Eight in hospital after train crashes and catches fire

PASSENGERS were recovering in hospital today after a train crashed and caught fire, leaving the main carriage hanging over a 50ft embankment.

The train, the 6:20pm service from Glasgow to Oban, was full of travellers returning from weekend trips away and derailed shortly before 9pm last night near the Falls of Cruachan power station, by Loch Awe, in Argyll.

Eight people were injured during the crash. It was a lucky escape for others after a passenger car was left "precariously balanced" over a huge embankment after it caught fire.

Emergency services launched a major operation to rescue the 60 terrified passengers.

There were no reports of life-threatening injuries, but two people suffered from minor spinal injuries.

The ambulance service later confirmed eight people were taken to three different hospitals.

An investigation into the cause of the accident has already been launched. It is not yet clear what caused the train to derail

Beware of flying pistons!

This is Canadian National locomotive number 2699. It is a 212 ton machine powered by a 183 liter 4400 hp V16 4 stroke diesel

Shortly before this picture was taken, whilst working under load, 2699 experienced what is known in the trade as a catastrophic uncontained engine failure. The train was passing the town of Independence , LA at the time.
The first picture below shows that one of the 16 cylinder packs that form the engine was ejected through the engine bay body side and thrown clear of the locomotive.




















In addition to this the piston from that cylinder was thrown free by the force of the failure. It was ejected so violently that it travelled through the air and crashed through the roof of a nearby home where it imbedded itself in an interior wall.