Running trains side by side

[Anonymous]

I live along the CP south of Milwaukee (Oak Creek). It happens every day, often.
Freights have a grade leaving town that can slow them down, Amtrak passes them
on track signeled for both ways. On occasion freights from Chicago both will be going
the same way, one slowing for Lake to crossover.

[Anonymous]

Running side by side is quite common in the big cities of Europe. Here in England I go into London Victoria Station and for the last five miles we usually run side by side with some other train for at least part of the way and always if you count parrallel tracks or which there are 14 for almost a mile. I have also seen this in Paris and Manchester.

[Anonymous]

Running side by side is quite common in the big cities of Europe. Here in England I go into London Victoria Station and for the last five miles we usually run side by side with some other train for at least part of the way and always if you count parrallel tracks or which there are 14 for almost a mile. I have also seen this in Paris and Manchester.

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by skeets

One incident does stay with me. Some years ago, I was working the yard. At one point, I was pulling a cut of cars through the yard as another engine was pushing a cut in the same direction from the other end on the next track. I had a SD-9, he had a GP-30. I pulled along side and looked in the cab. The brakie was running the motor and the hogger was playing fireboy! He was sitting in the left hand seat facing the brakie and didn't notice me. The tracks are quite close together there, so I reached across the gap and clamped my paw on his left shoulder! He stiffened up, not knowing WHAT had him. This was in the middle of a freight yard at 8 mph! I said, "Hello, Clyde!" The brakeman started roaring with laughter. I apologizes to Clyde later, because although he was young, if he had a ticker problem, we might have lost him. But it was FREAKIN' FUNNY!

[8D] that's ornery! You got it!

Mookie

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by skeets

One incident does stay with me. Some years ago, I was working the yard. At one point, I was pulling a cut of cars through the yard as another engine was pushing a cut in the same direction from the other end on the next track. I had a SD-9, he had a GP-30. I pulled along side and looked in the cab. The brakie was running the motor and the hogger was playing fireboy! He was sitting in the left hand seat facing the brakie and didn't notice me. The tracks are quite close together there, so I reached across the gap and clamped my paw on his left shoulder! He stiffened up, not knowing WHAT had him. This was in the middle of a freight yard at 8 mph! I said, "Hello, Clyde!" The brakeman started roaring with laughter. I apologizes to Clyde later, because although he was young, if he had a ticker problem, we might have lost him. But it was FREAKIN' FUNNY!

[8D] that's ornery! You got it!

Mookie

[Anonymous]

Thank you, skeets and MOdelcar

[Anonymous]

Thank you, skeets and MOdelcar

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICEtrain

what's "playing fireboy"?

The engineer was sitting on the left-hand fireman's seat, while the brakeman was doing the engineer's job. He was making like a fireman, or "playing fireboy."

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICEtrain

what's "playing fireboy"?

The engineer was sitting on the left-hand fireman's seat, while the brakeman was doing the engineer's job. He was making like a fireman, or "playing fireboy."

[AltonFan]

Come to think of it, there are some nice pictures of trains passing each other in the direction on PRR's Horseshoe curve, either in America's Colorful Railroads or American Railroads: the Second Generation.

I was told by a fellow whose father was a UP engineer on the 800s, who said that when trains passed each other, the fireman used to step behind the engineer's seat, in case the engine was side-swiped by loads hanging off of passing cars.

[AltonFan]

Come to think of it, there are some nice pictures of trains passing each other in the direction on PRR's Horseshoe curve, either in America's Colorful Railroads or American Railroads: the Second Generation.

I was told by a fellow whose father was a UP engineer on the 800s, who said that when trains passed each other, the fireman used to step behind the engineer's seat, in case the engine was side-swiped by loads hanging off of passing cars.

[Modelcar]

.....I would think he is indicating the fellow was on the left side of the locomotive in the position of the Fireman of years ago...[On Steamers]. Of course later, still on Diesels on passenger trains too....

[Modelcar]

.....I would think he is indicating the fellow was on the left side of the locomotive in the position of the Fireman of years ago...[On Steamers]. Of course later, still on Diesels on passenger trains too....

[Anonymous]

what's "playing fireboy"?

[Anonymous]

what's "playing fireboy"?

[Anonymous]

trains ride side by side all the time in the same direction especially on cummter railroads in some areas

[Anonymous]

trains ride side by side all the time in the same direction especially on cummter railroads in some areas

[Anonymous]

One incident does stay with me. Some years ago, I was working the yard. At one point, I was pulling a cut of cars through the yard as another engine was pushing a cut in the same direction from the other end on the next track. I had a SD-9, he had a GP-30. I pulled along side and looked in the cab. The brakie was running the motor and the hogger was playing fireboy! He was sitting in the left hand seat facing the brakie and didn't notice me. The tracks are quite close together there, so I reached across the gap and clamped my paw on his left shoulder! He stiffened up, not knowing WHAT had him. This was in the middle of a freight yard at 8 mph! I said, "Hello, Clyde!" The brakeman started roaring with laughter. I apologizes to Clyde later, because although he was young, if he had a ticker problem, we might have lost him. But it was FREAKIN' FUNNY!

[Anonymous]

One incident does stay with me. Some years ago, I was working the yard. At one point, I was pulling a cut of cars through the yard as another engine was pushing a cut in the same direction from the other end on the next track. I had a SD-9, he had a GP-30. I pulled along side and looked in the cab. The brakie was running the motor and the hogger was playing fireboy! He was sitting in the left hand seat facing the brakie and didn't notice me. The tracks are quite close together there, so I reached across the gap and clamped my paw on his left shoulder! He stiffened up, not knowing WHAT had him. This was in the middle of a freight yard at 8 mph! I said, "Hello, Clyde!" The brakeman started roaring with laughter. I apologizes to Clyde later, because although he was young, if he had a ticker problem, we might have lost him. But it was FREAKIN' FUNNY!

[Anonymous]

I would love to see two trains race by eachother!

[Anonymous]

I would love to see two trains race by eachother!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironhorseman

i've seen it once. kansas city, june 2001, on the north side of town across the river on the way to the downtown airport. there's a railroad bridge there and one train was following the other, only they were each on seperate tracks. my dad was with me and he thought they were on the same track and were gonna crash, but they weren't, just an optical illusion. the tracks lead into a yard there in north kansas city. the two trains weren't technically side by side yet, but the one behind was going faster and eventually probably passed the other. i checked my website and don't have a photo of it - yet. if i can find that picture i'll put it up under 'freight trains' in the next couple days.

That was the Hannibal bridge going into Murray yard, they were on 80 and 81 track. No real speed involved, they were both going to stop at the Ustic signal entering the yard, or one or the other or both will get a restricting going into the yard. Been held at that signal many times.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironhorseman

i've seen it once. kansas city, june 2001, on the north side of town across the river on the way to the downtown airport. there's a railroad bridge there and one train was following the other, only they were each on seperate tracks. my dad was with me and he thought they were on the same track and were gonna crash, but they weren't, just an optical illusion. the tracks lead into a yard there in north kansas city. the two trains weren't technically side by side yet, but the one behind was going faster and eventually probably passed the other. i checked my website and don't have a photo of it - yet. if i can find that picture i'll put it up under 'freight trains' in the next couple days.

That was the Hannibal bridge going into Murray yard, they were on 80 and 81 track. No real speed involved, they were both going to stop at the Ustic signal entering the yard, or one or the other or both will get a restricting going into the yard. Been held at that signal many times.

[Anonymous]

The Union Pacific does it often out on the double track main West of Chicago. I have seen a hot intermodal overtake a slow rolling coaltrain, and I have seen at one point one truck trailer train, overtake an intermodal! That was quite the sight to see! Lots of SD-70's with flags! I have also seen it on the Web Cam. A truck trailer train overtook an auto train in less than a minute or so! The Norfolk Southern also does here in Decatur. Out East of town, there can be seen at one point, two trains rolling into town the same direction. Have seen two Triple Crown trains at one time! Also another sight to see!

[Anonymous]

The Union Pacific does it often out on the double track main West of Chicago. I have seen a hot intermodal overtake a slow rolling coaltrain, and I have seen at one point one truck trailer train, overtake an intermodal! That was quite the sight to see! Lots of SD-70's with flags! I have also seen it on the Web Cam. A truck trailer train overtook an auto train in less than a minute or so! The Norfolk Southern also does here in Decatur. Out East of town, there can be seen at one point, two trains rolling into town the same direction. Have seen two Triple Crown trains at one time! Also another sight to see!

[northwesterner]

About a month ago I was at Harlem Avenue on the BNSF racetrack out of Chicago. A west-bound (on the north-most track) Metra train made its stop at the station. As it was pulling out, an eastbound intermodal came by on the south-most track. About a minute later, it was passed by an east-bound coal train on the center track! Lots of engines and railcars, it was quite a sight.

[northwesterner]

About a month ago I was at Harlem Avenue on the BNSF racetrack out of Chicago. A west-bound (on the north-most track) Metra train made its stop at the station. As it was pulling out, an eastbound intermodal came by on the south-most track. About a minute later, it was passed by an east-bound coal train on the center track! Lots of engines and railcars, it was quite a sight.

[ironhorseman]

i've seen it once. kansas city, june 2001, on the north side of town across the river on the way to the downtown airport. there's a railroad bridge there and one train was following the other, only they were each on seperate tracks. my dad was with me and he thought they were on the same track and were gonna crash, but they weren't, just an optical illusion. the tracks lead into a yard there in north kansas city. the two trains weren't technically side by side yet, but the one behind was going faster and eventually probably passed the other. i checked my website and don't have a photo of it - yet. if i can find that picture i'll put it up under 'freight trains' in the next couple days.

[ironhorseman]

i've seen it once. kansas city, june 2001, on the north side of town across the river on the way to the downtown airport. there's a railroad bridge there and one train was following the other, only they were each on seperate tracks. my dad was with me and he thought they were on the same track and were gonna crash, but they weren't, just an optical illusion. the tracks lead into a yard there in north kansas city. the two trains weren't technically side by side yet, but the one behind was going faster and eventually probably passed the other. i checked my website and don't have a photo of it - yet. if i can find that picture i'll put it up under 'freight trains' in the next couple days.

[CShaveRR]

Trains running side by side happens by us (between Proviso and West Chicago on the UP) quite often...there are three tracks, so running two trains in the same direction is not a problem. As long as trains are restricted to different speeds, there's going to be the possibility--or even the desirability--of a fast train getting around a slower one. And when the speeds are 50 and 70, that's a genuine thrill!