Where can I find examples of "gauntlet" track.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I remember reading in an old (1953 or so) issue of TRAINS that Poughkeepsie Bridge was strengthened a second time for heavier motive power and the gantlet was installed to center the weight.

[York1]

Lithonia Operator

Until this thread came along, I was not aware of any type of gauntlet trackage, never heard the term even. This is really fascinating.

 

I'm in the same boat.  I had never seen one of these sets of tracks until now.

Of course, my knowledge of railroading is next to nothing.  My experience is what my KATO locomotive does on an N Scale track.

[tree68]

York1

Of course, my knowledge of railroading is next to nothing.  My experience is what my KATO locomotive does on an N Scale track.

While I think I've seen examples of modelled gantlet tracks over the years, it's not something you see often on model railroads because the conditions that cause them aren't usually a problem on model layouts.

If it's there, it's because the modeller chose to include it.

Not to mention the fact that you'd have to build such an arrangement from scratch.

[jeffhergert]

BaltACD

 

 

Lithonia Operator

 

54light15

The New Haven's Poughkeepsie Bridge had its double track made into gantlet since trains got a lot heavier since the bridge was built in the 1880s.  

I don't understand.

You're going to have to use signaling to make sure there's only one train at a time in any event. So why do you need the gauntlet?

Is the idea to get the weight more centered on the bridge?

 

 

Signalling is one thing - power switches are needed if it were to be a true single track on the bridge.  Power Switches are expensive.

Theory was that the bridge could handle the weight of two 'light' trains when built so in theory it had the structural ability of handling on 'heavy' train.  I am not a engineer so I don't know how close they were getting to the maximum capacity of the structure.

 

You wouldn't necessarily need power switches if the tracks were operated current of traffic style.  Two spring switches would do.  However, power switches would be more flexible when the dispatcher wanted to run something 'wrong main'.

The C&NW gantlet at the Cedar River ended in the late 1970s after a derailment on the bridge.  I don't believe the gantlet section had anything to do with the derailment.  It was shortly after when they just single tracked the section and placed spring switches at either end.  Both ends were combined into a single automatic interlocking.  Eventually, the C&NW placed a quasi-CTC system in place between the Cedar River bridge and Fairfax, about 10 or 12 miles.  (To the casual observer, it looked like normal CTC operation.)  With that the spring switches were replaced by power switches.  Another upgrade, I don't remember if it was late CNW or early UP, made it true CTC. 

The I don't think the bridge was the reason for the gantlet section.  Originally, the main line went through downtown Cedar Rapids.  The C&NW built a cutoff (Linn County Railway) between Otis and Beverly so freight traffic could bypass the downtown area.  At the west end of the Cedar River the Rock Island (originally BCR&N) went through on a north/south track on a large fill.  The C&NW had to build through this fill, building a bridge for the RI.  The cutoff was originally single tracked, so the cut through the fill and bridge only had to span a single track.  At some point the C&NW double tracked the cutoff.  For whatever reason, they used the gantlet under the RI and over the bridge.  Years after the RI was gone and UP had taken charge, they were able install a second track over the bridge.  They were able to widen the cut through the fill and build a pedestrian bridge over the tracks, the former RI being a trail in that area.

Jeff    

 

[BaltACD]

Maintaining switches is always more expensive than not have switches - be they Powered, Spring or hand throw.  Something that moves requires maintenance to keep it moving.

[tree68]

Here's a simple image of a gantlet track.  Note the lack of moving parts.  

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

That is true in most situations.  However, gantlets around high-level passenger platforms, such as on South Shore, do require a switch at each end.

[tree68]

CSSHEGEWISCH

That is true in most situations.  However, gantlets around high-level passenger platforms, such as on South Shore, do require a switch at each end.

Very true.  IMHO, such a track would be better described as a "bypass track."  The same thing is/was done at track scales, so cars that don't need to be weighed aren't.