CHAOS Report #4 - Silver Iris vs the Bumper Post at Denver - November 29, 2010

Mechanical Liaison Officer's report by: Paul L. DeVerter II

Submitted by Bob Klein.

On May 21, 2007, Silver Iris was parked in Denver on the bag spur awaiting departure on Amtrak train #5 for the trip home. The parking brake (handbrake) was on. The train arrived and as is normal procedure, backed into the parking track. The Silver Iris crew advised all the guests to sit or stay seated. On the first attempt to couple up, the pin did not drop, so the train pulled away 10 or 15 feet for a second attempt. On the second attempt the pin did drop, but for reasons still unknown, the train did NOT stop shoving and pushed Silver Iris over the bumper post and into the 480 VAC HEP supply box, destroying it. The kitchen was a disaster with all the breakfast preparations in progress. No one was hurt, but there was discomfort from hot coffee spray.

The bumper post was then cut away from under the car and we were allowed to leave with the train, despite buffer damage. Amtrak repaired the buffer damage in Oakland. At no time after the incident were we ever disconnected from the train. I received a letter of apology from Amtrak's Denver Road Foreman.

The only humorous aspect of this incident comes from the considerable number of Conductors and Engineers in Oakland and Sparks, whom I know personally. Every single one I talked with had heard a different story about the train wreck; no two tales were alike and NONE was a true and accurate version. By the way, I was standing on the platform of Denver Union Station at the rear of the car to make sure the parking brake got released before we left Denver, so you can take my version to the bank.

The moral of this story is that things can go wrong for no known reason. Everyone on a car being switched should sit down and, as the Boy Scouts say, “be prepared.” Likewise, I recommend you always stand clear of a moving train, even in the station.

Bob Klein