https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TLS0q9dprM
CMStPnP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TLS0q9dprM
One thing I had never seen until this video -
A open Tri-level with ONLY the top level loaded with vehicles.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDOne thing I had never seen until this video - A open Tri-level with ONLY the top level loaded with vehicles.
Trying to find a really cool CSX video to post. It was what looked like a SD40 towing a full 1/4 mile section of welded rail by tieing it to the coupler and dragging it for several miles across RR crossings and switches. I would have thought that would weaken the rail or cause defects but apparently not. They were only going about 3-5 mph with it.
CMStPnP BaltACD One thing I had never seen until this video - A open Tri-level with ONLY the top level loaded with vehicles. Trying to find a really cool CSX video to post. It was what looked like a SD40 towing a full 1/4 mile section of welded rail by tieing it to the coupler and dragging it for several miles across RR crossings and switches. I would have thought that would weaken the rail or cause defects but apparently not. They were only going about 3-5 mph with it.
BaltACD One thing I had never seen until this video - A open Tri-level with ONLY the top level loaded with vehicles.
Rail is harder than anything it is likely to encounter in being dragged along the right of way. Remember, depending upon location and tonnage handled, rail can remain in use for 20 - 30 - 40 - 50 years. Of course in high curvature areas two or three years can be considered long life - so you can see the economic benefit of 'greasers' if rail life can be materially extended.
BaltACD Remember, depending upon location and tonnage handled, rail can remain in use for 20 - 30 - 40 - 50 years.
We're running on 100 year old 105 pound Dudley... Getting hard to find, though, if we need to replace a stick.
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...
tree68 BaltACD Remember, depending upon location and tonnage handled, rail can remain in use for 20 - 30 - 40 - 50 years. We're running on 100 year old 105 pound Dudley... Getting hard to find, though, if we need to replace a stick.
What I suspect would be even harder to find are compromise angle bars to match your Dudley rail to some other rail's specifics. Not all rails are rolled with the same geometry and where jointed rail exists there needs to be 'compromise' angle bars that have the necessary characteristics of both rail types to be joined - for instance 105 pound Dudley on one end of the angle bar and 122 pount Nippon on the other end of the angle bar..
While welding would eliminate the need for compromise angle bars, welding two different weight and pattern of rails is a more involved procedure than it is for welding two of the same characteristic rails together.
BaltACDA open Tri-level with ONLY the top level loaded with vehicles.
I'm wondering if that was because all the vehicles were pickup trucks, maybe just a little too tall for the lower levels.
BaltACDWhat I suspect would be even harder to find are compromise angle bars to match your Dudley rail to some other rail's specifics.
We have rail - but the sticks are too short for a one-for-one replacement.
A solution might be to weld two sticks and cut to length. I'm not involved on that end of the operation, so I don't know if that's been discussed.
ChuckCobleigh BaltACD A open Tri-level with ONLY the top level loaded with vehicles. I'm wondering if that was because all the vehicles were pickup trucks, maybe just a little too tall for the lower levels.
BaltACD A open Tri-level with ONLY the top level loaded with vehicles.
In my experience during that period of time - pick ups were normally loaded on bi-levels. Loading pick ups would have also raised total exterior height of the tri-level.
When I was working with open bi's and tri's in Baltimore Terminal. Tri-levels loaded to a height of 17 feet 3 inches could operate at track speed through the Howard Street Tunnel. Tri-levels loaded to 17 feet 5 inches were restricted to 10 MPH. That was in the middle 1970's.
With the Howard Street Tunnel in the 2000's and the modifications that happened between the 1970's and 1996 (when the Baltimore Division became my territory) allowed auto racks with a maximum height of 19 feet 2 inches to operate without speed restrictions. The primary drawback of all the undercutting of the track structure to allow the increased height is that the track level is nominally below water level of Baltimore's Inner Harbor - in 'normal' weather, this is no problem; in severe weather conditions (Severe Thunderstorms with Flash Flood Warnings, Nor'Easters with Coastal Flood Warnings) water level will routinely get above the top of the rail. The flooding happens despite having a pumping system - under heavy precipitation the water has no place to go as all the Baltimore storm drain system is full.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.