This is Canadian National locomotive number 2699. It is a 212 ton machine powered by a 183 liters 4400 hp V16 4 stroke diesel
Shortly before this picture was taken, whilst working under load, 2699 experienced what is known in the trade as a catastrophic uncontained engine failure. The train was passing the town of Independence , La at the time.
The next picture shows that one of the 16 cylinder packs that form the engine was ejected through the engine bay body side and thrown clear of the locomotive.
In addition to this the piston from that cylinder was thrown free by the force of the failure. It was ejected so violently that it traveled through the air and crashed through the roof of a nearby home where it embedded itself in an interior wall.
3 comments:
Fact is stranger than fiction. If you wrote a story that started out "It was a dark and windy night and as the train came by, a piston exploded through its side, hurtling through the roof and into the wall beside me". . . . . . .
Glad I didnt have any thing to do with that...
When I worked for the Navy, I was aboard a chartered oil service tug for a sea test. On the way home, I was awakened by silence. it was a very calm night with a bright moon shining off the swells.
While I was sleeping one of two big deisel engines (basically locomotive engines) had a problem. One cylinder lost oil coolant and over-heated then broke apart. It started an engineroom fire.
Once the fire was put out ... thankfully not my job ... the crew worked to put things to rights. The one engine was dead until parts could be replaced. the other worked as did the electric generator. however the wires to the steering gear were burned...no steering.
the crew jury rigged steering using a couple of circuit breakers.
Returning to New London on a sunny summer saturday though the yacht traffic was a job only for proffessionals. We had one engine and busted steering but a working horn! we didn't hit anyone and did find our peir safely ...
Support the Merchant Marine!!!
Great story, Thank you Eric!
Post a Comment