USA : cargo train derails - 737 fuselages end up in river

[Passenger]

A train on his way to Seattle derailed on Thursday evening near Superior (Montana). Some of the cargo load ended in the Clark Fork River.

http://www.king5.com/news/aerospace/Tra ... 66171.html

[sn26567]

Picture CTV news

By the looks of it, it's two 737-800s and a -900ER that came off the rails in Montana. Not clear about the fourth one, shown hereunder...

[sn26567]

Boeing 737 Production Disruption Likely After Train Derailment

Boeing is braced for temporary disruption to its busy 737 production system in Renton after a train carrying six fuselages from Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita, Kansas, derailed in a mountain pass, sending several freight cars into a river.

The accident, which occurred at Rivulet, some 18 miles east of the Montana town of Superior on July 3, derailed 19 cars in a westbound train. According to the rail company, BNSF, three of the cars carrying 737 fuselages slid down a steep embankment and came to rest in the Clark Fork River.

Boeing says the train was carrying six 737 fuselages as well as assemblies for the 777 and 747. It adds that personnel have been deployed to the scene “to begin a thorough assessment of the situation.”

The incident will inevitably impact the production flow at Renton which since March has been assembling 737 at the rate of 42 per month. Every fuselage for the production line is built by Spirit in Wichita and is transported to Renton by rail. Several 737 fuselages are in transit every day at various locations along the line from Kansas which has ramped up shipments to keep pace with production increases at Boeing. Since 2010, production has risen about 33%, from 31.5 to 42 aircraft a month, and in 2017 is scheduled to increase to 47 a month.

Spirit AeroSystems also builds the nose section, body panels, wing center section, nose gear door and nacelles in Wichita for the 747-8, as well as the forward nose section for the 777. Boeing has not specified which of these assemblies was on the derailed train. Production of the 747-8 currently stands at 1.5 per month while the 777 is at its highest rate ever at 8.3.

Source: Aviation Week

[Inquirer]

Any news on who's fuselages these were supposed to be?
I suppose they are to be written off completely?

[sn26567]

Spirit AeroSystems also builds the nose section, body panels, wing center section, nose gear door and nacelles in Wichita for the 747-8, as well as the forward nose section for the 777. Boeing has not specified which of these assemblies was on the derailed train.

In addition to the six 737 fuselages, the train was carrying fuselage panels for one 777 and wing parts for a 747.

[sn26567]

The train before it derailed:

[galaxy]

Is Airbus also carrying fuselages by train,or is everything transported by the Beluga ?

[sn26567]

Is Airbus also carrying fuselages by train,or is everything transported by the Beluga ?

Airbus is carrying A380 fuselage parts by boat on the Garonne river (and the end of the trip to Toulouse is on lorries). They could also end up in the water if the ship sinks...

[quixoticguide]

In Europe all train cars must fall within an envelope of 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in) wide on a 250 m (12 ch) radius curve. The fuselage diameter of an A320 is: 3.95 m.

In North America most lines are designed for a higher loading gauge, the flatcars for hauling Boeing 737 fuselages and the high double-stacked containers in container cars, needs a height of 6.15 m (20 ft 2 in).

[sn26567]

6 Boeing 737 fuselages from the derailed train in Montana will be scrapped.



http://missoulian.com/crews-dismantling ... 963f4.html …