OLD FORGE — An investigation into an Adirondack Railroad train derailment is continuing, and authorities are now seeking the public’s help.

According to a letter sent from town of Webb Police Chief Ronald W. Johnston to the Beaver River Property Owners Association, authorities from the state Department of Transportation Investigations Bureau and railroad inspection program have analyzed all damage to the rails and have found no signs of mechanical or human error. The experts have concluded that the only likely explanation is that someone purposely manipulated the switch.

Authorities have been advised that sometime during the week before, security padlocks on the switch that stand on both ends of the rail sidings had been forcefully removed.

The train was proceeding north over a switch for a siding at the crossing when cars in the middle of the train began to derail after the locomotive and a second car had already cleared the switch.

It involved a work train that was being operated by the Adirondack Railroad traveling from the Thendara station northerly to the Sabbattis station. There were no injuries reported and no hazardous materials were involved, the chief said.

The cars that were derailed were hopper cars that were empty at the time of derailment. These cars are generally used for transporting ballast along the railroad line.

Just in case anybody thinks I'm full of hooey about this--but don't watch them if you have a weak stomach, they are that disgusting.

Sabotage of our equipment is a political statement, so why not? SRC also had episodes in the past of ballast having been packed into journal boxes. Linn Moedinger was called out as a commie for speaking at a Paradise town meeting in favor of an Amtrak stop at Leaman Place. As was said at the meeting, "Only drug dealers ride trains."

It only takes 3 reply posts to a new thread before off-topical political crap gets appended to it.

As stated before, the ASRR has experience issues with vandalism in the past as well as political opposition to their continued operations. The concerns are real and valid.

Has there been any evidence of a group taking 'credit' for this vandalism, if not how can the concerns be considered 'real and valid?"

Bob H

Authorities have been advised that sometime during the week before, security padlocks on the switch that stand on both ends of the rail sidings had been forcefully removed.

Padlocks are not what hold a switch in position so how would its removal cause the switch to move under a train, if that’s what happened? The throw or stand or other components would need to be defective, no?

Regrettably, we have had imposed upon us by the political classes and their activists this highly divisive and antagonistic (by design) political tribalism into just about everything we do or say now. (Or, heaven help you, retroactively upon what you impulsively typed foolishly as a young person 20 years ago.)

The reality is that:

1) Major railroads have themselves become targets of political activists with larger agendas such as halting all use of fossil fuels, fracking, crossing Native American lands, etc. (I'm actually surprised I haven't heard of anyone protesting or blockading a rail line over "reparations" for the hired use of slaves to construct certain lines in the South. I fear it will come soon.)
This is not wanton speculation. Selective protests and acts of vandalism and outright sabotage have been directed against specific rail lines by activists and saboteurs. We are lucky that save for the vociferous opposition to the rebuilding of the rail line through central Lac-Megantic, Quebec after the 2013 derailment there, most such actions have received almost no media attention--perhaps in part to discourage "copycats."

2) Several heritage railroads, including most specifically the Adirondack RR in question in this case, have also been the target of politically-centered opposition and protest over such things as presumed safety hazards, unwelcome intrusion into some people's figment of a "peaceful pastoral" (or simply "Not In My Back Yard!!!"), or simply taking up land that others want for their recreational desires (very specifically in this case, the snowmobilers). I have not yet heard of any protests at heritage lines in North America specific to the use of fossil fuels (I understand a couple have occurred in Britain), but given the antagonism and hostility being stoked by radical elements in our political specter today, I feel such acts are inevitable, and that we need to be preparing for how to address such acts.

Pretty much none of us want to involve politics in our efforts at preservation. But the reality is that in many ways--from community acceptance to funding to fending off irrational opposition--you bury your heads in the sands of politics at your own substantial risk.
(One might well make the argument that inadequate or incompetent political intercourse brought about the currently-occurring deaths of both the Adirondack RR and the Indiana Transportation Museum. And, "there but for the grace of God" your operation may be the next targeted.)