The railroad ties are in bad shape BTW
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Audubon+Rd,+Chanhassen,+MN/@44.8374432,-93.6015144,667m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x87f61ad7fc8de43d:0x93694968ea03cfd8
It is the Twin Cities & Western Railroad.
CandOforprogress2 The railroad ties are in bad shape BTW https://www.google.com/maps/place/Audubon+Rd,+Chanhassen,+MN/@44.8374432,-93.6015144,667m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x87f61ad7fc8de43d:0x93694968ea03cfd8
You are expecting Class 5 track on a short line? Looks adquate for Class 2, maybe Class 3 - .
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
That part of the TCW is x-MILW mainline to the west coast.
Ed Burns
The track is Class 3. TCW trains will typically operate in the 35ish range +/- on the main line.
I am not sure what the op is referring to in concluding the track condition. On my computer, the satellite view makes it look like the rails are a couple feet out of alignment in serpentine patterns, and even broken and separated here and there.
Actually, the track is in decent condtion with good ties, deep rock ballast, and 115 lb. rail. It was fast track when the Milwaukee ran on it.
EuclidI am not sure what the OP is referring to in concluding the track condition
I think you have nailed it. He is not tech-savvy enough to know about compression and other artifacts in Google Earth satellite data, and thinks seeing is believing. Perhaps a cautionary tale for others who think that overhead views translate into spy-satellite imagery without the sort of sensors and post-processing not found in most 'free' Internet services.
The FRA has set the maximum speed for each class of track from excepted (10) MPH to Class 9. Class 7 track is the maximum used in US. It is used on the NE corridor for the Accella trainsl The FRA classifications are:
When i click on the link it takes me to a location SW of Paisley Park. So I had to type in Paisely Park, MN to get the map recentered. It's also a home/studio complex with emphasis on the latter and thats why he was able to build in a light warehouse / light industrial area.
There is a house almost due north of Paisley Park across Highway 5 on the shore of a small lake. It also has an outbuilding. That is Prince's house.
Yes since this is a Class 2 regional I can understand why every 6th tie is poor quility. Having worked next to Guilford/Pan Am RR in Worchester MA walking the tracks the ties would crumble under your feet. Hopefully this will be a commuter railroad someday and the tracks will get fixed.
Street View from a crossing to the east.
Twin Cities & Western Map...
Twin Cities & Western's Largest Power - GP39-2 - 2,300 horsepower...
Downtown Minneapolis - heading past Target Field (Twins baseball stadium) in the left upper background and Northstar Minneapolis Station approach tracks with a Northstar at the platform in the background...
Hosting Milwaukee 261 4-8-4 Northern on break-in run - actually doing some revenue work hauling a cut of gondola cars - some of our younger friends would say being a really useful engine...
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