Bad train pictures

[Modelcar]

....Railroading in the part of the country of my home...Southwestern Pennsylvania had such conditions as we're talking about. On one such situation on the Somerset & Cambria branch of ex B&O [a coal hauling branch between Johnstown and Rockwood], and right above our swimming hole as a youngster....was a 3% grade and a very sharp curve named "cat head turn"....It took 2 normal size steamers on the head end and much of the time, a Mallet on the end of the train to get the coal drag up through there. I'm pretty sure that was the ruling grade of that branch.

[Modelcar]

....Railroading in the part of the country of my home...Southwestern Pennsylvania had such conditions as we're talking about. On one such situation on the Somerset & Cambria branch of ex B&O [a coal hauling branch between Johnstown and Rockwood], and right above our swimming hole as a youngster....was a 3% grade and a very sharp curve named "cat head turn"....It took 2 normal size steamers on the head end and much of the time, a Mallet on the end of the train to get the coal drag up through there. I'm pretty sure that was the ruling grade of that branch.

[edblysard]

For the most part, engineers try hard to ease or eliminate curves on steep grades, but sometimes it cant be avoided.
A gentle or wide radi curve makes little difference to most trains, its the sharp, or tight radius cruves that cause problems.
Engineers avoid this combination whenever possible.
Take note of Horseshoe curve, and Tehachapi loop, both designed to gain elevation in as little space as possible, but both have releative gentle curves. You see trains stopped in the sideing at Tehachapi all the time.
Where a sharp curve on grade cant be avoided, and the curve is severe enough to affect operation beyond what the grade itself causes, then that curve becomes the ruling grade.
Most employee timetables will list the ruleing grade and its location.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[edblysard]

For the most part, engineers try hard to ease or eliminate curves on steep grades, but sometimes it cant be avoided.
A gentle or wide radi curve makes little difference to most trains, its the sharp, or tight radius cruves that cause problems.
Engineers avoid this combination whenever possible.
Take note of Horseshoe curve, and Tehachapi loop, both designed to gain elevation in as little space as possible, but both have releative gentle curves. You see trains stopped in the sideing at Tehachapi all the time.
Where a sharp curve on grade cant be avoided, and the curve is severe enough to affect operation beyond what the grade itself causes, then that curve becomes the ruling grade.
Most employee timetables will list the ruleing grade and its location.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[Modelcar]

Ed....Have a question. Can't the ruling grade be influenced by some combinations of curves along with the grade hence making that "ruling grade" possibly greater than another piece of track that may in fact be steeper but on tangent track...?

[Modelcar]

Ed....Have a question. Can't the ruling grade be influenced by some combinations of curves along with the grade hence making that "ruling grade" possibly greater than another piece of track that may in fact be steeper but on tangent track...?

[Mookie]

Just a quick story. One night when I was literally running the tracks, I came upon a possume (That's hillbilly for opossum).

[Mookie]

Just a quick story. One night when I was literally running the tracks, I came upon a possume (That's hillbilly for opossum).