Today I saw a whole bunch of ties that were recentlydropped off along a BNSF line. Can tie replacement be done when the ground is frozen and there's snow on the ground? Our frost line is 42 inches down in the dead of winter; perhaps 8-10" down right now. Ican't imagine they would drop ties now and let them lay along the tracks till springtime.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Murphy Siding Today I saw a whole bunch of ties that were recentlydropped off along a BNSF line. Can tie replacement be done when the ground is frozen and there's snow on the ground? Our frost line is 42 inches down in the dead of winter; perhaps 8-10" down right now. Ican't imagine they would drop ties now and let them lay along the tracks till springtime.
Well, you have to "age" them to perfection. "We will install no tie before it's time."
UP last year dropped ties that were installed this year. I suppose sitting out like that won't hurt them. I'm surprised they didn't "lose" more at rarely used rural crossings. That didn't seem to be a problem.
The other day about 12 hours after the snow had stopped falling, they had a tamper and ballast regulator out working. That surprised me.
Jeff
This is the time of year CSX would furlough the System tie and rail gangs. They would get called back to work in the first week in January and be deployed along the Southern reaches of the company and work their way North as the warmth returns to the Northern reaches of the company.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
CN's tried doing winter tie changeouts a few times. They bust up the frozen ballast using rail mounted backhoes with jackhammers.
Those areas always turn into soft spots during the spring thaw, and I know of at least one derailment that was caused by this.
CN blamed a customer for that incident, claiming an unbalanced load caused a car to fall off.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Budget games - Had enough $$$ left in this years budget to buy the treated ties and labor to unload it. (Better than giving money back at the end of the year and have the operating department waste the $$$ on additional shiny toys)
Normally you don't run production gangs (tie, surfacing, rail) in winter and like Balt commented, you work south to north. Spot gangs run where they can to knock off slow orders before everything freezes solid. If the track structure isn't frozen solid, the tampers, pups and regulators are out working (if the DS doesn't bury them in the hole)....get a dry warm winter and occasionally there is enough $$$ left to attack the yards, which usually have the poorest tie condition.
mudchicken Budget games - Had enough $$$ left in this years budget to buy the treated ties and labor to unload it. (Better than giving money back at the end of the year and have the operating department waste the $$$ on additional shiny toys)
We aren't allowed to have shiny things.
They would spend it deadheading crews to the AFHT, and then deadhead them home after 14 or 18 hours.
Your operating managers / weed weasels are really rocket scientists in disguise?
mudchicken Your operating managers / weed weasels are really rocket scientists in disguise?
They sure think they are
On the Barstow Camera towards the east there has been a MoW Crew staging for the last week.
But I would agree more with the need to spend it in 2020.
Seeing that the ties had been dumped off on that line surprised me. Fifteen miles away on the line that runs near my office, they've had a slow order on what looks to be a short segment of track for most of the year.
Oh yes they will drop ties whenever.. I've seen new ties lay around for a period of 6-8 months.
Slow order may be for some underlying ground condition that can't be fixed by new ties and surfacing.
Railroad procurement does pay attention to how the markets for its various needs move up and down and do their best to buy what is needed when prices are low, even though the IMMEDIATE need for the product isn't really there - but they know over time there will be need for the product (that doesn't deteriorate)
SD70Dude mudchicken Budget games - Had enough $$$ left in this years budget to buy the treated ties and labor to unload it. (Better than giving money back at the end of the year and have the operating department waste the $$$ on additional shiny toys) We aren't allowed to have shiny things. They would spend it deadheading crews to the AFHT, and then deadhead them home after 14 or 18 hours.
Amateurs. We'll sometime deadhead to the AFHT while deading home from the AFHT at the same time.
It seems to be a phobia to pay held away to crews. Some how it's cheaper to pay a crew a full day's pay and the cost of a van to return a crew home instead of paying a few hours of held away to said crew. I imagine the held away cost and crew/van cost isn't within the same manager's purview. Some manager is saving his numbers while someone else's are being hit.
jeffhergertAmateurs. We'll sometime deadhead to the AFHT while deading home from the AFHT at the same time. It seems to be a phobia to pay held away to crews. Some how it's cheaper to pay a crew a full day's pay and the cost of a van to return a crew home instead of paying a few hours of held away to said crew. I imagine the held away cost and crew/van cost isn't within the same manager's purview. Some manager is saving his numbers while someone else's are being hit. Jeff
On CSX it was considered 'Crew Balancing Costs' (taxi transportation and Lodging) and it was something that was measured against each Division with the non-contract Chief Dispatcher being the responsible party that was held accountable.
Going 'whole hog' on any part of the equation was a good way to waste money and manpower.
Other carriers may have other systems and responsibilities.
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