Triple Crown-can't say they aren't trying

[Anonymous]

Last night, I saw something that kinda surprised me. East bound NS train on the old Wabash, TOFC/dual-stack/mixed freight, brought to a stop shortly after the track goes dual, so that an eastbound Triple Crown train could overtake it on the normally west bound tracks.

What makes this especially notewothy, Is I almost hardly ever see this type of overtake maneuver on the line in question, for east bound traffic, and only so seldom on west bounds, usually mixed freight over mixed freight. But them triple crowns last night sure had the high ball. Have to wonder if this is the result of a new contract?

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

Last night, I saw something that kinda surprised me. East bound NS train on the old Wabash, TOFC/dual-stack/mixed freight, brought to a stop shortly after the track goes dual, so that an eastbound Triple Crown train could overtake it on the normally west bound tracks.

What makes this especially notewothy, Is I almost hardly ever see this type of overtake maneuver on the line in question, for east bound traffic, and only so seldom on west bounds, usually mixed freight over mixed freight. But them triple crowns last night sure had the high ball. Have to wonder if this is the result of a new contract?

I bet this would be a good subject if I just had a clue what you just said.
Care to elaborate just for Duh Mook?

[edblysard]

What he said was,
on a single main track, that opens out or splits into dual main lines, he saw a mixed freight come out on one of the mains, and stop, so the triple crown train could come out from behind it, on the other main, and then pass it.
At some point, the triple crown would have crossed back to the same main in front of the freight.
The triple crown was a higer priority train, moving faster than the general freight, and needed to get in front of it.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[mudchicken]

MookS:

This is a special train full of roadrailers (highway trailers with steel wheels added). The only place you will see roadrailers in Lincoln is occassionally on the rear of Amtrak 5 & 6 as they pass through Lincoln with mail and package business. BNSF and UPRR never were particularly thrilled with the special extra handling that roadrailers require and wind out on the open prairie causes havoc with them (and they have to slow down or risk lifting off the track). Back east, they have those marvelous wind-breaks called trees!! (rarely seen in western NE and KS and eastern CO)

Dirty Iron Feathered Creature

[Modelcar]

....And just in case Jen doesn't know what Triple Crown is..It is a train completely made up of Special truck trailers connected together as a train with removable wheel boggie's under each trailer to support them on the tracks. We have one [north to south], each day passing through Muncie here I believe carrying mostly auto parts. I watched one a few days ago while at our Trail Depot...[NS tracks are adjacent to it], and one engine was pulling a very long train of them. No railcars involved at all.

[kwboehm]

But those aren't true roadrailers on the back of AMTK 5&6 are they?? They look like trailers propped up on a set of trucks. I thought the roadrailers had the rail wheels built in, or am I gravely mistaken?

[Modelcar]

....Triple Crown has used both kinds here through Muncie on NS traveling N to S. I see more now of the removable boggie's at the trailer ends....

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....Triple Crown has used both kinds here through Muncie on NS traveling N to S. I see more now of the removable boggie's at the trailer ends....

Muncie e''hhh Modelcar? You live down there in "''close encounters of the 3rd kind land"'? [;)]

Is that NS line you mention a former Nickel Plate line?

[Anonymous]

Yes, what you see on the back of Amtrak are Roadrailers. This was supposed to be one of their savours by being able to haul mail along with passenger service. Just don't think it panned out the way they wanted.[:0]

Due to a considerable weight savings for highway use, Triple Crown removed all the MKIV Roadrailers (the ones with the bogie built in) from service and replaced them with MKV's, so what you see today are all with removable rail bogies.

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....Triple Crown has used both kinds here through Muncie on NS traveling N to S. I see more now of the removable boggie's at the trailer ends....

Muncie e''hhh Modelcar? You live down there in "''close encounters of the 3rd kind land"'? [;)]

Is that NS line you mention a former Nickel Plate line?

That NS line is a former NKP line.I used to live in Celina Oh on the east west NKP line from Muncie Indiana to Lima OH now run by RJ Corman.[:)]
stay safe
Joe

[Mookie]

Well that helps! I didn't have a clue - as you could tell, but y'all set me straight. And Modelcar, you are very right - I didn't know what a triple crown was. Our Amtrak goes thru here in the dark - both ways - so unless it is really, really late - I do hear it, but never see it. Going to have to go out on google and check for some info.

This is so exciting - something new to look for!

Thanx guys - you are the best!

Mookie

[Modelcar]

....Ah yea, the line running through Muncie that is now N S and question as to what it used to be...Glad someone helped on that one as It has completely slipped my mind. I can say this of that line now....Some years ago it was completely rebuilt into a class one type of route...that is the one that now has much traffic through Muncie from the north to the south and I believe down through the "Rat Hole Div." and on down towards Jacksonville, Fl.

That NS line also branches out to the north west from Muncie too as well it must still head north east....Through Albany, In. and so on....perhaps as Joe says, through Celina, Oh...all though I personally don't know that for sure.

We have another route right besides the one we're speaking of in downtown Muncie, at the Wysor St. Depot....[Now being renovated into the Trail Head], and that route was in the past the Nickle Plate...C&O...and then CSX...Even had an Amtrak route traveling on it....The Cardinal, back in the seventy's. It is now the Cardinal Greenway Trail...20 miles of paved walking and bike riding trail....and it is really nice.

"Close encounters of the 3rd kind land"....???? Sorry, don't follow what that is...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....Ah yea, the line running through Muncie that is now N S and question as to what it used to be...Glad someone helped on that one as It has completely slipped my mind. I can say this of that line now....Some years ago it was completely rebuilt into a class one type of route...that is the one that now has much traffic through Muncie from the north to the south and I believe down through the "Rat Hole Div." and on down towards Jacksonville, Fl.

That NS line also branches out to the north west from Muncie too as well it must still head north east....Through Albany, In. and so on....perhaps as Joe says, through Celina, Oh...all though I personally don't know that for sure.

We have another route right besides the one we're speaking of in downtown Muncie, at the Wysor St. Depot....[Now being renovated into the Trail Head], and that route was in the past the Nickle Plate...C&O...and then CSX...Even had an Amtrak route traveling on it....The Cardinal, back in the seventy's. It is now the Cardinal Greenway Trail...20 miles of paved walking and bike riding trail....and it is really nice.

"Close encounters of the 3rd kind land"....???? Sorry, don't follow what that is...

Don't get it? ................[:o)] You must be a youngster. "Muncie" was where all the action started in the flying saucer movie by the same name.

I was just curious to confirm that was the old NKP line that used to snake it's way N-S through eastern Indiana, as it joins the line in question just a stones throw west of here, and the hot shot in question may well have originated down your way, (Cincinnati ?) not sure. Curiously, the old NKP line in question now terminates where it joins the nearly moribund conrail, former Pennsey line, and doesn't even join the former NKP main through town anymore, that section was torn up as part of a local revitalization project.

I think Joe was talking about an E-W route that originaly was narrow guage, to St Louis

[JoeKoh]

Model car and Anti-gates
Celina is where my "train"ing started.My brother would take me down to the tracks evry chance he could.He and my other brothers "hopped " trains to Portland Indiana and the Jay county fair.My step-grandfather worked for the NKP. I heard stories about him going to places such as Bellevue,Lima, Muncie and Frankfort.I just only wish could have met him.
stay safe
Joe

[Modelcar]

....As I understand it....The old NKP line that ran through Muncie NW and SE and that is now a walking trail, cut across Indiana from the Cincinnati area to the Chicago area...Amtrak triversed that route in running from Chicago to Cinn. and on across WV and Washington, D C. The other route here in Muncie that really is a railroad yet, and a somewhat busy one too....and up to class one trackage, comes in from the north from Ft. Wayne and then heads south and as I understand it clear down to the Jacksonville, Fl way....Also in central Muncie the N S route heads out of the downtown towards the N W and points west....That is fairly heavily traveled....Lots of grain comes in from the west on that route...especially this time of the year and it either heads south or N E....I don't get to see which way they head when they get downtown where there is a choice of direction.

The Pennsylvania R R had a route into Muncie at one time too....via trackage rights on the NYC....Penn Central....Conrail...from Anderson I believe. It went to Mathews, In. Of course Conrail and now CSX has a major east-west double tracked line through here still....

On the Triple Crown trains....Some of them are long enough that they have two engines as they travel through Muncie on their way south. Two engines = a long train. Lots of trailers.

Joe, I used to travel through Celina many years ago to travel east to Pennsylvania, my home area. That was before I-70 was completed and we worked our way up through Ohio to connect to the Oh. Turnpike...Remember traveling along side that long lake near Celina....Understand that is man made and originally constructed to be used for water supply for a canal....??

Anti-gates...I'm not guilty of being young anymore...[see photo], but still don't have any knowledge of the flying saucer movie....as such. Not my interest I suppose. All though I remember the rage of such sightings back in the forties.

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

Joe, I used to travel through Celina many years ago to travel east to Pennsylvania, my home area. That was before I-70 was completed and we worked our way up through Ohio to connect to the Oh. Turnpike...Remember traveling along side that long lake near Celina....Understand that is man made and originally constructed to be used for water supply for a canal....??

Yes man made and used for the overflow of the canals.Grand Lake was really high this summer due to all the rain.[;)]
stay safe
Joe

[Train Guy 3]

I use to see lots of Triple Crown trains where i live, but the past few years I've hardly seen any.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

Anti-gates...I'm not guilty of being young anymore...[see photo], but still don't have any knowledge of the flying saucer movie....as such. Not my interest I suppose. All though I remember the rage of such sightings back in the forties.

Ahhh, that's all cool! Different strokes,-n-all.

"Cose Encounters of the 3rd kind" was pretty much a national bockbuster when released, back in the 70's If I am not mistaken.

I just figured everyone in Muncie MUST have seen that movie, etc,..shows you how much I don't know[8]

[Modelcar]

....Well, I was here then but I must have chosen to do other things...Perhaps, trains, autos and camera's....to mention a few interests. And of course work...which I have been free of for some years now...

Regards,

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm, a Triple Crown Train overtook an ordinary stack train. The cynic in me has to think that this might have something to do with who owns Triple Crown and has to do with the RR that the train was operating on. So who owns Triple Crown... rhymes with NS. Which RR was this train running on again? ;-)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dblstack

Hmmmm, a Triple Crown Train overtook an ordinary stack train. The cynic in me has to think that this might have something to do with who owns Triple Crown and has to do with the RR that the train was operating on. So who owns Triple Crown... rhymes with NS. Which RR was this train running on again? ;-)

Well I'LL have to admit I didn't see the head end power of the train that was being overtaken, it was just coming to a stop when I came on the scene, with the head head who knows how far ahead. I just sorta assumed it was a NS train as well, with the observed activity being an indication of internal priority..........

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kwboehm

But those aren't true roadrailers on the back of AMTK 5&6 are they?? They look like trailers propped up on a set of trucks. I thought the roadrailers had the rail wheels built in, or am I gravely mistaken?

What you see on 5 and 6 are the new type - lower over-the-road weight (tare) and greater stability on the rail. The old kind had the permant wheels.

[Modelcar]

....With the light tonnage of a Triple Crown train I'm sure it can move out at pretty good speed and keep out of the way of most other type freights....Maybe that is one motive but I suppose the fact it is owned by that Co. that is mentioned above may be another reason for it getting priority. I wonder how fast a T C train is really allowed to run.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....With the light tonnage of a Triple Crown train I'm sure it can move out at pretty good speed and keep out of the way of most other type freights....Maybe that is one motive but I suppose the fact it is owned by that Co. that is mentioned above may be another reason for it getting priority. I wonder how fast a T C train is really allowed to run.

I dunno, but one thing for sure, when they are out in the sticks, one engine seems to snap them along quite handily, without sounding very loaded up at all..

Speaking of sound, you can really tell the difference of a Triple Crown train when braking. Where I live there is a river behind me, and the rail line crosses the river, maybe a third of a mile away, so the river channel tends to act as a sound guide. ,This is at a point where the line is just starting to get into the thick of town, and you can hear the TC trains nursing those brakes on constantly, on the inbounds

[Modelcar]

....I looked at the T C website and noted how each trailer rests down on the flat plate on top of the bogie but couldn't see what really connects the trailer to that flat plate....Is there a pin on the trailer that inserts down into that flat plate possibly.....?

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tomtrain

Triple Crown's website is www.triplecrownsvc.com. From what I've read, they've been doing a fine job of bringing freight to rail that would otherwise only go by highway. I often see their trailers up here in Wisconsin. Their website is pretty informative. Hope to see a train of them sometime.

I went to the website and looked at all the pictures! That was very informative - I didn't realize Triple Crown is a company - and also saw how those trailers go from road to track! Very interesting - not sure I will ever see a real one, but if not - at least I have seen pictues!

Thanx

Mookie

[Anonymous]

On the websight there is a sideview picture of the bogie and you will notice a hole on the side of the plate. Pins on the trailer insert into these holes. It takes a very experienced crew to be able to line up the pin with the hole on the first try.

As far as speed is concerned, I don't know how fast they are allowed to run, but if memory serves me correctly, they have been tested with a 75 unit train in excess of 75mph. And higher speeds with 3 units behind an Amtrak.

[techguy57]

Mookie- Don't worry I was as lost as you. Haven't seen any TC trains up here, TOFC is getting to be a rarity more and more too.

Model Car- The NS line to Fort Wayne is the New Castle District sub right?
Then there is a sub that runs to Frankfort(Home of the Frankfort HotDogs[:D]. There was also a line to Cincy (is that the trail now). Does the Indian Creek RR line that runs up to Elkhart go through Muncie or is that Anderson? I was thinking it used to spur off the old Conrail line but I can't remember where. No matter how hard I try to remember I'm still forgetting things about my Hoosier homeland.

Oh, Close Encounters is a good flick. Older Spielberg movie with Richard Dreyfus among others. If you get a minute I recommend givig it a chance.

Mike

[mudchicken]

Tech Dude:

NKP Newcastle to Connersville is very much alive, now Wabash Central (WOHO), formerly Indiana Hi Rail (IHRC), related to JoeKoh's Maumee & Western... the Rushville leg, also taken over by IHRC, has been truncated and fallen victim to the NITU trails folly. Used to be home of IHRC's Alco RS-1m #167. What's left is Honey Creek RR and that is dying (Kaput since mid-2002?). Indian Creek runs from Anderson to the NW on the old PRR Richmond Branch...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie
I didn't realize Triple Crown is a company - and also saw how those trailers go from road to track! Very interesting - not sure I will ever see a real one, but if not - at least I have seen pictues!

Thanx

Mookie

A wholly owned subsidiary of NS, I believe