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Diesel blows cylinder through the roof!

DarrylMueller

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
309
Location
Altamont Pass, Livermore, CA
Occupation
Excavating Contractor & Operator
A friend of mine sent this to me. Just think cylinder also went through the steel engine cover to!

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 traveled through the air and crashed through the roof of a nearby home where it imbedded itself in an interior wall.
 

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willie59

Administrator
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
13,361
Location
Knoxville TN
Occupation
Service Manager
Wow, I've seen rods go through a block, but holy moly! :eek:

I'll have a new life long perspective every time I see a locomotive pass by. Allow plenty of throwing distance. :D
 

sandnsnow

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2008
Messages
149
Location
sandpoint idaho
Occupation
adult babysitter
I wonder how far the house was away from the train? That is some Crazy **** for sure!
 

alrman

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Messages
3,303
Location
QLD Australia
Occupation
Diesel Fitter;Small Business Owner;Cleaner
Without the pictures - you would not believe the story - amazing!
 

eRay

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2008
Messages
63
Location
Southeast Tennessee
Had the same thing happen to me once. Was on an empty coal train going down a mountain in dynamic braking when I heard an explosion. Looked back and one of the cylinders was laying on the walkway. It had blown the door open and landed on the walkway and caught the locomotive on fire. It was a small fire and easily put out with a fire exinguisher. Whole thing was a little scary though. I never was completely at ease walking along the walkway of a locomotive after that.
 

AtlasRob

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
1,982
Location
West Sussex UK
Occupation
owner operator
Sweet mother of................ I have never seen anything like that before.

Puts a completely different perspective to the expression of its thrown a rod :eek:
 

Cat420

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2004
Messages
527
Location
Pine Bush Ny
Occupation
Construction, small engine and machine shop work
I had a lawnmower engine do something similar. Of course it just may have had the piston set to mid stroke and packed with black powder. Someone may have also lit a fuse poked down through the head as well:D
 

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Burnout

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
1,448
Location
Edmonton AB
Occupation
Operator at Sureway Construction
Think you could find out where that house is? And do you think they would give me that piston? I think that makes great decoration...lol
 

bobcatmechanic

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Messages
429
Location
kansas
Occupation
bobcat mechanic
i think it was dirty jobs did a special on the mechanics and they were tearing down a motor and said it take something like 100 or 200 hrs of work to take apart and put back together
 

stinkycat

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
224
Location
Ohio
Occupation
retired, disabled vet
The head bolts on some locomotive engines are designed to allow the cylinder head to lift to relieve over pressure, it looks like that cylinder had a lot pressure
 
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