Okay, I admit that I'm a railfan neophyte.
I also don't have a clue what goes on in the cab.
Today my son and I dropped into Altoona Yard to watch some switching before the Altoona Curve baseball game. We watched an SD70 latch onto a Dash 9 and hook onto a coal drag. We had to leave before the coal drag left. But what I just described took the whole time we were there-- an hour and 40 minutes.
We also saw some other cool things. We saw a couple trans swap crews. We saw a pair of SD40-2 helpers come in from the Curve and get back in line for another run.
We saw a pair of GP38-2's switch a cut of mixed freight, drop it, then head for the barn. What amazed me was that most of the switch throwing was done by hand. Only the A/D tracks were automated.
They also has a small switcher, but the didn't fire it up until we were leaving. Another thing that amazed me is that they seemed to use all the engines. Of the ones we could see, only two didn't belch smoke.
All I know is that if I ran a yard this slow at an ops session, they'd never let me run it again.
BTW: For those of you that don't know the Altoona Curve mascot is called Steamer and wears a uniform with the number K4. His dog diesel, wears K9.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Chip, at the risk of asking the obvious (which I know you have considered) would it be useful to post this in the big boys' forum as well? You may get some interesting and contrasting commentary, while some of it may be surprisingly similar. Or, come back some time with your own analysis of the glaring differences as you learn of them.
-Crandell
SpaceMouse wrote: We saw a pair of GP38-2's switch a cut of mixed freight, drop it, then head for the barn. What amazed me was that most of the switch throwing was done by hand. Only the A/D tracks were automated.
hahahahahaha
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
And so what was out of the ordinary??????????????????
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
SpaceMouse wrote:What amazed me was that most of the switch throwing was done by hand. Only the A/D tracks were automated.
Another thing that amazed me is that they seemed to use all the engines.
I know what you mean about the slow and grueling part Chip... I sat and watched three Union Pacific units back about 40 open hoppers filled with rock to a cement plant about a mile behind where I work yesterday evening. It took at least 30 minutes for them to do the mile. I'd much rather prefer the fast moving freights that come through about every hour - all UP of course...
Tracklayer
I never expected the real railroad to work as fast as a model.
But I never expected it to take so long either.
My expectation was somewhere in between.
I will say there was a beauty to the coordinated movements of the railroad. Everything functioned in concert--and that also was not reflected in the models--although sometimes it comes close.
I could have watched for a lot longer. If I get a round tuit, I'll post some pics.
Try using a sim like Trainz or MS Train Simulator.
The switching can be fun but driving out on the mainline is dullsville central.
The most fun is derailing a train near a river in Trainz. Whoever submerges the most cars wins!
Craig
DMW
SpaceMouse wrote:We saw a pair of GP38-2's switch a cut of mixed freight, drop it, then head for the barn. What amazed me was that most of the switch throwing was done by hand. Only the A/D tracks were automated.
Electric or "automated switches" cost money. More money then it costs to have a hand operated switch stand in the same position. With the automated switches also comes more maintainance. They'd rather have one of us throw our back out on a rough switch stand then to spend the money to automate everything.
Quite often it's easier to just leave the engines MU'd up and do some switching then it is to break them apart just to use one or two. Plus the extra power is nice if you're pulling long cuts of cars.
coborn35 wrote:hahahahahaha
What's so funny? Not sure I get it.
Texas Zepher wrote: A standard switching move for a single trailing point industry takes 90 minutes in real life.
A standard switching move for a single trailing point industry takes 90 minutes in real life.
90 minutes for a "standard" switching move? Seems a bit long unless you're talking about track that is restricted speed and a couple miles in length.
I know if I was switching the "average" industry at 90 minutes a piece my boss would be handing me a pink slip....
This space reserved for SpaceMouse's future presidential candidacy advertisements
Chip--
I was 8. Up in Truckee. My Great-uncle Tom was fireman on the Truckee Helper that day, a really sweet flat-faced AC-6. Westbound freight coming in, long one. 600 loads, 800 empties, or something like that--at least it LOOKED like that to my eight-year old eyes. Needed Unc's helper cut in just forward of the caboose to take it over Donner Pass to Norden. Unc gets it cleared, I climb up into the cab with my 15-year old cousin (SP was kind of loose about this stuff if it was a short helper run, just up over the Pass to Norden. Either that, or nobody really gave a Big Whack about kids in the cab back then). Caboose is uncoupled by the local Truckee Switcher, backed down the main a little, our helper starts snorting down the yard lead toward the switch that turns us onto the main and the last car. We pause. Sit there, that big AC-6 snorting and thumping. We sit there for what seems an hour looking at the switch. Someone remembers that for us to get on the westbound main that the switch has to be THROWN, for cryin' out loud. Throws it. We rumble onto the main, couple up to the last car. I'm staring at what Unc tells me later is the rear end of an empty PFE reefer. Eastbound tears by, at least 500 cars long. We couple onto the rear of the train. Whistle talk. We start out, nice and slow. I'm about to wet my pants, I'm so excited, Unc, my cousin and the engineer are all eyes and ears. I watch fascinated out of the side of the cab as Truckee slowly slides by. Suddenly, whistle talk. BAM! SLAM! We're suddenly stopped. The engineer mutters words that I'm not supposed to hear at my tender age.
Uncle Tom chuckles. Looks at my cousin and myself. "Left the G-D caboose back in the yards, again." Entire time alotted for this move--hey, I don't even want to TALK about it.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Dallas Model Works wrote:Try using a sim like Trainz or MS Train Simulator....driving out on the mainline is dullsville central.
Texas Zepher wrote: Dallas Model Works wrote:Try using a sim like Trainz or MS Train Simulator....driving out on the mainline is dullsville central.Yes, take a train through central Montana.... Yawn Yawn Yawn. If I'm going to have to endure that, I'll get a job with the railroad and get paid for it.
My take as well. Although sometimes if nothing is on the tube, I'll put the demo on while I'm working on a project just for the train noises.
SpaceMouse wrote: Texas Zepher wrote: Dallas Model Works wrote:Try using a sim like Trainz or MS Train Simulator....driving out on the mainline is dullsville central.Yes, take a train through central Montana.... Yawn Yawn Yawn. If I'm going to have to endure that, I'll get a job with the railroad and get paid for it.My take as well. Although sometimes if nothing is on the tube, I'll put the demo on while I'm working on a project just for the train noises.
I've driven parallel to the UP line through Las Vegas for a few hundred miles, and there is a big difference between what we think we see and what actually takes place.
What we see is mile after mile of desolation, with a railroad track running through it.
What actually takes place is a bunch of humps and hollows, slow-order curves, watch for obstructions (other trains will trip the signals, but some bozo high-centering his four wheel drive across the rails probably won't) and monitor the operation of your engine. If you let slack action get violent enough to break a coupler knuckle, it's a long walk back to the break, carrying some heavy pieces of gear - in a desert where 100 degrees is considered cool. Try maintaining concentration for six or eight hours straight, when failing to concentrate can kill you...
I'll stick to models, thanks.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Chuck--
I've always heard that the ex LA&StL line between LA and Salt Lake is considered one of the roughest operating divisions on the UP system because of its undulating profile--including a REALLY long stretch of 2.2% grade in one spot. I have a book called RAILROADS OF NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA VOL. II, and in reading about the division, it seems that UP spent as much time re-aligning and repairing it as they did running trains on it. Could be why it's probably the one UP line with the lightest traffic density on it. I paralleled it years ago between Yermo and Las Vegas, and it looked like a roller coaster back then. I've heard rumors, though I don't know if it's true, that UP would just rather give the whole division back to the desert.