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Rail Cleaning - 12 Inch to the Foot Version

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  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Denver / La Junta
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Posted by mudchicken on Thursday, April 9, 2020 2:10 PM

A little more engine crater on the ground, welders actually spending more time on the rest of their territory and a few less sharp flanges picling switches...Good deal.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
  • Member since
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  • From: Northern New York
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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:27 AM

BaltACD

Thought flange bearing frogs were for one way low speed diamonds - not two way normal speed installations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5eIj7-j0is

The clunks you hear are adjacent joints, not the diamond itself.

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
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  • From: US
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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:16 AM

Thought flange bearing frogs were for one way low speed diamonds - not two way normal speed installations.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
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Rail Cleaning - 12 Inch to the Foot Version
Posted by tree68 on Thursday, April 9, 2020 8:19 AM

Whilst watching the Deshler rail cam just now, we saw MOW working on the diamond with a big torch and shovels.  One fellow even pulled out a putty knife.

They were apparently scraping gunk off the rails. 

As background, the diamond in Deshler is now a flange-bearing, both directions.  That means that while passing over the diamond the wheels are riding on their flanges, not on the treads.  This eliminates the usual banging that occurs on diamonds, a real maintenance headache.

It would appear that since the wheel treads are not touching the rails, a lot of junk builds up on top of the rails at that point.  This appears to get packed pretty solid - the crew was using the torch to heat the mess, then using the shovels to scrape it off - not to mention that putty knife.

This raises the question - is this a problem for such frogs?  Perhaps an unanticipated side effect?  What would be the issue if left untouched?  

LarryWhistling
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...

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