QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken Jim White: Keep your day job. You'll never make it as a railroader. 49CFR213.109(b)(3) and 49CFR213.109(c) says that's just fine for 10 MPH track. You clearly do NOT understand how the angle bar and bolts work (as in the logic behind the design of the system distributing the load)... The local roadmaster is probably doing the best he can with what budget he has and still manages to keep things rolling. [(-D][(-D][(-D]
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com
Originally posted by amtrakwine Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 6:23 AM Would have loved to have track that good back about 1970 on the PC! Reply Edit Kevin C. Smith Member sinceDecember 2005 From: MP 32.8 769 posts Posted by Kevin C. Smith on Thursday, March 23, 2006 1:28 AM I'd have to agree that, for an industrial area access track, it's not too bad (more ugly than unusable) but it reminds me of the tracks that used to go through my hometown. Rather than just a few miles to the airport, it was 60 miles through the woods like that. Prior to the wholsesale slaughter of branchlines in the 80's, a lot of track like that was in service. I'd have to agree with FJ & G, though- I would've expected better condition on one of today's big class 1's. "Look at those high cars roll-finest sight in the world." Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 11:03 PM Yep. I saw a lot of PC and LV track prior to the formation of Conrail. Old Timer Reply Edit Murphy Siding Member sinceMay 2005 From: S.E. South Dakota 13,569 posts Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 10:43 PM I rode a tourist railroad that had track much worse than that. I don't think we topped 10 mph. It was harvest season, and the combines in the adjacent fields were walkin' away from our train![xx(] Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar. Reply Cheviot Hill Member sinceJuly 2005 From: Cincinnati, OH 174 posts Posted by Cheviot Hill on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 10:19 PM In one of the books that I have, The Pennsylvania Railroad In Cincinnati. There is a picture of a tree trunk being used for a tie. It was taken near Lebanon Station in Lebanon Ohio. Not sure of the time of the photo. Pretty strange looking with branch stubs sticking up. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 9:50 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by DSchmitt 40+ years ago I saw a spur that had a curve laid with a combination of short pieces of straight rail and short pieces of curved rail that were not even close to the correct radius. That is really a sight to see too.... short piecse of straight rail making a curve. On the old Pacific Electric Ry in Los Angeles, we had an area known as Wingfoot that had this concept. We had to operate at about 5-6 mph around them. Virlon Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 8:24 PM Yea I've seen some track in even worse shape then that. Reply Edit amtrakwine Member sinceSeptember 2005 From: Austin Texas 11 posts Posted by amtrakwine on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 8:15 PM The track is used for freight ,the condos are in a really depressed area of Austin the worst part of town. The line runs to Bastrop and Smithville where it meets the BNSF. Alvin in Austin Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 8:12 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by monkeyman2 Worst tracks I've ever seen.... Awww, come on, I'd say that 79MPPH passenger track! [;)] Reply Edit mackb4 Member sinceJanuary 2002 From: My Old Kentucky Home 599 posts Posted by mackb4 on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 8:07 PM The overall look of the track is not to bad.There is ties that need to be replaced and some tamping.The gauge doesn't look to be that bad.I'd say put some more ballast down and make a 10 mph. slow order and use it. Collin ,operator of the " Eastern Kentucky & Ohio R.R." Reply solzrules Member sinceJanuary 2006 From: SE Wisconsin 1,181 posts Posted by solzrules on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 7:39 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by Limitedclear That looks like Class 1 track from what I can see of it. Not bad at all. I'm sure MC would be more accurate, unfortunately the pictures are poorly taken so it is difficult to tell how many good ties per rail, but I have seen MUCH worse track that is operated every day. LC LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!![:D] You think this is bad? Just wait until inflation kicks in..... Reply monkeyman2 Member sinceAugust 2004 135 posts Posted by monkeyman2 on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 7:22 PM Worst tracks I've ever seen.... Come and vist my website- www.freewebs.com/bcanda Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 5:09 PM That looks like the ex-RI from Bureau Jct. to Peoria. Reply Edit eolafan Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Aurora, IL 4,515 posts Posted by eolafan on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 5:05 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by Limitedclear That looks like Class 1 track from what I can see of it. Not bad at all. I'm sure MC would be more accurate, unfortunately the pictures are poorly taken so it is difficult to tell how many good ties per rail, but I have seen MUCH worse track that is operated every day. LC LC Like LC, I too have seen much worse track conditions than those in your pictures and it was also active track...not to minimize the poor condition of the tracks in your photos but it is really nothing that unusual at all (unfortunately). Eolafan (a.k.a. Jim) Reply PBenham Member sinceJuly 2005 From: In the New York Soviet Socialist Republic! 1,391 posts Posted by PBenham on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 4:32 PM That track just needed the attention of a good tie gang and will likely get the attention in time (cross the fingers on that). Now, I rode on the Ex-NH Danbury branch in the mid 70's and there were no level joints anywhere, and the "washboard" M.U.s rocked and rolled like a trawler in a hurricane, only drier![sigh] The worst track I've seen a train on would have to be the last remnant of the old NYC Tonawanda branch, locally referred to as the "peanut". That line was on the "hit list" for quite a while and NYC and successor Penn Central wound up having to keep the west end in to handle Lehigh Valley's Niagara Falls traffic. Even the relatively light LV 4-motor units rocked around, at all speeds, with spikes popping out from the tie plates and mud flying everywhere! Came 4/1/76 and that was that![xx(] I wonder did Penn Central cringe when the Valley's "monster" C628s (633-641) went up along that line? Another line with really awful track was the [censored]branch of the [censored] which had a 2.5 MPH speed restriction. [censored], in their wonderful and crazy manner, ran SD45s on that branch, with full (4000gal) fuel tanks.Remarkably everything stayed on the tracks. Reply mudchicken Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Denver / La Junta 10,820 posts Posted by mudchicken on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 3:51 PM I would second LC's comment, probably Cls 1 (10 MPH) if I could see more of it. Just because a tie looks bad doesn't mean it it is. (Will it hold gage, is it in one piece, will it hold a spike???)....Only needs 5 good ties per rail length (the other 19 can be junk or gone) and hopefully those good ties support the staggered goints. Switch appears to be straight-railed/frog removed. No biggie. It appears it drains and vegitation is not a problem, I've seen much worse that is still FRA legal. Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west Reply Modelcar Member sinceFebruary 2002 From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania 13,456 posts Posted by Modelcar on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 3:08 PM ...Just a few years ago on the Florida Central I saw track every bit as bad located near Eustis and Tavares, Fl. It served an orange processing business at Umatila a few miles north of those towns. Believe that business is closed now. Every day a few covered hoppers were moved in and out on that branch. Saw it operate for more than a half dozen years and never witnessed any cars on the ground. Sure can't understand how they stayed on the rails. Rails were bad as well as the ties and road bed....Many places one could not see ANY ties, rails were down in the ground with grass growing all around them. I do have some photos but would have to locate them. Quentin Reply tatans Member sinceMay 2004 4,115 posts Posted by tatans on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 2:52 PM Yes the ties need a little "touching up" but on the top photo who are those lucky people in those lovely condos on the left, what a view of trains, nice as long as they keep below 85 mph. Reply trainboyH16-44 Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Mile 7.5 Laggan Sub., Great White North 4,201 posts Posted by trainboyH16-44 on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 2:44 PM Looks a little better than the ex CP E&N line.. Go here for my rail shots! http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=9296 Building the CPR Kootenay division in N scale, blog here: http://kootenaymodelrailway.wordpress.com/ Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 2:36 PM That looks like Class 1 track from what I can see of it. Not bad at all. I'm sure MC would be more accurate, unfortunately the pictures are poorly taken so it is difficult to tell how many good ties per rail, but I have seen MUCH worse track that is operated every day. LC Reply Edit DSchmitt Member sinceSeptember 2003 From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018 4,422 posts Posted by DSchmitt on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 2:31 PM 40+ years ago I saw a spur that had a curve laid with a combination of short pieces of straight rail and short pieces of curved rail that were not even close to the correct radius. I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it. I don't have a leg to stand on. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 2:29 PM Looks like the lines gets some traffic on it. Reply Edit 123 Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. 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Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
QUOTE: Originally posted by DSchmitt 40+ years ago I saw a spur that had a curve laid with a combination of short pieces of straight rail and short pieces of curved rail that were not even close to the correct radius.
QUOTE: Originally posted by monkeyman2 Worst tracks I've ever seen....
Collin ,operator of the " Eastern Kentucky & Ohio R.R."
QUOTE: Originally posted by Limitedclear That looks like Class 1 track from what I can see of it. Not bad at all. I'm sure MC would be more accurate, unfortunately the pictures are poorly taken so it is difficult to tell how many good ties per rail, but I have seen MUCH worse track that is operated every day. LC
QUOTE: Originally posted by Limitedclear That looks like Class 1 track from what I can see of it. Not bad at all. I'm sure MC would be more accurate, unfortunately the pictures are poorly taken so it is difficult to tell how many good ties per rail, but I have seen MUCH worse track that is operated every day. LC LC
Quentin
Go here for my rail shots! http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=9296
Building the CPR Kootenay division in N scale, blog here: http://kootenaymodelrailway.wordpress.com/
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.