mudchicken(when they (hi-rails) are off the rail and used as a street vehicle, they tend to be pushing the GVW limits, can't turn, ride worse then a lumber wagon, hardly stop on a dime and wallow wherever they go.)
We didn't learn from Christie, we didn't learn from Evans, we didn't even learn from Brandt. Now we have junk sold at premium prices and no one seems to get it.
Note that the British know in principle how to get drive and steering and guiding all stable up to 100mph. There is no real reason that can't be done with something the dimensions of an F350 longbed-- if we acknowledge the front wheels will not be rickety standard gauge apart, and there will be spacers and 'stability duals' (with road tread only) spaced far enough outboard to clear any self-guiding wings or other weird projections. Only the onboard rear duals go on the rail -- and they have dynamic pressure modulation so shock doesn't bounce them. (If Schneider OTR can do it, why not conversion makers)
Nobody seems to want to put any kind of sensible low-mass guiding axle a la Auto-Railer on the front. Instead we get this primitive Fairmont stuff with heavy cast parts that take the polar moment of inertia for both ride and steering through the roof, but ride like a speeder. Even if you had track wheels that folded like aircraft landing gear you could do better. And there are ways to augment railhead following and clearing/conditioning. I'm as firmly convinced as the Germans were half a century ago that any light rail vehicle requires magnetic track brakes. One pair of rubber tires doing traction and braking is NOT going to get it... even at 45mph.
I suspect that as soon as PSR gets to considering what 'superconductors' or rapid-response maintenance crews actually need, including for drone support, there will be a market for better truck running quality even if the things cost more. All you have to do is show how they'll make money where it counts, and not lose it where it hurts.
Now what you actually build is not a pickup, but a low-floor 'mobile office' (originally designed for stand-up office and workroom service in a form that can be driven in and out of parking garages). Climate-controlled sleeper berths and RV features for little more than pickup price, and lower operating cost.
[/quote]Does the german car have any on-rail whoa capability?[/quote]Have you never heard of retro-rockets? Anyway, it stops nearly on a dime after it derails, or as you see in the last frame of the video. Most perps would learn to start running when they hear it, as fragmentation range may be well north of a quarter mile...
(when they (hi-rails) are off the rail and used as a street vehicle, they tend to be pushing the GVW limits, can't turn, ride worse then a lumber wagon, hardly stop on a dime and wallow wherever they go.)
Does the german car have any on-rail whoa capability?
Overmod mudchicken Hi-rail as a pursuit vehicle? Hold my beer. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DsrgcgPuUIo Doubles as a strike weapon laser-guided from surveillance drones, too!
mudchicken Hi-rail as a pursuit vehicle?
Hold my beer.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DsrgcgPuUIo
Doubles as a strike weapon laser-guided from surveillance drones, too!
I'll see your early 20th Century rockets and raise to 21st Century rockets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZziLcP7wzy8
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
steve-in-kvilleDo railroad police have vehicles that are hi-railed?
I know a RR police truck that is an unmarked white Ram 1500 (it may even have just the RR logo on the doors - I can't remember). Looks like the 56,000,000 other MOW trucks - well until he turns on the visor lights. Sneaky, sneaky.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
mudchickenHi-rail as a pursuit vehicle?
Most likely scenario would be a special agent out with a trainmaster, RFE or Supt. in the Superintendent's hi-rail. (then again, certain operating supervisors were a threat to the long term servicability of the hi-rail, especially shunts)
I'm not sure I've ever seen a special agent in a rules class FWIW. I've had special agents in hi-rails with me, most notably during the LA King riots on the old ATSF Harbor District.
Hi-rail as a pursuit vehicle?
They may on some properties. Not on CSX. Hi-rail vehicles are most all assigned within the various MofW crafts.
Regards - Steve
CShaveRRLooks like the sharp curves beyond the frog will provide a rougher ride than the switch itself.
I think I read that the switch points were 180 feet long or possibly longer. Obviously, not a US installation.
CSX during my Dispatching career raised the speeds on various crossovers on my territories - when you put in 45-50 MPH crossovers - they are LONG between one end and the other. Whenever it became necessary because of signal issues to have trains operate past Stop signals by securing the switches in their route in HAND position and then operating at restricted speed - it seemed like it took 'forever' for Conductor to exit the locomotive and get BOTH ends of the crossover secured for movement. A lot of walking being done.
Looks like the sharp curves beyond the frog will provide a rougher ride than the switch itself.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
mudchicken jeffhergert steve-in-kville On a two-track mainline, can a train be switched over at normal speed? Or must they slow down? I've seen videos of them slowing down until the lead loco's are across, the speeding up. My hunting spot is about two miles from a switch and I have never seen them slow down for it, at least not that I could notice. On the lines I work, for awhile it seemed 30 mph crossovers were in vogue. Then 40 mph crossovers was the go to when possible. Now it's 50 mph crossovers. And there are places where they have 60 mph crossovers. If they are slowing down and then speeding up after going through the switch, it's a head end only restriction. I know of some switches that were like that if you were going through the trailing point direction. Most crossovers (and switches) require the entire movement to pass through before picking up speed. Jeff The joys of movable point (swing nose) high number frogs, sampson point and undercut stock rails...Less of a threat to the wearable parts and no flangeway gap in the frog.
jeffhergert steve-in-kville On a two-track mainline, can a train be switched over at normal speed? Or must they slow down? I've seen videos of them slowing down until the lead loco's are across, the speeding up. My hunting spot is about two miles from a switch and I have never seen them slow down for it, at least not that I could notice. On the lines I work, for awhile it seemed 30 mph crossovers were in vogue. Then 40 mph crossovers was the go to when possible. Now it's 50 mph crossovers. And there are places where they have 60 mph crossovers. If they are slowing down and then speeding up after going through the switch, it's a head end only restriction. I know of some switches that were like that if you were going through the trailing point direction. Most crossovers (and switches) require the entire movement to pass through before picking up speed. Jeff
steve-in-kville On a two-track mainline, can a train be switched over at normal speed? Or must they slow down? I've seen videos of them slowing down until the lead loco's are across, the speeding up. My hunting spot is about two miles from a switch and I have never seen them slow down for it, at least not that I could notice.
On the lines I work, for awhile it seemed 30 mph crossovers were in vogue. Then 40 mph crossovers was the go to when possible. Now it's 50 mph crossovers. And there are places where they have 60 mph crossovers.
If they are slowing down and then speeding up after going through the switch, it's a head end only restriction. I know of some switches that were like that if you were going through the trailing point direction. Most crossovers (and switches) require the entire movement to pass through before picking up speed.
Jeff
The joys of movable point (swing nose) high number frogs, sampson point and undercut stock rails...Less of a threat to the wearable parts and no flangeway gap in the frog.
http://www.railway-technical.com/infrastructure/
200 KPH switch - 8 switch machines to operate the points; 3 switch machines to operate the frog.
steve-in-kvilleOn a two-track mainline, can a train be switched over at normal speed? Or must they slow down? I've seen videos of them slowing down until the lead loco's are across, the speeding up. My hunting spot is about two miles from a switch and I have never seen them slow down for it, at least not that I could notice.
Depends entirely on the design/ dimensions of the crossover. High speed crossovers do exist but are more expensive to build and maintain. For a freight only line, slowing down for a crossover is a lot less expensive in the long run.
BaltACDHi-railing on a Sunday morning could be for multiple causes which includes the Roadmaster's periodically required inspection of his territory (Sunday's are favored as there is normally less train traffic as well as MofW work projects are normally laid in on the weekends). Hi-railing could also taking place account of anomaly's having been reported by train crews operating through the area.
Where I worked - most of the MOW guys wouldn't come out on the weekends unless something happened. They had their normal patrol schedules and were accomadated. Maintainers would sometimes show up on saturday morning for their switch tests - that way they could bang out all the switches on a line in like an hour.
steve-in-kvilleI saw a hi-rail truck on the tracks early Sunday morning. We had a series of thunderstorms move through the area overnight, so I figured something must have taken a lightning strike. What kind of damage can lightning do to the tracks and its signals? Who figures out something is wrong? The train crews? Dispatchers?
Think hundreds of thousands if not millions of volts in a lightning strike vs. electronic equipment that operates on millivolts. The potential for dmage is endless.
Everyone will discover what is wrong as soon as find something that should be working isn't. Each emplyee/craft have their own set of things they would expect to be working.
Hi-railing on a Sunday morning could be for multiple causes which includes the Roadmaster's periodically required inspection of his territory (Sunday's are favored as there is normally less train traffic as well as MofW work projects are normally laid in on the weekends). Hi-railing could also taking place account of anomaly's having been reported by train crews operating through the area.
If lightning had damaged the signal system you most likely would have seen trains moving over the tracks at Restricted Speed as they would have to have been given the Train Dispatcher's permission to pass Stop Signals that would be displayed at the Control Points.
MOW runs "storm patrols" after nasty storms. Looking for fallen trees, washouts, etc.
Lots of problems, not just limited to direct strikes on wires, poles, or cabinets. Locomotives are both electrically and 'medically' risky as they are substantially grounded to earth potential, as cars with rubber tires are not, and even an S-520 cab may not act as a full Faraday cage to divert current 'around' people inside.
A strike to ground or ballast can induce substantial earth current there, which can derange equipment or cause it to drop to weird settings.
BaltACDMost likely a passing train saw it and notified both the train with the fire and the Train Dispatcher - the Train Dispatcher got in contact with both the train with the fire and the PSCC (CSX Police Center) and came to an agreed point to stop for a local Fire Department to respond and extinguish the fire. Just like in racing, stopping where there is no fire fighting equipment doesn't produce a 'happy' outcome.
Can't disagree. It's a busy two-track line. All of the above are possible.
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 steve-in-kville I'm seeing a lot more refer containers. How would a train crew know, if at all, that one went down? I've never heard of a crew talk about a downed refer over the radio.... A CSX train passing through Defiance, OH last week was briefly delayed while the fire department doused the refrigeration unit on such a container. I saw it a little later as it passed through Deshler with a melted housing... I don't know how the fire was reported - probably someone lineside saw it and called it in.
steve-in-kville I'm seeing a lot more refer containers. How would a train crew know, if at all, that one went down? I've never heard of a crew talk about a downed refer over the radio....
A CSX train passing through Defiance, OH last week was briefly delayed while the fire department doused the refrigeration unit on such a container. I saw it a little later as it passed through Deshler with a melted housing...
I don't know how the fire was reported - probably someone lineside saw it and called it in.
Most likely a passing train saw it and notified both the train with the fire and the Train Dispatcher - the Train Dispatcher got in contact with both the train with the fire and the PSCC (CSX Police Center) and came to an agreed point to stop for a local Fire Department to respond and extinguish the fire. Just like in racing, stopping where there is no fire fighting equipment doesn't produce a 'happy' outcome.
steve-in-kvilleI'm seeing a lot more refer containers. How would a train crew know, if at all, that one went down? I've never heard of a crew talk about a downed refer over the radio....
I seem to remember that in the 'old days' before cellular radio or satellite monitoring was any more than science fiction, crews would check that reefers were running as they walked a consist or observed one passing. If I remember correctly there were employees -- I'd think almost certainly carmen -- who would periodically top up the diesel fuel in cars taking "too long" to get where they were going; I'd expect this to be billed just about as periodic 're-icing' of passive reefers would be. Seems to me that Trains has at least one story about what happened if reefer units failed, ran out of Freon, or caught fire while in service, but I don't remember any actual details.
I am amused that some of the Cryo-Trans cars have a full platform with safety railings and harness points to work on their cooling equipment -- this is laudable but not at all inexpensive...
10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ...
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