Rochelle Diamonds?

[writesong]

With four main line railroad tracks intersecting at Rochelle, Illinois, creating four little diamonds, with one big diamond in the center, could that be referred to as a, "Five of Diamonds"?

Yes, I'm being facetious, but I am curious as to what serious railroaders call that intersection?

[K. P. Harrier]

Hi, John (writesong, 2-8):

I’m not sure of the official technicalities, but diamond(s) seems to be generally understood by most to mean where one track crosses another.

Here are a couple of views of the Rochelle, IL diamonds:

Those ‘diamonds’ are not 90 degree ones, and the tracks angle across the other.

In Colton, CA the UP Sunset Route crosses the BNSF Transcon.  Those were 90 degree diamonds.  BNSF (AT&SF) was responsible for the maintenance by reason of the fact they got there second.  But, UP took over maintenance with the Colton Flyover agreement, even changing the diamonds out.

Those 90 degree diamonds were a heavy maintenance headache.  The ones at Rochelle, IL are angled and do better.  Then, the Colton Flyover came along, and the then noise went away.

Now, between the Transcon and the Sunset Route, sometimes 100 trains a day traverse through the area without getting in each other's way.

Perhaps someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but I think diamond is a single one track crossing another, whereas diamonds is multiple tracks.

Take care,

K.P.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

writesong

With four main line railroad tracks intersecting at Rochelle, Illinois, creating four little diamonds, with one big diamond in the center, could that be referred to as a, "Five of Diamonds"?

Yes, I'm being facetious, but I am curious as to what serious railroaders call that intersection?

The whole thing is called a "crossing", "grade crossing", or "at-grade crossing", to distinguish it from a grade-separated/ bridge crossing.  That designation is similar to a road crossing of a track, but since there are so few rail-rail crossings, it doesn't seem to confuse anyone.  Probably a 'qualifier' such as the name of the other railroad or track provides context and removes any uncertainty - e.g., if BNSF is near Rochelle, to say "the UP crossing" is all that's necessary; if they're right next to it, "the crossing" is enough. 

The individual crossings of one rail with another are "crossing frogs", sometimes informally called "corners".

I don't know that I've ever heard it or them called "diamonds", though I would know what's meant - perhaps it's a regional or slang thing.  I've never heard or thought of the 5th (interior) diamond, either- that's kind of funny - but it shows that I've spent too much time focusing on the other 4.

- Paul North.        

[BOB WITHORN]

[quote user="Paul_D_North_Jr"]

 

 

writesong

With four main line railroad tracks intersecting at Rochelle, Illinois, creating four little diamonds, with one big diamond in the center, could that be referred to as a, "Five of Diamonds"?

Yes, I'm being facetious, but I am curious as to what serious railroaders call that intersection?

 

 

The whole thing is called a "crossing", "grade crossing", or "at-grade crossing", to distinguish it from a grade-separated/ bridge crossing.  That designation is similar to a road crossing of a track, but since there are so few rail-rail crossings, it doesn't seem to confuse anyone.  Probably a 'qualifier' such as the name of the other railroad or track provides context and removes any uncertainty - e.g., if BNSF is near Rochelle, to say "the UP crossing" is all that's necessary; if they're right next to it, "the crossing" is enough. 

 

The individual crossings of one rail with another are "crossing frogs", sometimes informally called "corners".

I don't know that I've ever heard it or them called "diamonds", though I would know what's meant - perhaps it's a regional or slang thing.  I've never heard or thought of the 5th (interior) diamond, either- that's kind of funny - but it shows that I've spent too much time focusing on the other 4.

- Paul North.        

 

So Paul, 'grade crossing' and 'at grade crossing' are used for both rail and highway intercestions?  Didn't know that, I learned something.

Bob

[tree68]

BOB WITHORN

o Paul, 'grade crossing' and 'at grade crossing' are used for both rail and highway intercestions?  Didn't know that, I learned something.

That tidbit is back in the corners of my brain - although when one hears "grade crossing" one usually thinks of a road/rail intersection.

With two tracks on both BNSF and UP, one might think it's the crossing of two each two track mains (the nomenclature for which could fill a discussion for several days), but that's not the case.  The UP is two tracks from the Chicago area to the Mississippi, but the BNSF is single track on both sides of Rochelle, with the two track section really being more of a long passing siding.

[Deggesty]

I'll join in on crossings--the Southern referred to "public crossings" in its ETT's.

As my knowledge of ETT's gradually increased over the years, I became aware that each railroad had its own nomenclature for many things.

By the way, John, I'm glad to know that there is someone else in Utah who has this interest in railroadiana.

[writesong]

Deggesty

I'll join in on crossings--the Southern referred to "public crossings" in its ETT's.

As my knowledge of ETT's gradually increased over the years, I became aware that each railroad had its own nomenclature for many things.

By the way, John, I'm glad to know that there is someone else in Utah who has this interest in railroadiana.

 

Unfortunately, here in Vernal, Utah where I live, there is no railroad.

The closest railroad yards are in Rock Springs, Wyoming, and the nearest Amtrak station is in Grand Junction, Colorado.

This area is known as the "Outlaw Trail" country, for back in the old days of the American West, outlaws liked this area, where the state lines of Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado come together, for with no railroad, it took a long time for law enforcement posses to get here riding horseback over rugged mountains and high desert, and in the meantime, the hunted outlaws found safety by merely riding across state lines into a different jurisdiction.

The town of Vernal, Utah provided safe haven for Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and the Wild Bunch, as long as no crimes were committed in this town.

Once, there was a robbery in Vernal, Utah, and Butch Cassidy made the robber return the money.

So, for the moment, I content myself with using my computer to watch the live streaming video of the Rochelle crossing.

My apartment is too small for me to set up a model railroad.

But, in my life (I'm now seventy-one years old), I've ridden a lot of railroad trains, all over the globe.

[mudchicken]

There may not be a railroad at Vernal, but railroads keep looking at going that way. Including one in the last 5 years, urged along by UDOT.

 

Crossing Frog(s) here from a M/W point of view... Frog (singular) on a turnout (switch is just the moveable part of a turnout)....Operating guys look at it differently.

[Cotton Belt MP104]

 

KPH: Your wide shot of the diamond at Rochelle, reminded me of the Tarantula Train.  Running from Grapevine TX to the stockyards at Ft Worth it crosses a Class 1 mainline(forgot which one).  This “intersection” was a diamond of the non-90-degree type.  The Class 1 built a new diamond since they were rebuilding their main.  Someone goofed.  When the diamond got installed on the main……the intersecting rails were not in alignment.  Thus, the Tarantula rails had to accommodate the diamond by creating an “S” curve on their former straight alignment.   Half curve out of straight to enter the diamond and reverse half curve upon exit.  I rode it, but guess I need to go Google it and view from the air.  Interesting but embarrassing to someone.  Kinda like the bridge built and not in alignment with the roadway.    Endmrw0209171138

 

[CShaveRR]

John, I've heard the crossing referred to by serious railroaders as "the petting zoo". Or maybe that's just the park.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]