Railroaders say equipment is on the ground rather than derailed, as in two on the ground at the west end. It covers anything from a single wheel set dropped off at a yard switch to dozens of cars piled up after a broken rail. The crew's first jobs are to report it, protect adjacent tracks and confirm whether any hazmat cars are involved.
Dispatcher, we've got three on the ground at the east switch of Elm, nobody's hurt and no hazmat involved.
Also heard as
- derailed
- on the dirt
- off the rail
Related terms
Derail
A device on a rail that lifts a rolling car's wheels off the track before it can reach another track.
Big hook
The wrecking crane sent to clear a derailment and lift cars back onto the track.
Switch points
The pair of movable, tapered rails in a turnout that steer wheels onto one route or the other.
Pull-apart
A break in the rail, usually at a joint or weld, caused by the rail shrinking in extreme cold.