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Looks like one of my photos is going to be in the 2014 BNSF calendar, although I didn't think it was the best one I submitted. Oh well, I'll take my cash and be on my way! Foamer status +1000
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Aug 26, 2013 21:04
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| # ? May 11, 2024 16:45 |
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spipedong posted:Looks like one of my photos is going to be in the 2014 BNSF calendar, although I didn't think it was the best one I submitted. Oh well, I'll take my cash and be on my way! So uh, which pic?
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Aug 26, 2013 22:14
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found this and thought I would share:
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Aug 26, 2013 22:15
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Ok so on Saturday my wife and I drive to old town in Ft. Collins Colorado for a little lunch. I didn't realize their is some huge televised bike race and event going on. After eating I see a BNSF locomotive with a set of stairs set up as if they are going to let the foaming public get in line and board it. There is no way I can let my wife onto one of my locomotives without getting myself in trouble so we get in line. Here is my most awesome love of my life sitting in my office chair (yes yes I work for the enemy, not BNSF).  When we climbed off, I noticed something peculiar. Too many brake cylinders.  Not a brake cylinder? wtf?  It turns out this is a GE ES44C4  It actually uses these cylinders to lift the middle traction motors to shift/force more weight onto the other traction motors so that they can "dig" harder into the rail for increased braking or power application between the engine and the rail. A quick google tells me more than a few people are not quite happy with it's performance? Feel free to chime in.
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Aug 26, 2013 22:33
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Paul Boz_ posted:So uh, which pic? Mine is the one with the loaded coal passing the empty inside a canyon on an S curve. Since that pretty much gives away my name/occupation let's keep that info on the DL  I also have a photo of an engineer flipping me the bird... Thanks for that one, smart guy. I wonder what he thought when he went around the corner and saw my company truck there. Who else would be in a private canyon taking photos in the middle of nowhere with full PPE on anyway? This is the winning photo of the three I sent in (obviously the original is much sharper and doesn't have all the jagged artifacts): 
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Aug 26, 2013 22:34
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spipedong posted:Mine is the one with the loaded coal passing the empty inside a canyon on an S curve. Since that pretty much gives away my name/occupation let's keep that info on the DL Do you have a tumblr or instagram account? You've got a great eye. PM me if you do (if you want to keep your account discrete).
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Aug 26, 2013 23:08
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spipedong posted:Mine is the one with the loaded coal passing the empty inside a canyon on an S curve. Since that pretty much gives away my name/occupation let's keep that info on the DL drat, small world. Seems like there are quite a few BNSF goons 
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Aug 27, 2013 03:04
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Das Volk posted:You mean how the whole country has the post-apocalyptic, bleak, lonely, decayed feel of Half-Life 2? Which, by the way, was basically a video game set in post-Soviet Russia. Actually, the art director was Bulgarian so much of it is modeled after buildings and locations like Sofia. I think one of the Episode 1 or 2 settings was modeled on a Russian building though.
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Aug 27, 2013 06:19
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Buffets New Santa Fe. I keep hearing the BN is sluffing off some of the manifest traffic onto the UP. Any truth to that?
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Aug 27, 2013 12:45
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Buffets New Santa Fe. We hear that Buffet will do anything to steal carloadings from the UP. Possibly both parties taking a loss in the struggle to fight over new business.
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Aug 27, 2013 17:54
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B4Ctom1 posted:It turns out this is a GE ES44C4
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Aug 28, 2013 00:43
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Is the only reason it has 6 axles and only 4 traction motors simply so it can balance the weight shifting on the idler, or are there some 3-axle trucks with less than 3 motors?
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Aug 28, 2013 02:58
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ijustam posted:Is the only reason it has 6 axles and only 4 traction motors simply so it can balance the weight shifting on the idler, or are there some 3-axle trucks with less than 3 motors? The main reason is it offers AC traction motors for less cost. AC locomotives are very expensive, about 50% more than an equivalent DC model I belive. However, AC traction motors are extremely advantageous for low speed high tractive effort situations (like taking a coal train up a mountain) because DC traction motors will burn out if run at high loads at low speeds for extended periods of time, while AC traction motors will not. An AC locomotive is perfectly happy to run at 100% power all day at 5 mph. One of the engineers here could give exact numbers, but I believe if you tried that with a DC locomotive you'd fry the traction motors within several minutes. I believe there may be some efficiency advantages as well, but one of the railroad employees here could probably speak to that better than I could. Edit: Here's a very in-depth discussion of the issue if you're interested: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1381672 And here's a quote from that link that basically answers the AC vs DC question: quote:The basic difference between AC and DC locomotives is that the commutation on the traction motors. As redneckrailfan and others pointed out all of the newer locomotives have alternators and produce an alternating current and then convert it to DC. The AC produced is not really the same as household AC as the frequency is dependent on the speed of the diesel engine. Disgruntled Bovine fucked around with this message at 03:35 on Aug 28, 2013 |
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Aug 28, 2013 03:24
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ijustam posted:Is the only reason it has 6 axles and only 4 traction motors simply so it can balance the weight shifting on the idler, or are there some 3-axle trucks with less than 3 motors? It used to be a common thing. E-series EMDs from the 1930s to the 1950s used an "A1A" arrangement (a powered wheel at each end, and an idler in the middle,) likewise with the Alco PA1 and numerous branch line units from almost every builder, as it spreads out the weight on light track and bridges when compared to a four-axle unit with all axles powered. edit: obviously that's not why GE is doing it now, I kind of misunderstood your question, but yeah, three-axle trucks without three traction motors certainly exist elsewhere too.
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Aug 28, 2013 03:25
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 This guy was my conductor yesterday. No matter how much you don't like someone as a person, when you are in a locomotive cab for 12 hours together you just be professional and get through it. Try to find some common ground and build from there. The guy I worked with yesterday was so dumb, he had no ground. I actually feared for his life and my job. This is a guy who has worked for the railroad as a conductor nearly 5 years. I swear, it is not an act. He is not just trolling. Just listening to the radio conversations between the dispatcher and other trains, and hearing his responses about what he thought was going on ahead told me there was something wrong with him. This is also based on some of the things he has said in previous trips, and observations of his frustrated conversations with a few of his coworkers. Some of it made my loving head hurt. I feel sorry for him but it convinced me that he is likely un-diagnosed as mentally handicapped. Early in the trip he actually asked, "Do you think they will install cameras on the trailing units too?" I didn't even know how to respond. Then when we got the train to the work event, we are looking over the car numbers on the switch list and looking over at the cut of cars in the yard track and I told him I saw a stranger. He asked, "what is that? I never heard of that before." A stranger, a loving stranger you loving moron. The next day on the return trip we are sitting in the yard office waiting for our train watching the news ticker they have set up. "MAJOR HASSAN GETS DEATH PENALTY" comes across. I said, "good". He asks, "Who is that?" I responded and tried to simplify, "You know the Ft. Hood shooting? A US Army Major that went jihad on his own soldiers in Texas?" He responds, "Wow, I don't remember that." I look at him quizzically. He adds backpedaling, "Then again I don't remember what I had for breakfast." Me, dumb founded considering it is 9am. He fills the uncomfortable silence, "I also don't watch a lot of TV." Normally I respect this, because this usually means the person reads a lot, or maybe spends plenty of time on the internet. But I begin to wonder if the reason he watches no TV is because he gets confused and finds it hard to follow along. Then I remember he has a wife and kids. I begin to wonder what type of home life he has. What kinds of obstacles he likely creates for himself and then has to overcome. Such as in relationships, child rearing, finances. Our train comes in. It is the "special". We fly over the road, and right into town upon arrival at the home terminal. He comments, "I wonder if they treated us so well because we were on the special?" I have been on so many "specials" before that I know that they really could care less which symbol it has and will often treat it worse than other trains. I respond, "special? more like special-ed". He has an angry look. I ask him what is wrong. He tells me that the guys at another terminal he is often "forced to" due to seniority when traffic flow is down call him "Special Ed" as a nick name. I explain what I meant, and he tells me that he hasn't ridden enough "specials" to have experienced that kind of dispatcher mistreatment yet. As we slowly cruise into the terminal I have often wondered what it would be like to be a more simple person. In my youth I was a much simpler person. Without making "Matrix" references, I have wondered what it would be like to be again be disconnected from the frustrated "goings-on" of the world. To just sit in front of a TV and hate the things I am told to hate, like the things I am told to like, buy the things I am told to buy, and to have the opinions I am told to have. I wonder if "Special-Ed" has it even better maybe. He has no hates, no likes, and no opinions. His frustrations are not based on impending economic doom, danger from far reaching wars, or misguided political behavior. More likely his frustrations are limited to putting his shoes on correctly, putting enough food in his lunchbox, making sure his shirt is not on, "inside-out", or mistreatment from others.
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Aug 30, 2013 17:20
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I find it very hard to muster up sympathy for craft employees bitching about other craft employees that should have never been hired in the first place and/or definitely fired at a later date. No offense.
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Aug 30, 2013 17:31
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Disgruntled Bovine posted:The main reason is it offers AC traction motors for less cost. AC locomotives are very expensive, about 50% more than an equivalent DC model I belive. However, AC traction motors are extremely advantageous for low speed high tractive effort situations (like taking a coal train up a mountain) because DC traction motors will burn out if run at high loads at low speeds for extended periods of time, while AC traction motors will not. An AC locomotive is perfectly happy to run at 100% power all day at 5 mph. One of the engineers here could give exact numbers, but I believe if you tried that with a DC locomotive you'd fry the traction motors within several minutes. As an electrician, this is pretty correct, (variable frequency motors are glorious if you need to change speed, since you don't have to short out poles unlike older motors), and that explanation did not even start to mention torque/speed curves. God I hate understanding AC/DC theory and motor applications, this is actually my bread and butter now
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Aug 30, 2013 18:03
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B4Ctom1 posted:"Special-Ed" Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid Happier than you and me Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid And it determined what he could see ... And he wore a hat And he had a job And he brought home the bacon So that no one knew http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJT_MKA3i04
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Aug 30, 2013 18:14
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I don't know enough rail jargon to do this but I feel like this post could be turned into an RR parody passage from the book 1984.
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Aug 30, 2013 22:17
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B4Ctom1 posted:As we slowly cruise into the terminal I have often wondered what it would be like to be a more simple person. In my youth I was a much simpler person. Without making "Matrix" references, I have wondered what it would be like to be again be disconnected from the frustrated "goings-on" of the world. To just sit in front of a TV and hate the things I am told to hate, like the things I am told to like, buy the things I am told to buy, and to have the opinions I am told to have. I immediately thought of this news item from 2007: Reuters: "Tiny brain no obstacle to French civil servant." Like your conductor, he was married with children and held down a job.
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Aug 31, 2013 04:02
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Brother Jonathan posted:I immediately thought of this news item from 2007: Reuters: "Tiny brain no obstacle to French civil servant." Like your conductor, he was married with children and held down a job. Have you ever met a French civil servant? I am totally not surprised this guy could maintain his job. He could have been promoted to a manager consulting on productivity and innovation too.
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Aug 31, 2013 08:26
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Brother Jonathan posted:I just recently noticed that Steam added the Class A4 Pacifics add-on for Train Simulator 2013. Of course, it includes the famous Mallard, the fastest steam locomotive ever built. I finally got a chance to do a simulation of a Mallard speed-run. Now if I can just figure out how to operate the fireman position too as the AI fireman often opens the live injector on uphill grades, using precious boiler pressure when the cylinders need it most. Speaking of this,supposedly, the DR/DB 005 Class, of which member 05002 set the 1936 record at 200.4 km/h, only 2.2km/h slower than the Mallard's 1938 record were better at attaining consistently high speeds. Apparently, the Mallard hit its top speed on a downgrade with a special train while 05002 did so with a regular service 10 car train on level track. 
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Aug 31, 2013 18:54
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As far as fast locomotives go I'm most impressed by the N&W's J class. Why? Not because it's terribly fast for a 4-8-4, there were a few faster, but because it's incredibly fast for ANY locomotive with drivers only 70" in diameter. Thanks to those small drivers it had the highest tractive effort of any 4-8-4 at 80,000 lbs, and it set its sustained top speed record of 110 mph pulling a 15 car train that weighed 1050 tons. I'm fairly certain that's the fastest sustained speed any steam locomotive ever attained with a train weighing over 1000 tons. Why were they so good? They were some of the most modern steam locomotives ever built. They had automatic lubricating systems at over 200 points, roller bearings on the axles and rods, high boiler pressure (300 psi) and were a wonderful balance between speed, power, and efficiency. Speaking of balance, I've heard it claimed by former N&W employees that the J was so well balanced that despite weighing 436 tons two men could push it on level track. Whether that is true or not no one may ever know, but what is definitely true is that a professional tug of war team pulled N&W J #611 in 2007, a 57 year old locomotive that hadn't run in 13 years. To top it all off, she was a beautiful brute:  I only hope that some day Norfolk Southern will find it in their hearts (and their wallets) to restore her to operating condition again. Maybe if UP's restoration of the Big Boy goes over well enough they'll consider it. Disgruntled Bovine fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Aug 31, 2013 |
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Aug 31, 2013 20:17
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Sep 1, 2013 04:33
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Disgruntled Bovine posted:On the subject of steam turbines, here's a photo of the only one that was ever really successful: In 1947, 7 years before the Jawn Henry was built, Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad ordered the M-1 class, dubbed the "Sacred Cow". C&O had Baldwin build three turbo-electrics with fire tube boilers and an odd wheel arrangement with unpowered leading and centre trucks and the trailing axle on the other trucks unpowered, except the trailing truck. They were 106 feet long and developed 6000 horsepower- when they were operational. I believe they also had dynamic brakes. The M1 class was intended for a high speed DC-Cincinnati run (the only C&O route it could have run on due to its length), but none of the three ever managed to run the whole distance without a breakdown, mainly because of coal dust fouling the traction motors. I wonder if they were oil fired if that would have made any difference. Their problems could have been solved, just like the Jawn Henry's, but it would have been a time consuming and expensive operation Despite their many flaws, they sure were lookers, especially in C&O colours:  E: I've seen conflicting stats on the Jawn Henry's size. According to Loco Locomotives, it was shorter and lighter than the M1 class, but according to Wikipedia, it was the longest in the world. The GE turbines were real engineering marvels- first and only condensing locomotives in the US (this made the oil-fired turbines more efficient), first MU-able locomotives, and first locomotives set up for HEP rather than steam heat. They were returned to GE by UP after 6 months because they were a maintenance nightmare. Sunshine89 fucked around with this message at 17:09 on Sep 2, 2013 |
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Sep 1, 2013 05:22
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I saw a gigantic orange electric thing this weekend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQFRHfSydlg
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Sep 3, 2013 04:13
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bytebark posted:I saw a gigantic orange electric thing this weekend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQFRHfSydlg
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Sep 3, 2013 05:13
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Yeah I know Jamie. He was running that thing more or less all weekend. I was going to go over and ask him for a cab ride in it today, but just before I did I noticed that there were others already in the cab waiting for a ride, most notably this fellow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhYXNwvcl6A. This caused me to reconsider.
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Sep 3, 2013 05:27
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 So that's what a foamer is. I thought "guys who like to watch trains - I like to watch planes take-off and land, what of it?"I get it now.
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Sep 3, 2013 09:32
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Honestly I think that guy is just trolling, but yes, a foamer is a railfan who likes trains a bit *too* much. I've met a few who, while not quite as bad as that guy, had me wondering if there was a sexual component to their infatuation. I love me some trains, but not like that.
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Sep 3, 2013 17:19
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Disgruntled Bovine posted:Honestly I think that guy is just trolling... If he's trolling he's the best actor I've ever seen and never slips out of character (i.e., I think he's serious). In fact, he appeared to have his own posse of like-minded individuals!
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Sep 3, 2013 18:08
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Realtalk, people with autism love trains, so I wouldn't think it's unreasonable to assume that a foamer is autistic. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/nyregion/children-with-autism-connecting-via-bus-and-train.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
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Sep 3, 2013 18:19
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FISHMANPET posted:Realtalk, people with autism love trains, so I wouldn't think it's unreasonable to assume that a foamer is autistic. Interesting article. Apparently an obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine is common: quote:Of course, not every child taken with Thomas the Tank Engine has autism. What distinguishes the condition is intensity. Dr. Shirley Cohen, a retired Hunter College professor who helped start a program in New York City schools for children with autism, described how one child would not do any work in the classroom unless he could spend time at a Thomas the Tank Engine table. Another boy whose bedroom was decorated with Thomas décor never wanted to leave the room. Speaking of which, here is a compilation of crashes from Thomas the Tank Engine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MUzA3RmeIM
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Sep 3, 2013 18:34
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Brother Jonathan posted:Interesting article. Apparently an obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine is common: Has a train ever made it all the way across a bridge, in that show?
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Sep 3, 2013 18:38
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FISHMANPET posted:Realtalk, people with autism love trains, so I wouldn't think it's unreasonable to assume that a foamer is autistic. You can't mention trains and Aspies without the Onion's version. http://www.theonion.com/video/autistic-reporter-train-thankfully-unharmed-in-cra,20098/
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Sep 3, 2013 23:23
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Brother Jonathan posted:Speaking of which, here is a compilation of crashes from Thomas the Tank Engine: The next time someone asks me why I like trains I'm just going to show them that video. Then they'll think I'm a psychopath rather than a sperglord.
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Sep 3, 2013 23:36
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I'm still creeped out about Chatsworth crash from a few years ago. It was the line I took for a few months while I lived in Northridge and I probably met the kids that the engineer talked to. Unless there was more than one group of teenagers in Chatsworth that set up video cameras to record trains.
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Sep 3, 2013 23:47
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW9RrPUu6j0  i can only imagine what would happen if you were between two cars when the slack pulls out
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Sep 4, 2013 01:47
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ijustam posted:i can only imagine what would happen if you were between two cars when the slack pulls out I'm just surprised the crew doesn't call for help or crowd control at that point. Basically anything you do is highly dangerous because of all the crazies. I lived in San Diego for a few years, basically the water/convention center area get completely cut off when the train goes through, generally it's only the trolly (I think there are 2 sets of tracks if not more through there). At night it's a homeless popup cardboard tent city...
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Sep 4, 2013 02:35
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| # ? May 11, 2024 16:45 |
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Those people crawling through the train remind me of a Great Northern Railroad safety video from the 1940s: Why Risk Your Life? It is horrifying how dangerous the railyards were back then! But the 19th century railyards were even worse, with such contraptions as the link-and-pin coupler: 
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Sep 4, 2013 04:03
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