Lots of nice rolling stock there! And nice track work apparently, too. Must be fun to have a layout large enough for that kind of action. Dan
One of my B&O buddies had just been promoted to engineer when he earned himself a few days off without pay when he was in a situation where he "ran out of siding" and sideswiped a train on the main.
He was on a passing siding while the train on the main was right next to him traveling at about the same speed on a curvy stretch of right of way. Running a geep long nose first and he happened to be by himself in the cab, nobody else to give him landmarks.
So he got into one of those situational awareness, or lack of, since he couldn't see any landmarks and the train next to him moving at the same speed, or close, really throws off your sense of speed.
Soon enough he found out where he was as the switch for the end of the siding came up and he was still doing about 15 mph! Ouchy!
It is really easy to get messed up when you're running alongside a train going close to your speed. Gotta be on your toes!
Regards, Ed
I raced freight trains once -- the "full-sized" kind. Side-by-side up the Hudson line from Poughkeepsie (CP75) to Tivoli Bay (around MP 95), in the wee hours of the morning.
On track 1, TTSE (Tarrytown-Selkirk) ... me. On track 2, OPSE (Oak Point-Selkirk), with Johnny Powers out of Selkirk yard.
TTSE was an extra job called on weekends from Croton, taking all the empties from the [now-gone] GM assembly plant in Tarrytown north. Seems like we went on duty around midnight or so.
OPSE was the regular freight from NYC to Selkirk, they went on duty around 12.30am.
We started 35 miles further north, but had to pick up at Poughkeepsie (northbound cars from the Poughkeepsie switcher). We were just getting underway again when Mr. Powers came up from behind.
The engines in those days were all B23-7's, and they had something called an "LSL" on them (locomotive speed limiter) which topped out at 50mph. You might get away with 51, but if you went over that you'd get a penalty brake application.
At Castleton there was only one track up the hill to CP SK to cross the Hudson and get into Selkirk, so only one train could "win".
So who was gonna get there first? I kept right up to him for 20 miles, up the little hill through Statsburg, then down onto the long causeway over Tivoli Bay.
I had that speed right up to "the edge" of the LSL's limit, and was gaining on him, a car a time. And then....
BAM! The train went into emergency! (we did) If we derailed BOTH trains were going to wreck. That would make the news!
But we didn't. I dragged them down to a [relatively smooth] stop and OPSE just kept rolling right on by and all I saw was his markers going around the corner 'way up ahead.
Conductor went back, and found a parted hose. Got the air back, checked the train, did a brake test, and that was that.
So... the race ended a little earlier than it might have. We could have kept at it for another 25 miles or so. Who would have won?
Well, I think the dispatcher would have held us back for Mr. Powers. After all, that crew was "on their way home" and we were just "extra" and would deadhead by taxi back to Croton upon arrival. Which we did.
But it was a memorable night!
Thanks! Yes, I have four V&O cars, two Allegheny Midland, and three MR&T (one on order). While my layout's proto-freelanced and I try to keep things prototypical, there are some layout, like the three mentioned, that are realistically done, and I think it's cool having that connection to them as well.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
Nice.
I saw that VIRGINIAN AND OHIO covered hopper in there, and I liked it! It is good to see ficticious roadnames on other layouts.
You have a nice collection of equipment Kevin.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Train I100 overtakes train M640.
I100 is intermodal/piggyback trailers from Chicago to Pittsburgh and is the hottest freight train on the railroad. M640 is mixed freight from Chicago to Cleveland via Dunkirk and Mansfield.