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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 8:28 PM

RME
Someone like tree68, who has access to locomotives using this style of truck,

I'll see what I can find out next time I'm on the railroad.  Of course, they're mostly ALCO's, so I'll be getting pretty greasy in the process...

LarryWhistling
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RME
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Posted by RME on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 11:40 AM

tdmidget
The centerpin on locomotives and passenger equipment is a threaded bolt that does indeed hold the truck captive.

You must be a model railroader.  Do you have pictures of full-size 'threaded bolt' center pins that hold trucks on?  I'd like to see them.

Certainly the center pins on the modern Siemens American locomotives (electric or diesel) aren't threaded bolts. (I have PDF links to 3D drawings of the trucks, but no direct detail views to post here.)  Nor are the ones used in HTCR-II trucks:

where it is specifically noted that the pin itself is welded to the underframe.

If I remember correctly, some of the "AAR" style drop-equalizer trucks had center PLATE safety retention means, which might have bolted to the bolster in some way, but would not constitute 'threaded bolts' instead of center pins.  Someone like tree68, who has access to locomotives using this style of truck, might investigate and report what they have.

Here is the EMD freight truck (commonly known as 'Blomberg'):

which is the design in the picture that started this discussion off.  To my knowledge there have never been 'threaded bolts' holding the truck bolsters against the pins when installed, and I would have to say that a split eared or expanding pin arrangement would make far better sense if holding the truck in place while permitting appropriate degrees of freedom at the centerplate/bowl bearing area is desired.

 

Passenger cars have used locking center pins for many years, and Amtrak currently requires them.  If there is a design of such pins that uses 'threaded bolts' I'd like to see how it works; all the ones I know use some form of expansion and solid shoulder or face contact to take any retention loads, with the key involved usually being pinned rather than threaded to engagement.

(Incidentally, many three-piece freight trucks do have a thin center pin that threads ... but it threads into the bolster, there is nothing whatsoever that holds the pin in the carbody, and in fact afaik the trucks are designed to come off as quickly and easily as Pamela Digby's drawers so that deceleration of derailed cars occurs as expediently as possible.)

 

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Posted by tdmidget on Monday, June 12, 2017 8:14 PM

The centerpin on locomotives and passenger equipment is a threaded bolt that does indeed hold the truck captive.

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Posted by MikeF90 on Monday, June 12, 2017 3:40 PM

Now back to topic Whistling .....

Next Monday 6/19 the Smithsonian Channel will start a new series entitled 'Combat Trains'. The first episode is on the building of the Burma-Thailand road.

RME
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Posted by RME on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 9:36 PM

BaltACD
Looks like the spring hanger for the firemans side of the truck is resting against the broken utility pole which is holding the truck in place.

That pole is 8' or more away from any part of the locomotive -- look at the bow in the wires that are supporting the nose of the unit.  My guess would be safety chains doing their job (which might explain the rakish tilt of the visible sideframe).

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 6:33 PM

Electroliner 1935
Question:

I thought that trucks were not captive to the equipment (car or locomotive, That the only thing that would hold the truck to the F7 would be the motor cables. But I see little separation of the truck from the body. Any reason the truck isn't hanging by the cables?

Looks like the spring hanger for the firemans side of the truck is resting against the broken utility pole which is holding the truck in place.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 4:35 PM

Question:

I thought that trucks were not captive to the equipment (car or locomotive, That the only thing that would hold the truck to the F7 would be the motor cables. But I see little separation of the truck from the body. Any reason the truck isn't hanging by the cables?

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Posted by MikeF90 on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 2:47 PM

Occasionally locos at LAUS attempt to go airborne:

Article link: http://framework.latimes.com/2011/11/14/santa-fe-locomotive-goes-through-wall/

Now, a 'Paul Harvey rest-of-the-story' moment to get this topic back on track.

I later found out that the above 'Air Disasters' description from an online program guide was erroneous - the actual episode covered the JAL flight 123 crash in 1985.

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 6:48 AM

MikeF90
In the category of 'Mistitled Shows', tonight's episode of 'Air Disasters' on Smithsonian Channel features the Cajon-San Bernardino area Southern Pacific freight derailment in 1989.

Maybe they should do an episode about NYO&W's Flying F's - which launched off an elevated coal dock.

Flying F's

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 11:13 PM

Speed doesn't kill - sudden stops do!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

RME
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Posted by RME on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 9:59 PM

MikeF90
In the category of 'Mistitled Shows', tonight's episode of 'Air Disasters' on Smithsonian Channel features the Cajon-San Bernardino area Southern Pacific freight derailment in 1989.

In their defense, some of the cars probably flew through the air after derailing.

And most, though not all, "Air Disasters" are misnamed; the disaster comes with reintroduction to terrain, just as at San Berdoo...

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Posted by MikeF90 on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 9:15 PM

In the category of 'Mistitled Shows', tonight's episode of 'Air Disasters' on Smithsonian Channel features the Cajon-San Bernardino area Southern Pacific freight derailment in 1989.

Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bernardino_train_disaster

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Posted by Miningman on Monday, March 6, 2017 5:45 PM

4-6-4 !  CPR did own two 4-8-4's but the Royal Hudson is a Hudson. 

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TV Alerts
Posted by MikeF90 on Monday, March 6, 2017 5:42 PM

I decided that the subject of some television programs on trains might not be confined to Passenger, Transit or Steam, so this forum would be a better location for a continuing topic.

Today's alert is for the program 'Trains and Locomotives' on RFD-TV; it airs every Monday at 2:30pm Pacific.

Today's show was on an excursion featuring CPR 2839 Royal Hudson 4-8-4 4-6-4 running in Southern Railway territory.

EDIT: corrected per following post

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