The Good news:It was a normal day in Sharon Springs, Kansas, when a Union Pacific crew boarded a loaded coal train for the long trek to Salina.
The Bad news:Just a few miles into the trip a wheel bearing became overheated and melted, letting a metal support drop down and grind on the rail, creating white-hot molten metal droppings that spewed onto the rail.
The Good news:A very alert crew noticed smoke and immediately stopped the train in compliance with the Governmental Regulations.
The Bad news:The train stopped with the hot wheel over a wooden bridge with creosote ties and trusses. When the crew tried to explain to higher-ups that they needed to move the train, they were instructed not to move the train because Federal Regulations prohibit moving the train when a part is defective. Well, okee-dokey, then. The pictures tell the rest of the story. As always,the government knows what is best for us.
