Expensive derailment.......

I live near these tracks and about once a month three of these planes go by heading west to Boeing? I think they must be or were 737's.
I'd place a bet that they won't be flying anytime soon.....

http://www.kbzk.com/news/train-derails-west-of-missoula-spilling-airplane-parts-into-river/

Given the color, they look like brand new fuselages headed to Seattle to be mated with wings, etc. Looks like it's the 737 Next Generation...here's a link with the exact thing, fuselages on rail cars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737

That'll buff right out.

There is a plant here in Helena that builds 737 components, but the fuselages are made in Wichita, KS I believe.

We just had a derailment here in town......Somehow (as I know the area) an SUV got on the tracks and was driving? northbound when it was overtaken by an Acela doing 125mph.
The SUV with the occupants were golfed into the middle of next week.
OM

Those thing SHOULD have been passing by the house today or tomorrow. ~sigh~ Nothing but scrap metal now. Bummer.

Always puts a smile on my face when they go by.

Might make a nice R.V....

Wish I could buy one stick some wheels on it and an "Airstream" logo and go camping......it would be awesome!

bigskyrider said:

I live near these tracks and about once a month three of these planes go by heading west to Boeing? I think they must be or were 737's.
I'd place a bet that they won't be flying anytime soon.....

http://www.kbzk.com/news/train-derails-west-of-missoula-spilling-airplane-parts-into-river/

Click to expand...

"Frost tells MTN News a total of 19 cars derailed; seven cars with aircraft components, three cars carrying soybeans, three cars with denatured alcohol and the other seven were empty."

7+3+3+7=19 ???

...expensive derailment...bigskyrider

Click to expand...

Not just for the fuselages, but for the losses resulting from production interruption.

Each Of the fuselages passes a block from our home every month. Usually three on a train just behind the locomotives. Total train length is usually 75 cars (or so). Their assembly destination is Spokane, WA.

Those trains are always a mongrel lot - grain, liquid, box, lumber racks. The fuselages come from assembly in Wichita. It is not uncommon for only part of a train to derail, leaving the majority of cars upright and on the tracks.

The fuselage cars are longer than an average car which can lead to some cornering "issues" where the kinetics go wonky. We had some empty coal cars get blown off the tracks last week.