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Mt. Washington RR....

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  • Member since
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  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
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Mt. Washington RR....
Posted by Modelcar on Friday, November 19, 2004 2:32 PM
...I caught part of a program last evening on the Travel Channel regarding the Mt. Washington Cog RR. In the recent past we had the subject going here of cog railways. It showed some close up views of the gearing and mechanical workings of the steam engine....even underneath how the cog sticks down and engages into the "rack" in the center of the track. I was surprised how far the engine is "geared down" in ratio...Believe I heard them relate it climbs something like 3400 ft. to the summit.
Wondering if anyone else on here got to see it as I did.....As I watched the operation and realizing how old the equipment is...I wondered what is the safety feature that catches the train if something happens to the integrity of the "gearing" system....?

Quentin

  • Member since
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  • From: Louisville,Ky.
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Posted by locomutt on Friday, November 19, 2004 3:03 PM
Didn't get to see that one MC,but my Jan'05 R & R came in the other
day;and in their Railnews section is a paragraph and pic. about a new
passing track,and the fact that they will now operate all year long.[:)]

Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 19, 2004 3:29 PM
Safety Equipment? Your kidding, Right? I have ridden many rack trains in my life and this was one of the scariest.
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  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
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Posted by Modelcar on Friday, November 19, 2004 4:40 PM
....Surely there has to be something....and I agree, it sure looked scary to me...and it did show multiple tracks at the top, and trains. Aren't they regulated by something...? I find it hard to believe the safety of the people in that passenger car being pushed ahead of the engine solely depends on all that gearing staying in "one piece"....!

Quentin

  • Member since
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  • From: Massachusetts
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Posted by Paul3 on Friday, November 19, 2004 7:08 PM
There are handbrakes on the passenger car. When they are going down hill, the car is kept off the engine by use of the car brakes while the engine more or less coasts down grade (there are no couplers, BTW).

As scary as the trip sounds, they've only had one really bad accident when "Old Peppersass" broke loose after it was restored (it was the Cog's first engine). I think the accident was in the 1930's.

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 19, 2004 8:48 PM
I rode it and didn't consider it to be scary at all. In fact, great trip except it was cloudy and VERRRRRRRRRRRRY cold at the top! Would recommend the trip.
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 19, 2004 9:25 PM

Great place to go. In 2002 we went up to the top on the Auto Road then spent the day railfanning the cog, on foot. I think we hiked down 1/3 of the way. Great place to visit. well worth the time. This winter they are going to be running ski trains up about 1/3 of the line. That will vary intresting to see.

-Justin Franz
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  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
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Posted by Modelcar on Saturday, November 20, 2004 8:24 AM
...As Paul3 relates to handbrakes on the passenger car....but how can that be effective....with the fact the engine has to depend on mechanical connection to the track to achieve adhesion.....? Somehow I would imagine an emergency system would be needed to "grab" the units if the mechanical part of the engine fails. I have ridden the VERY steep incline plane at Johnstown, Pa. many times and have looked at their safety arrangement which consists of 2 very thick cables that pull the "cars" up and hold them back as they decend the grade. Each cable in itself is capable of doing that work by itself so hence a safety factor...{I realize this is different than the cog system}, I'm just relating a safety system for such an extreme conveyance....

Quentin

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
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Posted by Modelcar on Saturday, November 20, 2004 9:11 AM
....Ok, learned a bit more of the "braking system" on the Cog RR....The passenger car is not connected to the engine and also has a cog system...I believe at both axles. This geared arrangement also connects mechanically to the "rack" to hold the passenger car speed in check on the way down via a connected {to the gearing system}, brake drum and controlled by a brakeman...! The passenger car also contains a ratchet system {like the engine}, that clicks into each rack "tooth" as it inches forward on the way up providing a safety system if the engine looses power. From what I can find, it seems the passenger car is solely dependant on the brake drums at each end of the car to hold it's speed in check as it decends...Wow....! I believe I would want to be sitting right at the door if I was ever on it....

Quentin

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 20, 2004 12:51 PM
Braking is pure genious: A brakeperson (sic) rides each passenger car and applies the brakes as needed. This equipment predates automatic brakes. Forget about jumping off. Most of this trackage is built on a trestle.
  • Member since
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  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
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Posted by Modelcar on Saturday, November 20, 2004 3:44 PM
...Yes, understand...trestle. I would count this as one conveyance I don't need to ride.

Quentin

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