Super Intermodal Lifts?
The October 8, 2013 TRAINS Newswire under “BNSF promotes $100 million capital program in California” showed this photo, with super long lifts.at a proposed loading / unloading facility.
Photo by BNSF Railway via TRAINS Newswire
Has anyone seen anything like them, or are super long lifters something very new?
How could one person driving it make sure it did not run over someone?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
north Baltimore Intermodal for CSX has those type of cranes and so does BNSF intermodal in Memphis.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2954101
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1655781
Those Gantry type Cranes are referred to as "Wide-Span Cranes", Unlike older Gantry Cranes which were mounted on rubber tires, these ride on steel rails, so the Crane Operator only controls movement of the gantry in only two directions forward or reverse with no steering.
beaulieu Those Gantry type Cranes are referred to as "Wide-Span Cranes"...
Those Gantry type Cranes are referred to as "Wide-Span Cranes"...
Isn't BNSF equipping their new intermodal terminal west of Kansas City with these wide-spans?
Off the cuff.... If these cranes could 'run over someone or something' on a short, private, fixed right of way,,,, then what's the hope for one man or remote train operations across the network.
I'm thinking it's possible if one is willing to invest the $$$ in developing, producing and implementing the 'smart' technology. But is that practical? Will that cost be less then the current cost with manual labor?
Looks impressive though.
K. P. Harrier Super Intermodal Lifts? The October 8, 2013 TRAINS Newswire under “BNSF promotes $100 million capital program in California” showed this photo, with super long lifts.at a proposed loading / unloading facility. Photo by BNSF Railway via TRAINS Newswire Has anyone seen anything like them, or are super long lifters something very new? How could one person driving it make sure it did not run over someone?
To bring the $100 California Intermodal project into perspective. My example would be the BNSF Intermodal Transfer Yard ,adjacent to the BNSF's Tennessee Yard at Capleville,Tenn. (Nee: Frisco RR, Opened in about may of 1957 as a Single Hump Classification Yard).
The BNSF Tennessee Yard Intermodal Facility @ Memphis,Tn . Cost was about $200 Million Dollars (built between 2006 and 2010) . Comprised some 185 acres of land. The Yard Has eight high lift,wide- stacking Gantry- style cranes. (on their own Rail System)
Containers on site: Parking for about 2,000 Containers w/Chassis. On-site Container Storage is about 4,000 containers. When opened in 2010 lifts were 600,000, expandable to a capacity of 1,000,000 lifts per year.
The BNSF opened this Facility in 2009 and dedicated it in 2010. It is adjacent to the South side of the Tennessee Yard, [ Capleville,Tn. was a small community on the Southeast side of Memphis, just off US Hwy 78. ] THe Frisco RR opened the Tennesse Yard in May of 1957 as a state of the art single HUmp Yard.
Here is a link to a site that shows a long view of the Rail Yard and the adjacent Intermodal Yard. @ http://apactn.com/project
Those around here who are members of AREMA might be interested in this Paper (31 pages 4,000 plus words) Describes the Project from the start to the finish.
Linked here @ http://www.arema.org/files/library/2009_Conference_Proceedings/BNSF_Memphis_Intermodal_Facility.pdf
Here is a BNSF Company Video ( with Media Content, as well) Some pretty good views of the Memphis Facility. @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Aat4dpYkaw
And possibly of some interest; a 'foamer' You Tube Video of the BNSF Yard taken from offsite, and adjacent. @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk4bnlRZZyk
ENJOY!
From this perspective they look normal enough, until you realize that there are eight tracks under each span. That is more than double what I would have expected, usually I suppose they would span just two tracks.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
KyleThese are basically the container cranes they use for loading ships, and it doesn't seem they have problems with people being run over.
Kyle:
I really have an 'issue' with the way you put your response.
Personnel Safety IS an issue in the areas of these gantry style cranes. There are generally audible alarms that signal when one of these is about/or moving. The people working i the area of their movement, maintain an awareness of what is going on. in their area. These modern cranes do not require someone to be under their lifts when operating 'normally'. The spotter tractor drivers have well-defined areas they can safely operate in. It is as close to being a well-orchestrated' 'ballet' . As an industrial situation can be.
Modern Industrial Operations are very safety conscious. They have to be. Each state fields Corps of Inspectors and Investigators for Industrial Safety ( OSHA, State and Federal). Punitive Fines can cripple operations, and bring them to a stop until compliance is a fact.
The days of not paying attention to safety issues are rapidly falling behind us. When a Person dies on a job, or is seriously hurt. There is a constant stream of folks to investigate, mitigate and resolve the problems that may have caused the death or injury. If you think not, just look up any web site of a Law Firm that practices FELA Law.: ( Federal Employers Liability Act). Not to mention FRA, or DOT Case Dispositions. And if that is not enough; a number of times the quote seen in these forums referencing the fact that the GCOR is "written in the blood of railroaders'. Should make it crystal clear, Safety is a concern of everyone in any Industry. and railroading, as well.
K. P. Harrier How could one person driving it make sure it did not run over someone?
The same way any large (and not so large) piece of machinery operated by a single person is protected. Either you provide camera(s) and a video screen for the operator to cover blind spots, some kind of detection system for obstructions, an audible/visual warning system that it's moving, or maybe just assume that most people would be looking out for themselves and keep from getting run over.
That last part seems to be lost on a lot of people. They evidently think that people are either too stupid, or feel too empowered/entitled so they don't have to get out of the way. Maybe it's just the rising tide of "I'm the victim" culture where the feeling is, "maybe I wasn't watching out for myself, but you should've been doing more to protect me." It does lead to a lot of complicated (and dare I say it, frivolous) rules that are less about safety, but more about mitigating liability when something goes wrong.
Jeff
jeffhergert Maybe it's just the rising tide of "I'm the victim" culture where the feeling is, "maybe I wasn't watching out for myself, but you should've been doing more to protect me." Jeff
Maybe it's just the rising tide of "I'm the victim" culture where the feeling is, "maybe I wasn't watching out for myself, but you should've been doing more to protect me."
jeffergert It does lead to a lot of complicated (and dare I say it, frivolous) rules that are less about safety,
There are barrier curbs to keep trucks off the cranes track, and unless the a train derails there is no way for a train to foul a crane.
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