I watch a lot of youtube vids, mostly shortline and regional railroads. Some of the track looks horrible, mostly side rails and what appears to be spurs. Rotted ties, wavy rails. Its a wonder that that it can handle the weight. What is the criteria to repair and/or replace tracks? Who forces that decision? The railroad? Another governing entity?
Regards - Steve
A considerable part of this is probably perception: video shot with what a famous poster on two-tracking called "heavy telephoto" exaggerate the extent of line and surface problems. Some posters of Indian 'dancing train' type videos love to troll the unwary into thinking this is worse than it is.
Likewise, some track defects and wear are less trouble than others. You can easily have track good for no more than 8mph that can be used many years ... or you can have those deferred-maintenance problems Don and others mentioned happening on PC in the dark days, where ties crumbled and rails turned even under the weight of standing cars. Some of this is implicit in the rating of 'track class', which you might want to look up and study.
To get a better appreciation of what aspects are hysteria and which are more significant, watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agznZBiK_Bs
I hope MC and diningcar comment on this topic at length, as they know this well, firsthand, in ways you might not even get from experience nowadays.
OvermodTo get a better appreciation of what aspects are hysteria and which are more significant, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agznZBiK_Bs I hope MC and diningcar comment on this topic at length, as they know this well, firsthand, in ways you might not even get from experience nowadays.
It would be interesting to see that film reshot with equipment and loadings of today's railroad world.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD Overmod To get a better appreciation of what aspects are hysteria and which are more significant, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agznZBiK_Bs I hope MC and diningcar comment on this topic at length, as they know this well, firsthand, in ways you might not even get from experience nowadays. It would be interesting to see that film reshot with equipment and loadings of today's railroad world.
Overmod To get a better appreciation of what aspects are hysteria and which are more significant, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agznZBiK_Bs I hope MC and diningcar comment on this topic at length, as they know this well, firsthand, in ways you might not even get from experience nowadays.
Right, unless track today is similar to track from 76 years ago!!
Overmod A considerable part of this is probably perception: video shot with what a famous poster on two-tracking called "heavy telephoto" exaggerate the extent of line and surface problems. Some posters of Indian 'dancing train' type videos love to troll the unwary into thinking this is worse than it is. Likewise, some track defects and wear are less trouble than others. You can easily have track good for no more than 8mph that can be used many years ... or you can have those deferred-maintenance problems Don and others mentioned happening on PC in the dark days, where ties crumbled and rails turned even under the weight of standing cars. Some of this is implicit in the rating of 'track class', which you might want to look up and study. To get a better appreciation of what aspects are hysteria and which are more significant, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agznZBiK_Bs I hope MC and diningcar comment on this topic at length, as they know this well, firsthand, in ways you might not even get from experience nowadays.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Murphy SidingWatch this video starting at about the 6:15 mark. Are there people riding in that gondola car as the train is purposly derailed?
No. I went wide-screen on this and that's the gondola with the wooden tie load, those are ties sticking up over the side.
Don't carry passengers and have no hazardous material lading? Great - you can run on excepted track until you can't run at all. (logic behind many a shortline run by those with an operating mentality who invest in shiny toys and not track) ... With restructured FRA going down the wrong path, it will only get worse.
Did the Maumee & Western get any better under their new owners?
Once saw a spur in northern California that was built with old rail - mix of short sections of straight rail and curved rail that did not match the actual curve. Don't know how it worked but it was clearly built that way. Longest section of rail was probably about 20'.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
If the track is on private property (presumably has been or can be RR served) it is the property owners choice but the RR can refuse service if not maitained.
RR owned:If is it no longer active it can remain without mainainance until service is needed. If serving a business it will (should be) maintained to insure safe operations and safety for employees assigned to work there.
If a main line (branch and secondary included) it must be maintained to provide the service its is there for. There are federal requirements which vary dependent upon its stipulated catagory
steve-in-kvilleWhat's funny about this, after I started the thread I remember there is a section of track at my hunting spot (NS mainline) where I notice the locomotives "bob" a bit. Must be a dip in the rails I guess.
CSX replaced the diamonds at Deshler last year. In the time since, a bit of a dip has developed which gives the locos quite the bounce, although an engineer I spoke to said they really don't notice...
I could swear I saw car wheels clearing the rail, and not in the flange-bearing part of the diamond.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
All gound that the railroads build across is not created equal. Some areas provide more support than other areas. Some areas have been a problem for the railroads from the first day the constructed track across it.
On the former B&O line from Baltimore to Washington there is a location known as 'Murray's Sink' - a area that has been sinking since the first rails were laid in the 1830's. Also on the B&O, about 100 yards West of the tower at Newton Falls, OH was a dip - maybe 8 inches to a foot below the normal line and about 100 yards long - trains would get some REAL slack action crossing that location, especially if the train was not exerting maximum pull in Run 8. Every time the surfacing gang would go through they would add additional ballast to raise the line at that location and shortly thereafter it would sink back down.
Up here, on 10 mph excepted track only every sixth tie has to be "good", and that is a subjective term.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
rdamonDid the Maumee & Western get any better under their new owners?
I watch you tube train videos a lot. It is getting better forget the new name but has Napoleon in it......so Google. You can see some trackwork and fresh ballast at least now. That part of the old Wabash was build on the great Black Swamp of long ago so the track deteriorated quickly as it is on former swamp land fill. They still run black geeps......lets see if I can find something....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkSymhpzcxU&t=31s
Getting closer to that D- :) Lokks like they are part of Pioneer
2020 Link with ex-ATSF GP20
SD70Dude Up here, on 10 mph excepted track only every sixth tie has to be "good", and that is a subjective term.
Just enough to hold gauge (maybe with the help of some gauge bars).
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