Loops

[trainboyH16-44]

Almost forgot, they also thought about a big loop, not a cross over, up the Kicking horse valley, but their experience with avalanches in Rogers pass put them off, as it is a steep sloped valley.
Matthew

[trainboyH16-44]

Let me tell you about the spiral tunnels of CP. They were built in 1909 to stop a 4% grade. They go down the valley, loop back twice, and end up a few hundred feet lower. Another proposal to lower the grade was to circumvent Feild, and just go to Muskeg summit, many miles west, but that would require a half mile tunnel, and many bridges.
http://www.samlindsey.com/images/logging/Spiral_Tunnel_1.jpg
Matthew

[Dutchrailnut]

GCT has a upper and lower loop.
New Haven has loop track.
Sunnyside has a loop track
Danbury has a loop track

All of above are stricktly used for yard operations and are seldom used for occupied moves.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...The spiral tunnels in this country....don't remember where it is....
Oops...., believe that is in British Columbia.

The spiral tunnels are on kicking horse pass (CP).

[mhurley87f]

Sorry about the duplication, as I posted this earlier on another thread.

There is one spiral loop in Wales on the 23.5" gauge Ffestiniog Railway. It's at Dduallt station from where a new, higher, deviation line had to be built as the original line was affected by the raised water level of a lake storing water for a "Pumped-Storage" Hydro-electricity Power Station.

I can't think of another on the UK mainland.

[TH&B]

The loop in Rendsburg Germany is to gain height to cross the Kiel canal from a train station next to the canal. The Kiel canal is one of the busiest seaways in the world. It is a great veiw from the train as almost the entire double track loop can be seen from the train.

The loop in Osnarbruck seems to be just a result of strange complex track layout within the city.

[nanaimo73]

It looks like the bridges onto and off of the island do not line up with the passenger station.
http://www.globexplorer.com/ImageAtlas/view.do?group=ImageAtlas&lat=39.5276&lon=-97.142&zoom_level=1

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 440cuin

Some loops are not even in mountain country. In northern Germany there is at least 3 loops, one in Rendsbrug wich is flat as a pancake country. Also in Fensburg and Osnarbruck. In Osnarbruck the station is right where the upper and lower levels cross. In fact the train I was on switched back on the upper level and then went through the loop to the lower level.

What purpose does it serve?

[Hugh Jampton]

If you're ever in Tiawan go the the Ali Shan forsest railway, it's an old narrow gauge logging railroad. It has loops, and on special occasions they haul their Shay out of the Works and run that, otherwise it's diesels.

[Kozzie]

Tony - thanks for your reply - I was hoping someone had had the European experience - you're definitely a lot closer than me.

Peter, I didn't realise that the Sydney-Melbourne line has a loop. If I ever get down to that area it will be good to get some pictures.

Dave

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 440cuin

Some loops are not even in mountain country. In northern Germany there is at least 3 loops, one in Rendsbrug wich is flat as a pancake country. Also in Fensburg and Osnarbruck. In Osnarbruck the station is right where the upper and lower levels cross. In fact the train I was on switched back on the upper level and then went through the loop to the lower level.

Why would you need a loop on a track in an area that flat as a pancake?

[M636C]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Kozzie

I know of one spiral down here, called the Border Loop, right near the State line between Queensland and New South Wales. If Peter sees this thread he might know of others in Oz.

I've been through the Border Loop on the passenger service (the XPT) between Brisbane (QLD) and Sydney (NSW) and it was so intriguing - it was a shame when we pulled out of it - nothing like the extent in Europe - just one loop that circles round a mountain and dives under itself..but it was interesting all the same.
On the higher end (travelling south), one could look out the window on the right hand side and see the track below, then, after swinging round the mountain in a big left hand curve, and cutting under that higher end, one could look up the left hand side and see the upper part of the track one had just been on a few minutes ago....


Dave

Dave the other one in Australia is on the Sydney Melbourne line between Cootamundra and Junee at Bethungra. It is interesting because it is only for northbound trains, the previous single line track being used for southbound trains. The loop itself is a bit like the one at Tehachapi, and can be viewed from a hilltop opposite (but it is a long walk up the hill!). The "Olympic Highway" runs past the loop, and the southbound track runs between the lower and upper spiral tracks, all in all a great place for trainwatching, although too many trains run through at night. The two daytime Sydney Melbourne XPTs pass south of Junee, so the two can be seen there a short time apart. In fact, the last time I drove through there I saw the northbound XPT twice, on the lower and upper loop tracks (without even stopping the car -it's luckily not a busy road with those distractions).
The line is not busy by US standards, but it is worth waiting for known trains there if you are in the area. Northbound trains run clockwise around the spiral.

M636C

[TH&B]

Some loops are not even in mountain country. In northern Germany there is at least 3 loops, one in Rendsbrug wich is flat as a pancake country. Also in Fensburg and Osnarbruck. In Osnarbruck the station is right where the upper and lower levels cross. In fact the train I was on switched back on the upper level and then went through the loop to the lower level.

[owlsroost]

QUOTE: Anyone on the Forum had the pleasure of crossing the Alps by train?

Yes, several times (but then I live a bit closer than most on this forum[:)]).

The RhB system in the south-east corner of Switzerland is probably my favourite - one of their loops is pictured at the top of this page http://www.rhb.ch/erlebnisbahn/erlebnisbahn.e.php

(The whole system is metre gauge, electrified, and has no rack sections despite some very steep gradients in places).

Tony

[egmurphy]

There's one in Mexico on the Copper Canyon route, the Ferrocarril Chihuahua Pacifico (Chepe). It's in between Divisadero and Creel. We're hoping to see it up close and in person next year.


Regards

Ed

[Kozzie]

I know of one spiral down here, called the Border Loop, right near the State line between Queensland and New South Wales. If Peter sees this thread he might know of others in Oz.

I've been through the Border Loop on the passenger service (the XPT) between Brisbane (QLD) and Sydney (NSW) and it was so intriguing - it was a shame when we pulled out of it - nothing like the extent in Europe - just one loop that circles round a mountain and dives under itself..but it was interesting all the same.
On the higher end (travelling south), one could look out the window on the right hand side and see the track below, then, after swinging round the mountain in a big left hand curve, and cutting under that higher end, one could look up the left hand side and see the upper part of the track one had just been on a few minutes ago....


Dave

[Modelcar]

...The spiral tunnels in this country....don't remember where it is....
Oops...., believe that is in British Columbia.

[Modelcar]

Georgetown Loop...Colorado

[Kozzie]

Due to the geography, the Swiss and other central European countries have taken the loop/spiral almost to an art form - I've never been over there, but I've seen some great photos in train books of main lines winding their way across the Alps, through tunnels, loops and spirals. Anyone on the Forum had the pleasure of crossing the Alps by train?

Dave

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

The Canadian Pacific has two loops on thier route through the Rockies.There is (or was) a 2 foot guage line in India,with 6 loops.
There used to be a loop on the Roaring Camp & Big Trees,a tourist line in California,but after the trestle burned,the loop was replaced by a switchback.

Holy cow, 6 loops. That's enough to make you dizzy.[8D]

[nanaimo73]

L&N had one near the Tennessee-Georgia border.

And the Georgetown loop in Colorado.

[espeefoamer]

The Canadian Pacific has two loops on thier route through the Rockies.There is (or was) a 2 foot guage line in India,with 6 loops.
There used to be a loop on the Roaring Camp & Big Trees,a tourist line in California,but after the trestle burned,the loop was replaced by a switchback.

[chad thomas]

Hey the thread about horseshoe curves is cool. Interesting that there are so many. How about a thread on loops. I have visited a few.
Walong on the Tehachappi line (big suprise eh)
Williams on the Feather River Route
Arnold in northeastern Nevada
What other loops are out there?