Runaway Train Ramp?

[Dough]

Below are some pics from Social Circle, GA. Does anybody have an idea of why they layed that track? The ties are about three times the distance of normal ties. Their is no ballast, and thier is some kind of tar paper type material across it. I hope that the pictures give an idea of steepness of that grade. It is pretty crazy I can't figure it out. It is at the end of a siding that joins the mainline just past that old coaling tower.

BTW that coaling tower is the last one that I know if in GA and CSX still has its mainlines going directly under it!

I hope that the quality isn't too bad. I was trying to help out the dial up guys.

Thanks for any ideas![;)]

http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/album63/scan0001.jpg
http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/album63/scan0002.jpg

[Anonymous]

I have no idea why this track was laid, but the tie spacing indicates it is intended only for maintenance-of-way machinery. The fabric, I believe, is there to catch dripping oil and hydraulic fluid.

I seriously doubt it is a runaway track. No train would ever negotiate the curve at the end at speed, the track is too short, the track wouldn't hold the weight of a train, and I'm not aware of any big mountain grades in the vicinity. Runaway tracks have virtually ceased to exist.

[Anonymous]

For some reason those pictures didn't load for me when I clicked on them?

[Dough]

Thanks, I was just kiding about the ramp, but I think you are on to something with regards to the MW equipment. Their has recently been a lot of work around here, and now that I think about it, that is the only span of siding that is close to the depot and long enough to hold an entire tie gang. It makes a lot of sense!

[Anonymous]

They're working now, I don't know what was going on.

I agree that it is most definately something temporary.

They have laid the paper down so that no leaks will occur off of the railroad equipment (as per mentioned).

This is done so that they don't have to do any soil reclamation when they take the tracks out..

[Dough]

Wow, you mean their really was such thing as a runaway track? [:0] I was just kidding...

As for the MW idea, I think that it is right on. They have recently been doing a bunch of work around here, and as I think about it, that siding would be the only place long enough to hold an entire tie gang within easy access.

Thanks for the quick reply![;)]

[UPTRAIN]

Seems good to me...I guess the EPA was in on that eh?

[Anonymous]

Sure, there were runaway tracks! I answered a question about it in Ask Trains about three or four months ago. (You do read the magazine called "Trains," don't you?) They were a feature of several mountain grades such as Saluda and Soldier Summit.

[Dough]

LMAO, I must have missed it. I'll go try and find it now...[:D]

[UPTRAIN]

I knew there were runaway tracks but where did they go, just off into the field?

[rixflix]

Into a pile of sand or ballast or anything handy, But not the wild blue yonder. On Reading PA's gravity railroad, the runaway track was so steep.that an errant car would yo-yo back to the turnout.

Rix

[kenneo]

Looks like there actually used to be a railroad there once. That right-of-way was not recently opened up.

I agree with Mark. MofW spur.

[Anonymous]

CSX uses that track for their MOW equipment. They park it there in the winter to work on it. The locals will usually use part of it to park there locos once they finish up for the day. The track has been there for a number of years, but that tar paper looking stuff has only been there for about 4 or 5 months. I hope that tower stays up it's historic. I could be mistaken, but I think there is a coal tower still up in Camak.

[Dough]

I thought that it had been there a while. I also heard that the tower in Camak had been torn down. I need to try and find out for sure.

Thanks for the info blaze. I'd like to get some pics of it full of equipment. It sounds like you live in the area. I've been down a couple of times from Athens to check out the Great Walton and all of its fallen flags. If you happen to see anything interesting down their give me a heads up, I'd really appreaciate it.

[Modelcar]

Dough....Go to Google and enter in Saluda, N C railroad history. Take a look at what you bring up and if I remember correctly you can find a site there that has a reprint of an article from TRAINS done back around 1984, I believe it was....It is quite extensive and again I'm remembering data on one of the runaway tracks down there on Saluda mountain and it even shows some pic's of a run a way train that was diverted to the run a way track and the steam engine even went off the end of the ramp and dug into the dirt...Photo showing this.

[UPTRAIN]

Thanks blaze, and modelcar, that will put a rest to any speculation that I or anybody else might have.

[mvlandsw]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

I knew there were runaway tracks but where did they go, just off into the field?

Most runaway tracks were in terrain that did not have big open fields. The B&O had two on Seventeen Mile Grade: one at Strecker and one at Bond. They went up hill steeply enough to stop or at least slow a runaway before it ran off the end of the track. The switches were kept lined for the runaway track and a train had to spend a certain amount of time on an approach circuit before the tower operator could line the switch for the main track. Dynamic brakes and improved air brakes made them less necessary although there have been several runaways on this grade in the last thirty years that could have been stopped before they piled up..

[UPTRAIN]

We had a runaway here in the yard one time it was just a matter of breaking the 10 mph speed limit and coupling on to the 3 stray cars. Some vandal had disconnected the hand brake chain, the little punks!!!

[Dough]

Thanks modelcar! Below is a link to the article and a direct link to a picture of it.

http://www.polkcounty.org/saludagrade/trains/Article.html
http://www.polkcounty.org/saludagrade/trains/safety.html

I set out to find out something and accidently learned all about something else! Thanks again all for the info.

[garr]

Dough and Blaze,

The coaling tower at Camak was still standing when I went through there about 2 months ago. I haven't heard anything about its destruction since, so I'm sure it's still standing.

Jay

[Modelcar]

Dough....That's the article I was referring to...Glad you found it...Gee, I even remembered the correct date for the article...Surprised myself.

[Modelcar]

....By the way, I've had the oportunity to visit that place...[Saluda], several times in recent years and that place is awesome...!! You would believe why they originally wanted run away tracks on that grade...What a shame the route is now embargoed and no traffic.

[mudchicken]

temporary track for M/W macinery (Note it's all panel track with square joints along with the filter fabric protection)

I think you will find a spiked switch at the other end with a special lock and tag on it or a special blue flag derail at the point where railcars are prevented from going beyond. Track does not meet minimum standard for ties and supporting section under FRA 49CFR213.109(b.2) and is most likely is carried as "49cfr213.4 excepted track" with very specific instructions by CSX to keep freight cars off of it in their timetable and operating bulletins.

[Anonymous]

That is something I ought to see at least once in my lifetime a full blown train ramp.

I have never had to use the mountain ramps anywhere in the 48 states but occasionally my rig almost got away from me. There is one grade called "Babcock ridge" which I think is near Altoona PA and features a almost-180 degree (10 mph) I used to haul lumber up there and to come back down on sheet ice in winter without a jake (or chain) is terrifying.

I used to sit at Cajon and watch these trains struggle to the top. I have always wondered what protection if any is for them before LA gets em all downtown?

I will do the search on google and see what I can come up with. This is a intriguing topic

[Anonymous]

I'm the conductor for The Great Walton Railroad, do I'm down there a lot switching cars in the yard. It's interesting to see a train going track speed through that tower. There probably won't be anymore MOW equipment in that track for a while. It was taken out months ago, and I have no idea as to where it is now. I stood there with a conductor with CSX watching the crew move those machines out. We were both trying to figure out what half that equipment does. Most of it looked like something out of a Dr. Suess book.

[Dough]

Well its good to know that the one down in Camak is still standing. I'll have to go check it out sometime.

And I know what you mean blaze, they came through Athens not to long ago with two sets of the tie replacing equipment. It is quite an operation. That must be intersting working for the Great Walton. I see the Chessie and Green Hartwell come through Athens all the time. One of these days I'd like to make it down to see the rest of the Great Walton equipment.

Are the old C&O parts engine and the two cabooses still around? I'd like to get some pictures of those one of these days. Also, do you know what that Conrail 1005 slug up in Monroe is for? I assume parts?

Good to talk to another guy from around here, and have fun on that old equipment!

[Anonymous]

Yea it's cool. it's a job, it don't pay worth a @$%& , but I'm just waiting till I can retake the test for CSX. Yea, that C&O engine is still around sitting in a dead end track. The two cabooses are in a storage track rusting away. Some of the windows have been busted out, paint smeared on the floor , a gang sign tagged on the side of one. It's a damn shame they will never be put back in service. The Conrail slug is still sitting there, I think it was used for parts at one time. Old equipment it is, but still reliable. I think shortline operations are more interesting than class 1's , it's just too bad we don't make scale.

[mudchicken]

mainline power derails