The work train being used to haul away scrap (and replace track with track panels) sits on Main 3. Tractors run up and down Main 2 and Main 1, dumping debris into the gondola in the distance.
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Along the Littleton Light Rail station, debris consisting of broken concrete ties is being loaded into this tractor. The tractor will haul the ties away and dump them into one of the gondolas on the work train in the foreground.
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Some more loading going on. I'm not sure if the derailment took out the retaining wall (to this degree), or if it was damaged beyond repair and the crews ripped it down...
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I took this shot looking down on Main 2 and Main 3 just so you could not the debris scattered everywhere. Notice the broken wheel laying next the rail head of Main 3. For those curious, molten sulfur (which is what the derailed train was carrying) is used in producing sulfuric acid, matches, detergents, insecticides and a few other things.
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One tractor picks up debris from the retaining wall and load it into another. That tractor will then take the debris down to a work train (gondolas) and dump it in there to be hauled away.
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A look down into the trench where the derailment of the molten sulfur train occurred about 36 hours earlier. Molten sulfur isn't toxic, just a bit smelly and very hot! "Molten" sulfur is really just heated elemental sulfur. Over 200 degrees, sulfur becomes "molten". It is dark red in color and had a consistency similar to lava.
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This shot wasn't accessible the day before as Littleton's finest had the area blocked off. Note that Main 1 has been removed as well as the northbound track for Light Rail!
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At this point, all the tank cars are out of the way. Much of Main 1 is gone right now, and Main 2 is missing or in bad shape as well. Main 3 doesn't need too much work to get it operational. Note the gondolas (which are on the back end of a work train) on Main 3 in the distance.
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You can see where much of the retaining wall has been completely removed. The CAT in the foreground is on the road bed for Main 1. You can see that Main 2 has been removed as well.
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I title this picture "Ties and Axles"! All the discarded (and destroyed) concrete ties and wheel sets have been piled up near the south end of the derailment.
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Crews are working to tear down what remains of the damaged retaining wall separating the freight tracks from Light Rail.
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BNSF was constantly bringing in new wheel sets on the back of flat bed trailers. Three wheel sets per trailer. The new wheel sets are used to transport the derailed tank cars...at least, the ones that can be re-railed!
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Man, that had to hurt! One of the 17 tank cars that derailed in the Littleton trench has been successfully re-railed on new wheel sets.
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A look at what is left of Main 1 through a chain link fence. The tracks were torn up pretty bad...as a result of the derailment or as a result of the work crews...or both!
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Success! Crews have successfully "re-railed" another of the 17 tank cars that had been derailed.
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