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Zeether posted:If I ever get back into model railroading I'm going On30 and seeing if I can find one of these (or its sister the K-27) in that scale, because holy mother of gently caress are they the coolest looking narrow gauge locomotives ever.  of narrow gauge to the  The Ffestiniog Railway had a problem. It was a narrow-gauge railway for taking slate from the mines in the north Wales mountains down to the sea, so that meant heavy loads that normal narrow-gauge engines would struggle with. The solution came from a Scottish engineer called Robert Fairlie. He concluded that the typical locomotive design was inefficient due to the limits of traction and the tender not contributing to adhesion in any way, plus the whole "cannot run as well in reverse" design. So he came up with a solution: Put two boilers on it, cab in the middle, and put the driving wheels on bogies so it can actually go around bends.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairlie And the weirdest thing? It works. It works so well that the Ffestiniog (which is a tourist railway now) is still using them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q8bT3q_oHA In fact, they're still making them - "David Lloyd George" was built from scratch by the railway in 1992: 
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Mar 3, 2013 13:52
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Rabid Anti-Dentite! posted:took this the other day, westbound at sunset. Gorilla Salad posted:Oh Russia, I love you so much but I'm glad I don't have to live there These still exist in many forms, jet engine and all 
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Mar 4, 2013 20:18
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Wouldn't something like that be just hideously expensive to operate regularly? I'd think something like a plow would do just as well, even in Russia
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Mar 4, 2013 22:30
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ctishman posted:Wouldn't something like that be just hideously expensive to operate regularly? I'd think something like a plow would do just as well, even in Russia It takes huge amounts of energy to melt snow directly like that. I imagine that the engineer that had to design that suffered from having a scientifically illiterate boss. Edit: the colder, the more wasteful that is. EightBit fucked around with this message at 23:01 on Mar 4, 2013 |
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Mar 4, 2013 22:40
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I dont think you guys really grasp what Russia is dealing with here in the cold department.
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Mar 4, 2013 22:42
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They aren't melting the snow, they are blowing it. Some melts, I am sure, but that isn't the objective.
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Mar 4, 2013 23:16
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I thought things like that are mostly for deicing switches?
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Mar 4, 2013 23:26
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CSX operates some of those, apparently. I swear I've seen them before in this thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsukefEovg0
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Mar 5, 2013 00:35
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A while back I mentioned Ward Kimball being on Tracks Ahead, this was the engine he was often featured with on the show: Grizzly Flats no. 1, "Chloe". LGB did a model of it a long time ago, great little narrow gauge locomotive.
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Mar 5, 2013 01:47
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They're called 'Snow Jets' at CSX and here's where they've got one stored at the yard in Selkirk. A little West down the track you'll see the huge kerosene tank that keeps it fed. https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.57463,-73.863616&spn=0.000304,0.000431&t=h&z=21 Yes, they're more for blowing the ice & snow out of switch points and flangeways than anything else, though they've been used to push MOW carts across the yard from time to time..
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Mar 5, 2013 05:39
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Shifty Pony posted:For example a link or loop in Texas between Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston would really be a great alternative to driving or regional flights. I know this is an old post, but Amtrak already links Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, and San Antonio (Texas Eagle). You can then catch Sunset Limited to Houston, though you're stuck with an overnight layover in San Antonio if you do that. If you don't count Houston, it's not a bad trip at all. Longer than a bus ride for sure, but far more comfortable with beer/wine available in the lounge car. The Austin station is an itty bitty little shack (with a hilariously short stop - I think it was 5 minutes?), while Dallas, Ft. Worth, and San Antonio are all decently sized with a decent amount of time at the stops. Source: Took Amtrak from Dallas to El Paso; same route, except took Sunset Limited west instead of east. The station in San Antonio isn't in that bad of an area either, it's just outside of downtown.. which has plenty of bars and a decent bit of food.
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Mar 5, 2013 10:10
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I'm in Japan right now. I plan on heading (by rail) up to Tokyo. Any specific requests? I may be able to hit some tram lines, a monorail, and the shinkasen easily. There's a JR line and a keikyu line nearby.
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Mar 5, 2013 12:44
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Its in Russian, but here is a glimpse of how a family live in the middle of Russia's nowwhere, in an abandoned village. Only accessible by homemade narrow gauge carts powered by motorcycle engines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj-sPyYw2Pc
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Mar 5, 2013 15:28
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The NTSB has released a video reconstructing last year's fatal freight train collision near Goodwell, Oklahoma, based on data from the event recorders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKgDUJpr_l4 Only one crew member survived the collision, a conductor who jumped free at the last second.
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Mar 7, 2013 01:44
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some texas redneck posted:I know this is an old post, but Amtrak already links Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, and San Antonio (Texas Eagle). You can then catch Sunset Limited to Houston, though you're stuck with an overnight layover in San Antonio if you do that. If you don't count Houston, it's not a bad trip at all. Longer than a bus ride for sure, but far more comfortable with beer/wine available in the lounge car. The Austin station is an itty bitty little shack (with a hilariously short stop - I think it was 5 minutes?), while Dallas, Ft. Worth, and San Antonio are all decently sized with a decent amount of time at the stops. Oh yeah the Texas Eagle is a nice route, just a shame about the time involved making it not all that useful for business or even day trips. I just think that the Dallas/Austin/SanAntonio/Houston loop could be an actually useful HSR project, given the large amount of travel between the cities already both via highway and air and the long stretches of absolutely nothing at all in Texas. If you could bump the average speed up to around 100mph (which would involve both a track upgrade and cutting stops) you could pull off Dallas to Austin in under 2 hours and 1 more to SA. The real trouble is that the rail lines are busybusy with freight just like I-35, so running multiple trains per day just isn't happening as things are now. So more track is needed. If even Gov Perry couldn't talk Texans into the Trans-Texas Corridor, I think it is going to remain a pipe dream forever.
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Mar 7, 2013 04:20
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Shifty Pony - I think ages ago you asked about being stuck across a grade/level crossing and asked about dropping the track circuit, to hopefully hold a signal at stop or somehow warn someone. Obviously you suggested the right thing by not sitting in your car and ringing those who can help (I would probably call the network authority before emergency services). I can say that it isn't really going to help your situation. If you are in a signalled area, it will revert the signal back to stop and hopefully hold a train before it enters that section of line, you will be lucky if you time it this right. If the train is already in the section all you will do is ring the alarms. If it is an isolated crossing all you'll do is activate the alarms. By activating the alarms unnecessarily aren't going to get proper warning of when the train is actually approaching. I hope this answered your question.
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Mar 7, 2013 07:41
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Brother Jonathan posted:The NTSB has released a video reconstructing last year's fatal freight train collision near Goodwell, Oklahoma, based on data from the event recorders: Wow, that's pretty damning against the eastbound crew. Is there the train equivalent of a cockpit voice recorder in trains? Wouldn't there be a fuckton of alarms going off in the eastbound car after they ignored 4 signals? And which train was the conductor that survived on? I'd guess the westbound, since the eastbound crew didn't know what the gently caress.
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Mar 7, 2013 20:08
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Fire Storm posted:Wow, that's pretty damning against the eastbound crew. Is there the train equivalent of a cockpit voice recorder in trains? Wouldn't there be a fuckton of alarms going off in the eastbound car after they ignored 4 signals? And which train was the conductor that survived on? I'd guess the westbound, since the eastbound crew didn't know what the gently caress. Anytime voice recorders in the cab are mentioned, crews throw a gigantic hissy fit about invasion of privacy and such.
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Mar 7, 2013 21:52
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Fire Storm posted:Wow, that's pretty damning against the eastbound crew. Is there the train equivalent of a cockpit voice recorder in trains? Wouldn't there be a fuckton of alarms going off in the eastbound car after they ignored 4 signals? And which train was the conductor that survived on? I'd guess the westbound, since the eastbound crew didn't know what the gently caress. The conductor jumped from the westbound, which makes sense as they were traveling slower and were applying emergency brakes a full twenty seconds before the collision. As for the signals, UP hasn't installed VTMS (Vital Train Management System, their version of positive train control) on that stretch of rail yet, so crews have just the warning lights to go by. The NTSB is lobbying hard for PTC systems on all railroads, and they have used this accident as an example of what PTC is designed to prevent. (Acronym fun! "UP has no VTMS PTC in OK.") The most unsettling thing about that video was this quote: "A little more than one minute before the collision, the westbound train passed an 'approach diverging' signal located approximately 2.6 miles before the east entrance of the Goodwell siding. The signal was displaying a solid yellow over solid yellow aspect. The westbound train crew continued to reduce train speed to prepare to advance on a diverging route to enter the Goodwell siding. A few seconds later, the eastbound train passed a 'stop' signal with a solid red aspect located near the east end of the Goodwell siding." If the westbound crew had arrived at the second signal just a few seconds later, instead of an "approach diverging" signal they would have had a "stop" signal. That would have given them only thirty more seconds to react, but the driver might have gotten out in time along with the conductor. (The eastbound crew didn't have a chance at this point.)
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Mar 8, 2013 01:24
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Has anyone listened to railroad dispatch radio stations? I use an app called TuneIn and it has a bunch of stations for them, but nothing seems to go on when I listen in aside from a few transmissions I can barely hear due to static.
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Mar 8, 2013 01:31
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Since the eastbound crew was likely asleep at the wheel or fumblefucking around playing strip poker in the caboose or something, I'm not sure I'm very sympathetic with them not having enough warning to get out alive. Sucks for the railroad, the other train's crew, and everyone whose cargo got hosed up, though.
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Mar 8, 2013 01:32
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kastein posted:Since the eastbound crew was likely asleep at the wheel or fumblefucking around playing strip poker in the caboose or something, I'm not sure I'm very sympathetic with them not having enough warning to get out alive. Sucks for the railroad, the other train's crew, and everyone whose cargo got hosed up, though. Obviously you have never worked in an industry that has no schedule, your on call, and could work at 2 am one day then 3 pm the next, bad train line ups, and in general you can't even poop strait.... even bursts of micro sleep.... its a harsh industry. Well I am kinda heated about all this.... do some reading on fatigue and railroads. Besides these are companies that actively try to push safety aside in an effort to make more money. They wanted to tear out the signal system in our territory that actually makes you reduce speed or makes a penalty brake application if not acted upon. They claim it was holding down train speeds and requires more money to maintain even though its the safest system around.
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Mar 8, 2013 01:58
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Obviously you have never worked in an industry that has no schedule, your on call, and could work at 2 am one day then 3 pm the next, bad train line ups, and in general you can't even poop strait.... even bursts of micro sleep.... its a harsh industry. You still have mandatory crew rest though, right? Like you can't work a shift X hours after working a full shift. How is working in a (inter-modal) yard? I guess for new guys it sucks because you're working weekends and nights but its gotta be a little better than working on the road(as far as having a normal life goes).
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Mar 8, 2013 04:12
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No Pun Intended posted:Shifty Pony - I think ages ago you asked about being stuck across a grade/level crossing Yup, thanks! It is a bit shocking the number of people that don't get the most important bit: get the gently caress away from the car! Or do we only really hear about the ones that do not? I would hope that the regional 911 service would have the emergency contact information for whoever runs the line.
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Mar 8, 2013 04:50
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deaq0s5v_y8
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Mar 8, 2013 05:11
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Veins McGee posted:You still have mandatory crew rest though, right? Like you can't work a shift X hours after working a full shift. And there is the problem. You are entitled to 10 hours of uninterrupted rest after you complete a shift. But you have no idea when the next call is coming for your next train. You don't know if you are going out as soon as your rest period is up, or is the next day. Say you get done at noon. You are eligible to be called back to work at 10 pm, but you may not be called back until the following morning. Do you go right to bed, wake up at 8 or 9 pm, or stay up and go to bed at night? What happens if you go right to bed, wake up at 8 or 9 and don't get called until 8 am? You have been up all night, are now tired and have to go to work. Or you go to bed in the evening, and 4 hours later the phone rings. You just never know, so even with a mandatory rest period, it is still really easy to get caught tired
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Mar 8, 2013 22:44
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9axle posted:And there is the problem. You are entitled to 10 hours of uninterrupted rest after you complete a shift. But you have no idea when the next call is coming for your next train. You don't know if you are going out as soon as your rest period is up, or is the next day. Is planning really that loving hard? People wonder why I'm happy to drive my "shorter" dedicated route now.
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Mar 8, 2013 23:04
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9axle posted:And there is the problem. You are entitled to 10 hours of uninterrupted rest after you complete a shift. But you have no idea when the next call is coming for your next train. You don't know if you are going out as soon as your rest period is up, or is the next day. They sure do love talking about safety though. At the NS management interview I went to, they had a safety brief about exiting a room and designating people to perform CPR and/or direct EMTs to the emergency.
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Mar 8, 2013 23:11
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9axle posted:And there is the problem. You are entitled to 10 hours of uninterrupted rest after you complete a shift. But you have no idea when the next call is coming for your next train. You don't know if you are going out as soon as your rest period is up, or is the next day. Call me stupid, but how the gently caress do they run a railway if they do not know which driver (and presumably train) will be where in the next 24h. Especially with the amount of single track in the US, you'd expect there to be some sort of time table that says train X should be at siding Y around a certain time, so that train Z can pass it and they can both go on their merry way.
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Mar 9, 2013 00:49
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There are a lot of things that can delay trains. Heck my commuter train is as much as 20 minutes late or 10 minutes early depending on how they juggle other trains. And that's in dry weather. On an hour and a half run. Imagine the insanity that can happen on a 10 hour run. Now, I got quite friendly with the conductors on my rail lines. That 10 hours off, also isn't as nice as it sounds. You need to get from your train, to the hotel, you need to find food, and get to bed. IIRC you have two hours from the call, to get to your assignment. So, to be fair, "IF" You don't have sleep issues, and IF you can manage food and drink quickly, you get 6 hours. After what could potentially be a hard day out in snow, rain, ice, and whatever else mother nature can throw at you. The guys on the Metra had regular schedules. They took a pay cut, and a split shift for the privilege.
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Mar 9, 2013 03:24
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Deedle posted:Call me stupid, but how the gently caress do they run a railway if they do not know which driver (and presumably train) will be where in the next 24h. Especially with the amount of single track in the US, you'd expect there to be some sort of time table that says train X should be at siding Y around a certain time, so that train Z can pass it and they can both go on their merry way. Its been like this since... ever? I know even as a yardman, we can get called if we are short handed on our days off or they call to step up to the next shift. Plus you know... you want to try to have a semi normal life and be with friends, work on cars etc. Its not an easy job and your in a perpetual state of jet lag. Personally, I like it when we work on our rest. As soon as my rest period is up, I want the phone to ring to get right back out to work. But train line ups are never accurate. Some times a train showing for 1300 turns into a 900 call. These are the few companies that really make money by accident than actual planning or common sense. They used to run on time tables where there would be a meet at x siding for a certain train but it is woefully slow and very dangerous. Do a google on time table traffic, its interesting but explains why this has gone by the wayside BrokenKnucklez fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Mar 9, 2013 |
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Mar 9, 2013 04:21
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Veins McGee posted:They sure do love talking about safety though. At the NS management interview I went to, they had a safety brief about exiting a room and designating people to perform CPR and/or direct EMTs to the emergency. Yeah this is typical with railroad management and engineering staff. Obsessing over fire drills and locations of first aid kits in the corporate office to promote a "top to bottom safety culture."
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Mar 9, 2013 04:26
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BrokenKnucklez posted:These are the few companies that really make money by accident than actual planning or common sense. It reminds me of the French army joke in the nineteenth century that the military operated under the principles of le systme D: on se dbrouillera toujours (i.e., "we'll muddle through it somehow"). They would just ship soldiers, guns, food, equipment, and ammunition at the enemy with no planning, and then hopefully an army could be created in the right place at the right time. bytebark posted:Yeah this is typical with railroad management and engineering staff. Obsessing over fire drills and locations of first aid kits in the corporate office to promote a "top to bottom safety culture." I keep hearing crew members complain about PTC, including in train forums discussing the Goodwell collision. I understand why management opposes it, but why would any crew member complain?
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Mar 9, 2013 04:50
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Tex Avery posted:Anytime voice recorders in the cab are mentioned, crews throw a gigantic hissy fit about invasion of privacy and such. The exact same thing happened when voice recorders were proposed for airplanes, and it was eventually settled by agreements that ban airlines from having any access to cockpit recordings except when investigating an accident. On top of that, federal law bans the actual audio recordings from ever being released, and there are pretty strict rules in place governing release of the transcripts made from the recording. Since trains already carry event recorders, I'm kinda surprised the FRA hasn't just said "tough poo poo, you're required to carry voice recorders now", since they've been required on airplanes for decades without a single case of management using the recordings against pilots (outside of an accident), and they provide a far clearer picture of what happened in an accident than just an event recorder is able to.
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Mar 9, 2013 05:40
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I work for a company that manufacturers railroad control components, my part of which is involved mostly in wayside mechanical stuff like switch machines, layouts, and signals. We tend to obsess about quality, and for those who work in the field I'm wondering what your experiences are with this kind of equipment. Do you see a lot of failures?
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Mar 9, 2013 13:34
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azflyboy posted:Since trains already carry event recorders, I'm kinda surprised the FRA hasn't just said "tough poo poo, you're required to carry voice recorders now", since they've been required on airplanes for decades without a single case of management using the recordings against pilots (outside of an accident), and they provide a far clearer picture of what happened in an accident than just an event recorder is able to. I think most of the voices would be muddled out by the noise. Trains have a metric gently caress off amount of noise, so any voice that is capture is going to be muffled at best. The old SD-40's have the horns on top of the cab, so that would just drown out about anything. Styles Bitchley posted:I work for a company that manufacturers railroad control components, my part of which is involved mostly in wayside mechanical stuff like switch machines, layouts, and signals. We tend to obsess about quality, and for those who work in the field I'm wondering what your experiences are with this kind of equipment. Do you see a lot of failures? They work great as long as they maintain them. But the railroad is very reactive instead of proactive. Heaven forbid we maintain a yard, maybe we would have all of our tracks in service instead of only 85% at any given time.
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Mar 9, 2013 17:32
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It's interesting Most of the trouble I see with the Class 1s descends directly from the management culture a culture that, in the case of the railroads, seems to still hold these robber-baron attitudes about labor and maintenance. I get the feeling that they would rather let employees die in the course of their duties, or would rather have like you said vast inefficiencies in their operations, than make drastic changes to the way they operate. I just wonder what makes them behave that way, and what sort of cultural shift it would take to drag them out of the 19th century, attitude-wise.
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Mar 9, 2013 19:13
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A few BNSF shots from the other day.   
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Mar 9, 2013 19:25
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bytebark posted:Yeah this is typical with railroad management and engineering staff. Obsessing over fire drills and locations of first aid kits in the corporate office to promote a "top to bottom safety culture." I worked at electromotive and I got thoroughly chewed out for skipping steps walking down the stairs to the parking lot.
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Mar 9, 2013 20:13
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ctishman posted:It's interesting – Most of the trouble I see with the Class 1s descends directly from the management culture – a culture that, in the case of the railroads, seems to still hold these robber-baron attitudes about labor and maintenance. I get the feeling that they would rather let employees die in the course of their duties, or would rather have like you said vast inefficiencies in their operations, than make drastic changes to the way they operate. I just wonder what makes them behave that way, and what sort of cultural shift it would take to drag them out of the 19th century, attitude-wise. Jesus.. you just nailed this on the head.
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Mar 10, 2013 02:12
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