Bad train pictures

[Anonymous]

Congratulations on getting that star Bob and Nace!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Congratulations on getting that star Bob and Nace!!!!!!!!!!!

[dehusman]

The rules of the railroad will specify whether the engines are shut down. If its below 40 deg then none of the engines will be shut down. If its above 40 deg then they may shut down all but the lead unit to keep air on the train.

The new crew will do a set and release test on the train to make sure the brakes are all working and they have a continuous trainline. That involves charging the trainline, making a brake reduction, seeing the reduction on the rear end, checking the leakage and releasing the brakes to see if the pressure comes back up on the rear end.

If the train has crossing cut and its been sitting more than 4 hours then any portions that were detached from the engine will need a full blown initial terminal air test.

Dave H.

[dehusman]

The rules of the railroad will specify whether the engines are shut down. If its below 40 deg then none of the engines will be shut down. If its above 40 deg then they may shut down all but the lead unit to keep air on the train.

The new crew will do a set and release test on the train to make sure the brakes are all working and they have a continuous trainline. That involves charging the trainline, making a brake reduction, seeing the reduction on the rear end, checking the leakage and releasing the brakes to see if the pressure comes back up on the rear end.

If the train has crossing cut and its been sitting more than 4 hours then any portions that were detached from the engine will need a full blown initial terminal air test.

Dave H.

[CShaveRR]

Yes, Ed, coolant temperature is another consideration in the automatic shutdown/restart devices on some of these locomotives, but you being a Texan and all you probably haven't had to deal with that too much ;-). UP has retrofitted a lot of GP38s, SD38-2s, and GP15-1s with a "Smart Start" system.

[CShaveRR]

Yes, Ed, coolant temperature is another consideration in the automatic shutdown/restart devices on some of these locomotives, but you being a Texan and all you probably haven't had to deal with that too much ;-). UP has retrofitted a lot of GP38s, SD38-2s, and GP15-1s with a "Smart Start" system.

[edblysard]

Hey, it got down to 27 degrees last night, for a whole three hours.
Of course, its 60 degrees now, but...
Tomorrow it will get to 72.
No place but Texas.
Ed

[edblysard]

Hey, it got down to 27 degrees last night, for a whole three hours.
Of course, its 60 degrees now, but...
Tomorrow it will get to 72.
No place but Texas.
Ed

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Hey, it got down to 27 degrees last night, for a whole three hours.
Of course, its 60 degrees now, but...
Tomorrow it will get to 72.
No place but Texas.
Ed

Yeah Ed, but what about the summer when it gets up over 100 and you need a snorkel to breathe in the humidity? Up here in Maryland...er...never mind.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Hey, it got down to 27 degrees last night, for a whole three hours.
Of course, its 60 degrees now, but...
Tomorrow it will get to 72.
No place but Texas.
Ed

Yeah Ed, but what about the summer when it gets up over 100 and you need a snorkel to breathe in the humidity? Up here in Maryland...er...never mind.

[edblysard]

What, you mean no one in Maryland had gills?
Ed[:D]

[edblysard]

What, you mean no one in Maryland had gills?
Ed[:D]

[AntonioFP45]

Back when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s many railroads were in decline but I do remember seeing FREIGHT trains zipping by at about 75-80 mph in parts of New York and later Florida. I've been always a pretty good "visual" gauger of speed, even as a kid. Today, I've seen many "cab interior pictures of the modern EMD locomotives. Just above the engineer's seat are decal words: Maximum Speed 70 m.p.h. I was really surprised as I remember reading stories of Santa Fe cowls "ripping" at 90mph pulling the Super C years back. Is this 70 mph some type of restriction put on by: the government, the railroads, or EMD? Are the gear ratios lower than in the old -2 series? Seaboard Coast LIne freights pulled by SD45s and SD40-2s could push 80mph on some stretches back in the 70s. Thanks for your patience and anwers!

[AntonioFP45]

Back when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s many railroads were in decline but I do remember seeing FREIGHT trains zipping by at about 75-80 mph in parts of New York and later Florida. I've been always a pretty good "visual" gauger of speed, even as a kid. Today, I've seen many "cab interior pictures of the modern EMD locomotives. Just above the engineer's seat are decal words: Maximum Speed 70 m.p.h. I was really surprised as I remember reading stories of Santa Fe cowls "ripping" at 90mph pulling the Super C years back. Is this 70 mph some type of restriction put on by: the government, the railroads, or EMD? Are the gear ratios lower than in the old -2 series? Seaboard Coast LIne freights pulled by SD45s and SD40-2s could push 80mph on some stretches back in the 70s. Thanks for your patience and anwers!

[zardoz]

AntonioFP45-

When talking about the physical limits of a particular locomotive, it's all about gear ratios.

Some railroads have placed arbitrary speed limits on their trains, reasoning that the extra few minutes that would be gained by running at 60 or 70 mph compared to 50 are not worth the huge amounts of fuel needed to achieve those speeds, which due to normal operating conditions that exist on most railroads today (congestion and overburdoned system), the amount of time that a train could run at those speeds (considering acceleration and deceleration times) would be very minimal.

When the UP and BNSF were running test trains trying to attract the UPS business a few months ago, they used specially geared locomotives.

The government speed restrictions are placed in terrirory where passenger trains operate. The type of train control systems used (ATS, ATC, cab signals, PTC, etc) determins how fast (by government standards) a train can operate in a given territory.

On the CNW, we used two different systems: ATS on the suburban district's North line (to Kenosha, WI) and the Northwest Line (to Harvard, IL). The federal mandated speed limit for ATS was 79mph. ATC was used on the West Line (to Geneva, IL). I did not operate on the West line, and therefore am not certain as to the federal limitations of that system.

[zardoz]

AntonioFP45-

When talking about the physical limits of a particular locomotive, it's all about gear ratios.

Some railroads have placed arbitrary speed limits on their trains, reasoning that the extra few minutes that would be gained by running at 60 or 70 mph compared to 50 are not worth the huge amounts of fuel needed to achieve those speeds, which due to normal operating conditions that exist on most railroads today (congestion and overburdoned system), the amount of time that a train could run at those speeds (considering acceleration and deceleration times) would be very minimal.

When the UP and BNSF were running test trains trying to attract the UPS business a few months ago, they used specially geared locomotives.

The government speed restrictions are placed in terrirory where passenger trains operate. The type of train control systems used (ATS, ATC, cab signals, PTC, etc) determins how fast (by government standards) a train can operate in a given territory.

On the CNW, we used two different systems: ATS on the suburban district's North line (to Kenosha, WI) and the Northwest Line (to Harvard, IL). The federal mandated speed limit for ATS was 79mph. ATC was used on the West Line (to Geneva, IL). I did not operate on the West line, and therefore am not certain as to the federal limitations of that system.

[Granny74]

I heard that a certain section of track had a 79 mph limit. Does the track weight determine a restriction as to train speed limit? I understand that there are many other things involved, but is the track weight one of the considerations?
Bob from AZ

[Granny74]

I heard that a certain section of track had a 79 mph limit. Does the track weight determine a restriction as to train speed limit? I understand that there are many other things involved, but is the track weight one of the considerations?
Bob from AZ

[Anonymous]

While we are on the topic:
Why 79mph and not 80mph?

[Anonymous]

While we are on the topic:
Why 79mph and not 80mph?

[dehusman]

79 mph is the max the Federal governmment will allow without additional signal protection that freight RR's don't want to provide.

Many freight cars are unstable at high speeds so going faster than 60 mph is a moot point.

As someone else pointed out it takes a whole lot of gas and horsepower to get to higher speeds. For very little return in revenue.

Dave H.

[dehusman]

79 mph is the max the Federal governmment will allow without additional signal protection that freight RR's don't want to provide.

Many freight cars are unstable at high speeds so going faster than 60 mph is a moot point.

As someone else pointed out it takes a whole lot of gas and horsepower to get to higher speeds. For very little return in revenue.

Dave H.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Weight of rail can often be a factor in allowable speed for a given section of track. It is definitely a factor in weight restrictions. Lighter rail is more flexible and consequently easier to move around by the equipment running on it.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Weight of rail can often be a factor in allowable speed for a given section of track. It is definitely a factor in weight restrictions. Lighter rail is more flexible and consequently easier to move around by the equipment running on it.

[dehusman]

The UP had to adjust overspeed limits on its "Gold Streak" UPS service, but the locomotives have stock gear ratios, the same as any other engine of that .

Dave H.

[dehusman]

The UP had to adjust overspeed limits on its "Gold Streak" UPS service, but the locomotives have stock gear ratios, the same as any other engine of that .

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

So is there a HUGE difference between 79 and 80 MPH?


Oh last night here it went down to 04 degrees, and yes that's in F degrees .
today the high is about 31
it's exactly 23 here right now.

[Anonymous]

So is there a HUGE difference between 79 and 80 MPH?


Oh last night here it went down to 04 degrees, and yes that's in F degrees .
today the high is about 31
it's exactly 23 here right now.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevinstheRRman

So is there a HUGE difference between 79 and 80 MPH?


Oh last night here it went down to 04 degrees, and yes that's in F degrees .
today the high is about 31
it's exactly 23 here right now.

Well shaa....becasue in alot of states, 15 mph or more than the posted speed limit becomes reckless driving instead of just speeding. So if the speed limit is 65mph and the train is only doing 79 mph, the highway patrolman gives him a ticket for 14 mph over. Anything more and bam ...reckless driving. [:)]

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevinstheRRman

So is there a HUGE difference between 79 and 80 MPH?


Oh last night here it went down to 04 degrees, and yes that's in F degrees .
today the high is about 31
it's exactly 23 here right now.

Well shaa....becasue in alot of states, 15 mph or more than the posted speed limit becomes reckless driving instead of just speeding. So if the speed limit is 65mph and the train is only doing 79 mph, the highway patrolman gives him a ticket for 14 mph over. Anything more and bam ...reckless driving. [:)]