maintaining each other’s situational awareness.

[@paulne1514]

Does this mean RR’s will have to put the third rail for all tracks alongside a waterway?

[@sherlocksteve9109]

very professional work.

[@joelkjager7724]

OUTSTANDING!

[@SugarmanWelding_Repair]

CRANEMASTERS! These guys are local to me and I always wondered what they do! So cool!

[@SteamCrane]

It looks like the workers are close to the wreck while rigging, then back off for the pull. You need to be further away than the length of the cable in use. A reason to keep the machines close to the engine, to minimize cable length exposed.

[@Deploracle]

Imagine only having battery-powered heavy equipment? This job would take two months.

[@Kurokyura]

That is incredible to watch

[@baddriversoflittlerock8359]

Am I seeing correct that the loco still had lights on when they started dragging it out the river?

[@TheRoyalHabibah]

amazing white cranes vs Black locomotive

[@weldmachine]

It's pretty cool having an Excavator with a Winch on the back. Obviously these guys have done this sort of work before 👍👍

[@curtchase3730]

Yes, amazing work! Wow. The good folks on "Highway Thru Hell" (TV drama series) could use one of those super cool telescoping track cranes! They could pick up anything! They got all the RR cars out of the way in a hurry. I thought it would take weeks and the customers of the freight would not get their stuff for a month!

[@tylersebring8045]

Great video but some of the guys that were near the machine if say a little to close ik it's hard to see lucky nothing went wrong great work for these guys they did a great job

[@MrDeagunJones]

I can't believe the amount of people just standing around watching and getting paid

[@cromagnon305]

nice cut, how did it end up completely on its side?

[@rennethjarrett4580]

Great work and getting it done. I do have a few concerns, questions. Why did they not have the cranes back farther especially after they got it out of the river. It was like they moved it 3 feet and then all the machines had to move back again. Would the cables break it they were out farther? Also hooking on to the wheel trucks to pull it up was not the best place, since from what I know the trucks just set under frame with no attachment other then the weight of it all and the power cables to the motors in the trucks is the only physical connection.

[@piannyplayer]

Not sure as to why they hooked onto the wheel trucks...I had the same question... My guess is they were so close to the cab in order to have a safe balance for the cranes. The farther away a load gets, the higher the risk of a crane tipping over.

[@ReRiderChi]

Great channel content

[@edsyphan3425]

Oh man, what a ride.

[@highplainsdrifter8034]

Great coverage. What caused the wreck? A broken rail?

[@gragor11]

What? Didn't show the uprighting of the locomotive? Really?

[@fredcsensits4476]

By noon on Monday 3/4/24track was repaired and trains running again. About 48 hrs repair time

[@wjchesla]

I live about a mile or two from this, and heard t he crash. Fascinating to see how this is getting cleaned up.

[@ryankruchowski1951]

I hate to be the one who has to clean up this mess.

[@ReRiderChi]

great music

[@Peter-pv8xx]

Did they set on the tracks and was it able to be towed and what caused the derailment i wonder.

[@robertkurycki2915]

10 pieces of lift equipment and all the support vehicles , cool. In the old days they would bring out the 250 ton Railroad wrecker/crane and pull it out. But like they are saying great footage. Wow!

[@jackieeastom8758]

I bet that was one wild ride

[@nonenone4848]

Are the shareholders ok ?

[@RoyExplores]

yes, none of the shareholders were injured

[@garychaney5484]

How big are the chains to lift such a load? Like to see them close up attaching engine to the hook on the crain!

[@markchapman3021]

That just can't keep them on the track can thay?

[@mrknotthall]

Does something like this get repaired and put back in use or does the whole thing get scrapped? And if it gets repaired, or even scrapped, how do they move it there? Isn’t it too heavy to put on a train and move it?

[@6t9chargerse]

I've seen a few dead engines in the middle of a freight train being taken somewhere for either service or scrapping. One train had 3 non-running engines in the line of cars just free wheeling along with the rest.

[@juliabaumer8315]

I'm really surprised Norfolk and Southern hasn't been sued yet for all these train derailments. That's quite a trainwreck I hope and pray no one was seriously hurt. Good job men for cleaning this mess up.

[@joeyjamison5772]

First, they screwed up Ohio. Now they're working on Pennsylvania.

[@rickprobst7555]

I was wondering the Same Darn Thing fr fr

[@rickprobst7555]

I'm surprised they are Still a functioning company

[@fourtyfivefudd]

They were sued, and I’m sure it’s still on going with more suits to come. Anyway, I work there and was able to hear about what happened. No one was seriously injured thankfully. What happened was the dispatcher wanted to put a train into a siding, right behind another train in the same siding to make room for a passing train on the main. There’s nothing wrong with putting multiple trains on one siding. So long as you got the room to fit it’s fine. Dispatcher even told them they would be behind another train in the siding. So the crew knew about a train ahead of what the dispatcher didn’t tell them, was that there was already ANOTHER train in that siding. There were already 2 trains, and the dispatcher wanted to put a third in there. So the crew had way less room than they thought they had. But they also came around the bend into the siding too fast. They should have been able to stop within half the distance of sight. Clearly they were going too fast to be able to do that, because they hit the rear of the second train, derailed their engines and both trains cars, some of which spilling onto the main. The train that was supposed to hold the main then came by and smashed into everything that fall onto the main. The scariest thing for me to see is that river. If I were in that locomotive, I’d be pooing my pants thinking we’re about to be trapped under there. The nose the cab was almost under water so they couldn’t get out that way, and if you saw the photos of what happened right after, it looks the like engine is leaning on its right, which is where the engineers door side is. So I wouldn’t want to go out that way either in case the engine tips while your on that walk way. There’s no safe way out other than to climb out the window and risk breaking an ankle.

[@chrisoconnell5143]

They are in in corporared

[@andrewtaylor940]

Am I imagining it, or are the number plate lights and headlights still on?

[@CAV3MAN227]

Impressive.

[@billhillyer334]

Standing close to those cables is awful dangerous wouldn't you think

[@TheMikeman1971]

Good Job Guys !

[@user-fs8yi6bk1d]

Wonder if was destroyed or still useable ?

[@OutdoorsSC]

So Sad. We have these come through Clemson everyday and to see one wrecked is not a good feeling. Hope no one was really hurt.

[@bryanshoemaker6120]

$1,000 per minute. That's how much a derailment cost according to a Canadian locomotive company. I'm sure there's lots of variables to that as well.

[@charlietanner6211]

excellent video clean up would go a long way towards track maintence though

[@WildWildWeasel]

Wonder if they're gonna be able to repair it or if it's a hull loss

[@thomaskerley1388]

What was the purpose of the white fabric the right crane was on?

[@JTTTTx]

Petroleum mitigation

[@MrPeerum]

😅mine compliment to save the trains,and the people there,amazing to see. greetings from the Netherlands from the NS and Prorail.😅greetz:🍐Peer.😅👍👍👍👍

[@user-yt7wq3vy8w]

While I understand a recovery and rightfully so is the focus on the cause and then the recovery?

[@rockingtr1]

Not their job, man. FRA has people for that. They will make determination based on their findings

[@DougGrinbergs]

1:51 dragging locomotive uphill

[@Charlesbjtown]

Unbelievable pulling power, especially considering they are pulling on its side..... in the mud.

[@georgethecritic9850]

That's some serious cranes at work.