ballast service open hopper

[Anonymous]

hi, friends.
a question about the use of open hoppers in ballast service.Is all kind of open hopper can be use?I 've got triple composite hoppers(like d&h ) and i want to assign them to this duty:unrealistic or correct?
do you have informations about how the work crew proceed to replace ballast from loaded open hopper?
infos wanted
thanks

[Anonymous]

If you go to http://www.railpictures.net and work through their system you will find pics of both conventional hoppers and MoW (Maintenance of Way) hoppers.

You will see that the conventional hopper bays drop between the rails through gates that are basically open or shut... so the load stays in or drops out. MoW hoppers mostly drop ballast outside the rails (a few such as Hart cars also drop between the rails)... the gates from the bays on these cars are built so that the way they are opened can be regulated to allow a fine trickle of stone/ballast or a heavier drop as required.

In the UK our MoW hoppers more often drop between the rails or between and outside... so I too would like to knowhow the work crews get the ballast into the 4foot way (between the rails).

Bear in mind that when ballast is being replaced rather than topped up the old material has to be taken out first... this could be put into conventional hoppers cascaded into MoW service to be taken and dumped in a heap... from a trestle or similar arrangement.

Hope this helps.

[jsoderq]

Many railroads own no "ballast hoppers". They use what they have. Throw an old tie across the rails, open the doors and drag the car along. the tie squeegees the ballast along the tracks for the tamper to work it later. Seen it many times!

[Anonymous]

thanks for your help

[TomDiehl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by David Foster

In the UK our MoW hoppers more often drop between the rails or between and outside... so I too would like to knowhow the work crews get the ballast into the 4foot way (between the rails).

Bear in mind that when ballast is being replaced rather than topped up the old material has to be taken out first... this could be put into conventional hoppers cascaded into MoW service to be taken and dumped in a heap... from a trestle or similar arrangement.

Hope this helps.

To the first question, they usually use a side dump hopper for between the tracks and the side and enbankments. The best I could find was one of the East Broad Top ones being rebuilt. The door isn't on this one yet, but you can see the slope sheet aimed to the side.

http://www.dementia.org/~adams/ebt/2005jun4/hopper3.jpg

To the second item, larger railroad's track crews have a ballast cleaning machine. It scoops up the ballast from the sides of the track, basically runs it over a sifter, and drops the clean ballast back where it was (or close to it). Some have magnets to pick up steel that may have fallen into the ballast. Quite a contraption.

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/sbc15f.jpg

[marknewton]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ajrd

a question about the use of open hoppers in ballast service.Is all kind of open hopper can be use?I 've got triple composite hoppers(like d&h ) and i want to assign them to this duty:unrealistic or correct?

Realistic and correct. I've just been looking at some photos of the CNJ doing trackwork around Siegfried, Pa in 1965, using conventional twin and three-bay hoppers.

Cheers,

Mark.

[marknewton]

QUOTE: Originally posted by David Foster

IYou will see that the conventional hopper bays drop between the rails through gates that are basically open or shut...

If you're referring to US hopper cars, then that depends on what type of hardware is fitted to the hopper doors. Enterprise and National Railway Equipment both offered hopper door hardware that allowed for a graduated opening.

Cheers,

Mark.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by marknewton

QUOTE: Originally posted by David Foster

IYou will see that the conventional hopper bays drop between the rails through gates that are basically open or shut...

If you're referring to US hopper cars, then that depends on what type of hardware is fitted to the hopper doors. Enterprise and National Railway Equipment both offered hopper door hardware that allowed for a graduated opening.

Cheers,

Mark.

Thanks for the correction [8D]

Any pics or links please? [:)]