Train Wreck

by George Bibel

Trains are massive—with some weighing 15,000 tons or more. When these metal monsters collide or go off the rails, their destructive power becomes clear. In this book, George Bibel presents riveting tales of trains gone wrong, the detective work of finding out why, and the safety improvements that were born of tragedy.

Train Wreck details 17 crashes in which more than 200 people were killed. Readers follow investigators as they sift through the rubble and work with computerized event recorders to figure out what happened. Using a mix of eyewitness accounts and scientific explanations, Bibel draws us into a world of forensics and human drama.

Train Wreck is a fascinating exploration of• runaway trains• bearing failures• metal fatigue• crash testing • collision dynamics• bad rails

Genres: Technology, Nonfiction

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2012

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, a clarification: There’s no relation between this book and the Amy Schumer movie - this book is about actual train wrecks. Didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up unnecessarily. 😊

Trains are a very important part of America’s transportation network; millions of pounds of freight and thousands of passengers travel by rail every year, and the vast majority of trains travel without incident. But accidents happen, and this book covers the science behind the various ways that rail accidents can happen.

From collisions to runaway trains, from shattered rails to bowed tracks, there are a lot of ways that a train can have an accident, and “Trainwreck” discusses the scientific theory behind dangerous conditions that can be encountered by trains, examples of accidents involving such conditions, and actions taken over the years to reduce the likelihood of similar accidents. The incidents covered in the book range in date from the nineteenth century to relatively recent incidents, such as the 2008 Chatsworth Metrolink crash, and cover incidents with passenger and freight trains. There are a lot of potential problems that could cause a train to crash, but we see in the book that a lot of effort goes into making sure that accidents don’t happen.

The book is an interesting look into the various potential hazards that can be encountered on the rails. The scientific concepts are mostly presented in terms a layman can understand (although things do get bogged down from time to time), and the stories show what can happen as the result of human or equipment failure without being overly sensational.

It can be a bit of a slow read, but “Trainwreck” is a fascinating look into a subject that seldom gets sensibly and rationally discussed. Worth a read if you’re interested in trains or knowing about how accidents happen.

[Bob H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clever, readable, often-compelling, but thorough book about railroading, viewed through accidents, through what can go terribly wrong. Mr. Bibel introduces us to the technologies -- historic and current -- in railroads: pneumatic brake systems, dynamic braking systems, central and positive train controls, interlocking towers, axle bearings, rails and ties, and more. Though focused on US and Canadian railroads, he does touch on railroad accidents elsewhere in the world, usually Europe, and notably regarding high-speed railroads.

This is a book for a number of audiences; certainly it's a good introduction for those most concerned about it: transit and railroad authorities, emergency-response agencies, regional planners. Rail buffs will find it fascinating simply because it teaches much about how a train works and runs, particularly the simple freight car, so ubiquitous on American railroads. It's also not bad for teaching certain basic scientific concepts, as Mr. Bibel illustrates accident forensics with basic physics equations on speed, gravity and force; he also touches on metallurgy (rails); friction (wheel bearings); rail-car design; and modern electronics and communications. It's timely, as he begins his book with a look at the horrific commuter-train/freight collision in LA in 2008, and considers the new challenges posed by ultra-high speed trains in Europe, Asia and the US Northeast Corridor.

There's not much sensationalism here. His approach is to exemplify each kind of accident: this was a crash in recent or past history, this is what happend, this is why, these are the technical factors and underlying technology. Brake failure, rail failure, signal failure, bearings giving out, human error. It's matter-of-fact and perhaps more valuable, since the book spans a lot of scenarios. It'll certainly leave the reader with a lot to think about, next time s/he sits at a railroad crossing and watches the locomotives and cars pass by.

Highest recommendation.

POSTSCRIPT, July 2013: After the horrific train crashes at Lac-Megantic, Quebec, and Santiago de Compostela, Spain, this book deserves another look. The general causes of the accidents -- a runaway string of crude-oil tank cars, a passenger train taking an outside curve too fast -- are plain enough, but there's enough technical detail in this book that may be helpful in explaining what set the events in motion.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I picked this up after hearing the author speak at a local engineering (as in aeronautic & astronautic) association meeting because my library didn't have his plane crash book. So even though my dad was an engineer (as in railroad) for years, I actually started reading this on a bit of a whim (i.e. I'm not a railroad buff, but I know people who are!).

I do like a good science book, after all, and this book has a moderately delightful amount of science. But let's face it, I was really in it for the wrecks. And with the exception of a chapter or two, the author did a really good job balancing the two (I still get sleepy just think of the science-stuffed 'Gravity' chapter *yawn*). He'd start off with a interesting wreck or two then go over the physical forces/underlying mechanics that were involved. Dramatic and informative!

One of the more wonderful things about this book was that it included a profuse number of illustrations - YAY! - so for once I don't have to whine about that. Those definitely helped me understand lots of railroady things I'd never encountered before. Mind you, there weren't many photographs but I found the few black and white wreck photos that were included to be unhelpful (I had no idea what I was looking at).

However, the author did win my 'nerd of the year' award for including both American standard AND metric conversions after every. single. measurement in the book. Maybe the publisher intends to only publish this one edition for the entire planet and the author wanted to cover all his measurement bases. Still, NERD!

Finally, despite the fact that I enjoyed it, I'm sooo happy to finally finish because it was derailing (heh) all my other reading!

[Daniel]

George Bibel really did a great job on this work of art. It goes very deep into the reasons why a train would derail. It also talks about examples, and he explains everything in a way that doesn't overwhelm you. Well, that's what I think.

Go ahead and try it for yourself.