Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
trainman2244-- Sounds like it's time for the host RR do get a surfacing gang out there and do a surface/line job on the track. These are usually scheduled to be done at specific time intervals, depending on a lot of variables such as weight and type of rail, tie life, and subgrade and ballast conditions (like what kind of soil the track is sitting on). When they do this, they will bring one or more large track machines out that can pull and insert ties, pull and insert spikes or track fasteners, add, remove and regulate the amount of ballast, lift the track, tamp new ballast under the ties and line the rails and ties back up so they are level both in the direction of the track (eliminating dips that cause the cars to nose up and down in the direction of travel) and in the direction across the track (cross-level, which results in car sway from side to side). If it's jointed rail, they will usually also tighten the bolts on the angle bars on the end of the rails that hold the rails together end-to-end, and they'll probably replace some ties so that the track will hold its gauge. They may cut out bad sections of rail and replace it by either bolting or welding it into place. The work won't get done in the order I've shown here--tie replacement or partial ballast removal likely will be first. In some cases they will bring a rail grinding train through a smooth the top surface of the railheads, which gets rough with use. Here are a couple of links that talk about the process and show you some of the large and very impressive equipment used: http://showroom.creative.co.at/en/p_tamping/0916dynacat.htm http://showroom.creative.co.at/en/p_cleaning/vm170jumbo.htm http://www.wsorrailroad.com/mow1a/ballast1a.html http://www.freightcar.com/images/maintenance_main.jpg http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/at/work/tamper/pix.html http://www.newmanmachinery.com/ http://www.nordco.com/product.htm The type of equipment and size of the gang depends on the type of track, number and type of trains using it (mainlines get a lot more attention than branch lines), and work to be done. Watch the mainline railroads in the area where you live and you are likely to see a track maintenance gang come through, usually in the spring or summer (but not always) to do major maintenance on the track. If they are, get your dad to go with you and watch, but stay well away from the track and equipment. I think you will be quite impressed with what has to be done to get a smooth ride for the freight and for Amtrak. There is a poster on this forum named "mudchicken" who does this kind of track engineering work for BNSF. He is very knowledgeable in topics relating to track, and his posts on that subject will give you probably more information than you imagined. Hope this info is useful to you.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag