Derailment

[docsnavely]

For all those interested, the earthquake here in Japan had an effect on the rail industry as well. Here are a couple pictures of resulting problems from the quake

This is the derailment of the Series 200 Toki Shinkansen going from Tokyo to Niigata (the location of the epicenter). This was the first derailment of a Shinkansen since they started running.

There are also some great pics on the news from normal rail lines laying on top of each other because the ground below fell out. The lines are just hanging like thread over mid air since there is no ground, and the ends that are still attached to solid ground are holding it in place. It's kind of hard to describe, so if I can find the pics, I'll put them up.

Here's the link to the news story: http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20041025p2a00m0dm007001c.html

R/
-doc

 

[N Gauger]

That's a great story!!! So Horrible!!!!!! 98,000 still stuck in emergency shelters!

 

[Chessie6459]

Sad to here about that. Hope everyone will be ok

 

[docsnavely]

That's a great story!!! So Horrible!!!!!!

I didn't mean the story was great! It is a horrible situation! I meant that I had seen some great (good quality) pictures. The scene I was referring to is remarkable because I had never seen anything like it.

Please don't get the impression that I'm some derranged sadist or anything. Hell, Japan is my home away from home! Still looking for the pics I was referring to.

-doc

 

[60103]

What is really amazing is that the train was travelling (i read) at 130 somethings an hour. It looks as if they could jack it back on the tracks and do a bit of sheet metal work and ...

 

[docsnavely]

60103,

That's what the TV said. It is definitely repairable. It goes back to the whole part of the story about the stabilization weights on the train. Kinda like my friend whose dad had the old Ford Fairlane that was originally a block of iron that was carved into the shape of a car.
-doc

 

[Matthyro]

I can't imagine what an earthquake must feel like. Pictures like this just show how helpless we are when it comes to mother natures wrath.

 

[Muddy Creek]

We had a small 5.7 earthquake here in the Adirondacks last year. No damage in my house other than a couple of things fell off shelves. It was a pretty scary thing being shaken out of bed on an early Sunday morning, though. I went outside while the ground was still shaking and was struck by the low, roaring sound it was making. It never occured to me that earthquakes make noise and confused me for a moment in my half-awake state.

No major damage was reported, the worst being collapsed road fills and damage to chimneys & some minor structural damage.

This was hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.

Wayne

 

[N Gauger]

I didn't mean the story was great! It is a horrible situation! I meant that I had seen some great (good quality) pictures. The scene I was referring to is remarkable because I had never seen anything like it.

Please don't get the impression that I'm some derranged sadist or anything. Hell, Japan is my home away from home! Still looking for the pics I was referring to.

-doc

Yeah, I goofed on that I meant it was great in the way they covered it & that you posted it here. It's still horrible & I saw on the earthquake site, that another hit last evening (8:40 EDT)

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Maps/10/140_35.html

Just click on a square

 

[seanm]

I live in the San Francisco Bay area and growing up here, earthquakes were always sort of "fun" and "exciting"... that was until the Loma Prieta quake in 1989. I was at the World Series (Battle of the Bay or as it was later known...Rattle of the Bay) and my wife was in the east bay... she traveled the Cypress structure (the freeway that colapsed) every niight at the time of the quake. Luckilly she was not on it that night, but I had no way of knowing that and she had no way of knowing I was OK at the ballpark. Worst 10 hours of my life... that was how long it took to get home and find out eveything was OK.

Now I am a bit nervouse when we have the little shakers and I keep a cell phone with me.

SeanM

 

[Climax1880]

Yeah, earthquakes are scary. I was on R&R in Japan in 1966 after 10&1/2 months in combat and we had a jolt. Watched in complete fascination as the roof of the barracks started to separate from the sidewall. Didn't last long but that was enough. I was on a plane the next morning headed back to 'Nam where it was 'safer'.

 

[docsnavely]

I've honestly gotten used to it. When the first 6.0 quake hit niigata last saturday, I was on duty in a one story clinic, and I definitely felt it (about 3.0 where we were). It's worse at my house. We live in a tower on the 5th floor. Since all buildings are now supposed to conform to certain amounts of flexibility, our place sways back and forth. It's quite a ride! I had never experienced that type of sensation until I had moved to Japan. Sometimes it feels like you are in a stupor from drinking, but yet you're sober as a nun. Quite terrifying at times!

News on the shinkansen that derailed: Due to aftershocks that are hitting very frequently, JR East is not able to lift the train up onto the tracks safely. Once the aftershocks die down, they will bring the crane back and place the train down on the new track that was laid.

R/
-doc