[cymbeline]

Interesting that a wheel bearing failure was the cause. Wonder what the main causes of derailments are, or possibly the main cause of failure is a track problem, or one train hitting another, or bad information to the engineer, or a negligent engineer.

I picture the local people wanting to get all the money they can via lawsuit.

[Myrddin]

Interesting that a wheel bearing failure was the cause.

Having a wheel bearing burnoff is not unusual. The "old school" way to detect it in motion is with heat activated "stink bombs" inserted in the bearing adaptor. That relies on have a human downwind to detect the odor, inform the locomotive, stop the train and walk end to end to locate the "stinker". In the monitoring system I built for FRA, the stink bomb holes hosted an electronic thermal sensor. There are sensors on the inboard and outboard bearing adaptors at each wheel. When my cars were parked, I could tell which side of the car was getting sunlight. The monitor would reported a hot bearing to the locomotive long before a human could have smelled a stink bomb. C'est la vie!

I still have some of the hardware in my basement from the canceled project. Here is the bearing thermal sensor.

[philman_36]

Interesting that a wheel bearing failure was the cause.

Maintenance records. That's where any evidence will be...IMO.

[philman_36]

FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF RAILROAD SAFETY MOTIVE POWER AND EQUIPMENT COMPLIANCE MANUAL
Page 5-9...Inspecting the undercarriage from a pit.

Just one of the many things they do.