Is there a slow order on one of the two diamonds on the north BNSF track? The trains coming through on the south track seem to be rolling right along at track speed, while those on the north track (mostly eastbounds) seem to be crossing at 5-10 mph and notching up once the power clears the diamonds.
rickmcLight pollution from the Rochelle street lights reflecting off the snow cover makes the scene faintly visible tonight!
Temp = 0
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD rickmc Light pollution from the Rochelle street lights reflecting off the snow cover makes the scene faintly visible tonight! Temp = 0
rickmc Light pollution from the Rochelle street lights reflecting off the snow cover makes the scene faintly visible tonight!
-4 and no footprints in the snow
BNSF Crew arriving to shvove into the 'connection' and having to sweep out the switch.
BNSF crew stopping within the BNSF 'Home' Signals for the interlocking to throw the connection switch - In most instances, occupying the circuits between the Home signals would also prevent signals from being able to be lined across the diamonds by the UP.
Noticed that the crew that delivered to the 'connection' left the switch open as the shoved on down the connection - with the switch open with the limits of the BNSF Home signals - that should be holding down the circuits within the interlocking and preventing signals from being lined on the UP.
Are there special conditions in this interlocking so that the UP does not get 'blocked out' from their maximum track time?
Looked in last night when a couple of you said light-spill from the street and the full moon allowed pretty good visibility. Couldn't see a thing except that it was probably snowing pretty hard (the lights would individually blur for a second and then clear up).
Now, I see that I was probably right. But, as pretty as all that white s**t is, y'all can keep it. Snow is one of the main reasons I've been in Texas for 25+ years.
ChuckAllen, TX
BaltACD BNSF crew stopping within the BNSF 'Home' Signals for the interlocking to throw the connection switch - In most instances, occupying the circuits between the Home signals would also prevent signals from being able to be lined across the diamonds by the UP. Noticed that the crew that delivered to the 'connection' left the switch open as the shoved on down the connection - with the switch open with the limits of the BNSF Home signals - that should be holding down the circuits within the interlocking and preventing signals from being lined on the UP. Are there special conditions in this interlocking so that the UP does not get 'blocked out' from their maximum track time?
The open switch to the BNSF siding clearly does not block UP traffic. I've seen the local switching right beside UP trains on both tracks. Probably would not block BNSF traffic on the other track, either.
I thought the switch was locally controlled, too. I've seen a brakeman working a box off to the side every time I've seen the local (which comes by between 11AM and noon Eastern time‚ which is when I've seen it). He gets off on the way out, works the switch, and then has to walk down to where his train is waiting..
Fun to see the BNSF local running long-hood forward, too.
/Mr Lynn
It doesn't affect UP's operation, i have pictures of the switcher coming from the west with a consist and a up coal EB.
I've caught it several times now.
MrLynn BaltACD BNSF crew stopping within the BNSF 'Home' Signals for the interlocking to throw the connection switch - In most instances, occupying the circuits between the Home signals would also prevent signals from being able to be lined across the diamonds by the UP. Noticed that the crew that delivered to the 'connection' left the switch open as the shoved on down the connection - with the switch open with the limits of the BNSF Home signals - that should be holding down the circuits within the interlocking and preventing signals from being lined on the UP. Are there special conditions in this interlocking so that the UP does not get 'blocked out' from their maximum track time? The open switch to the BNSF siding clearly does not block UP traffic. I've seen the local switching right beside UP trains on both tracks. Probably would not block BNSF traffic on the other track, either. I thought the switch was locally controlled, too. I've seen a brakeman working a box off to the side every time I've seen the local (which comes by between 11AM and noon Eastern time‚ which is when I've seen it). He gets off on the way out, works the switch, and then has to walk down to where his train is waiting.. Fun to see the BNSF local running long-hood forward, too. /Mr Lynn
Must be some 'special' circuitry within the logic of the interlocking to permit such operations. In 'normal' circumstance, any train occupying a track within the limits of the interlocking would prevent movement on the crossing (conflicting) line. I am guessing that while the 'local' is occuping the track and BEFORE the switch is opened to the connection that it would be impossible to line a route through the interlocking on the UP. Once the switch is opened and there is nothing occupying the circuit West of the switch, then the UP routes can be lined. I also SUSPECT, if there is a UP train that has been lined across the crossing in either direction on either track that the BNSF crew will be unable to CLOSE & LOCK the connection switch as there would now be a BNSF movement within the interlocking limits allowing a conflict with the UP movements.
Cardinal Rule of railroading - PROTECT, then authorize.
BaltACD Must be some 'special' circuitry within the logic of the interlocking to permit such operations. In 'normal' circumstance, any train occupying a track within the limits of the interlocking would prevent movement on the crossing (conflicting) line. I am guessing that while the 'local' is occuping the track and BEFORE the switch is opened to the connection that it would be impossible to line a route through the interlocking on the UP. Once the switch is opened and there is nothing occupying the circuit West of the switch, then the UP routes can be lined. I also SUSPECT, if there is a UP train that has been lined across the crossing in either direction on either track that the BNSF crew will be unable to CLOSE & LOCK the connection switch as there would now be a BNSF movement within the interlocking limits allowing a conflict with the UP movements. Cardinal Rule of railroading - PROTECT, then authorize.
Your guess sounds logical to me. The circuitry has to assume that once the switch is open to the siding that any BNSF train east of the diamond is no threat to the UP routes--which seems reasonable.
Back in the day there were doubtless mechanical interlockings for the signals and that switch, so somewhere there are probably diagrams of how they worked. The electronic system probably replicates the old one. Is the switch is still manually activated (not with a lever, but with a solenoid)?
MrLynn BaltACD Must be some 'special' circuitry within the logic of the interlocking to permit such operations. In 'normal' circumstance, any train occupying a track within the limits of the interlocking would prevent movement on the crossing (conflicting) line. I am guessing that while the 'local' is occuping the track and BEFORE the switch is opened to the connection that it would be impossible to line a route through the interlocking on the UP. Once the switch is opened and there is nothing occupying the circuit West of the switch, then the UP routes can be lined. I also SUSPECT, if there is a UP train that has been lined across the crossing in either direction on either track that the BNSF crew will be unable to CLOSE & LOCK the connection switch as there would now be a BNSF movement within the interlocking limits allowing a conflict with the UP movements. Cardinal Rule of railroading - PROTECT, then authorize. Your guess sounds logical to me. The circuitry has to assume that once the switch is open to the siding that any BNSF train east of the diamond is no threat to the UP routes--which seems reasonable. Back in the day there were doubtless mechanical interlockings for the signals and that switch, so somewhere there are probably diagrams of how they worked. The electronic system probably replicates the old one. Is the switch is still manually activated (not with a lever, but with a solenoid)? /Mr Lynn
Observation of the crew indicates that it is hand operated. Since, I am told the speed on both lines over the crossing is 35 MPH, the switch must be an Electric Lock switch (required where trains or engines can 'clear' the Main track) as Electric Lock switches are required for clearing points where track speed is greater than 20 MPH.
The local just came to deliver a single box car. Two crewmen had to sweep the switch points before operating the switch.
Every train I've seen this morning has been crawling through the diamonds. Are there speed restrictions because of the cold (-9º F, according to the website)?
0559 0109 2015
WB BNSF, sure sounds like something is loose on the diamonds, same ring type sound as each car passes over them. Like a rattling pipe.
Spinning Nut 0559 0109 2015 WB BNSF, sure sounds like something is loose on the diamonds, same ring type sound as each car passes over them. Like a rattling pipe.
BNSF making a delivery to the connection right now. 8 cars including 4 Mech Reefers.
WB UP unit gon train with 1 UP & 1 CSX engine going at track speed - gons appeard to be loaded, but not above the belt rail.
i wonder how much money goes by the diamonds each day.
if ya got a nickle per car you would be rich in a week.
rdettmer i wonder how much money goes by the diamonds each day. if ya got a nickle per car you would be rich in a week.
I wonder how much goes into maintenance and repairs! Seems as though there's a crew out there half the time I look. Gives meaning to the article in Trains this month on the the high upkeep of diamonds. I'm surprised they didn't include the ones at Rochelle.
For easy to count figures - $2M per engine and $75K per car as round numbers - then add the value of the commodities being handled. My guess would be close to $1B a day or more crosses over the diamonds.
A crew is out today - welding on the west near track. When was the diamond at Rochelle last replaced? At what point does replacement become economical rather than what really seems to be a full time repair crew? Repair I assume limits track usage for both the UP and BNSF. If the diamond was replaced would it continue to need daily repairs? Would track use efficiency increase?
internet explorerer doesn't work today. anyone else getting an x ?
fire fox works but it goes then stops and goes then stops.
Works for me in IE and Firefox as of 2:30 pm Central time. Both of them have occasional 'hiccups', and the Firefox version continues to crash the plugin if you scroll the frame by mistake, but that's nothing unusual.
Perhaps they've fixed whatever it was.
OK, for my next trick, I'll take my foot out of my mouth. I'm still getting white-out conditions on my new Windows 8.1 IE 11 machine and just discovered that replying in this forum doesn't work there now either. Both the web cam and the forum were working just fine as recently as a week ago. I may have made some changes to IE in the meantime but everything else that I use frequently is happy. Back to the drawing boards.
The web cam and the forum seem to be working OK on my old Windows 7 IE 11 machine although I sense a change here, too. Starting with the login, something just looks and feels different.
But, as I logged on to this machine to check this out, an eastbound BNSF container train hit the diamonds. His horn sounded like he has a cold as bad as mine and because of the lighting right now, I could hardly see the train. All I really saw was shadows racing across the snow; looked kind of weird.
BtrainBob A crew is out today - welding on the west near track. When was the diamond at Rochelle last replaced? At what point does replacement become economical rather than what really seems to be a full time repair crew? Repair I assume limits track usage for both the UP and BNSF. If the diamond was replaced would it continue to need daily repairs? Would track use efficiency increase?
Funny you should ask; the current edition of the magazine has a nice article on diamonds. It's been several years since the assembly in Rochelle was replaced, so it may about be due. On the other hand, diamonds are high maintenance trackwork in the best of times. Yesterday a few of the many MOW workers on scene were bolting something up on the northeast corner of the northeast diamond. Lots of sledge and impact driver work going on.
Oh, and at five pm CST a WB UP manifest is trundling through the diamonds.
ChuckCobleigh BtrainBob A crew is out today - welding on the west near track. When was the diamond at Rochelle last replaced? At what point does replacement become economical rather than what really seems to be a full time repair crew? Repair I assume limits track usage for both the UP and BNSF. If the diamond was replaced would it continue to need daily repairs? Would track use efficiency increase? Funny you should ask; the current edition of the magazine has a nice article on diamonds. It's been several years since the assembly in Rochelle was replaced, so it may about be due. On the other hand, diamonds are high maintenance trackwork in the best of times. Yesterday a few of the many MOW workers on scene were bolting something up on the northeast corner of the northeast diamond. Lots of sledge and impact driver work going on. Oh, and at five pm CST a WB UP manifest is trundling through the diamonds.
Replacing diamonds - especially at a location such as Rochelle is a highly involved undertaking and requires a tremendous amount of coordination between the carierrs at multiple level throughout each carriers organization. Not to mention having the tracks of both carriers being out of service at the location for 8 to 16 hours or more if something goes wrong.
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