|
So I saw this picture today, and it raised some questions: Are the railcar bodies and wheelsets (trucks?) just held together by gravity? No bolts to hold them together? And why are there so many wheel+axle sets just laying around? Are derailment forces that great that the axles just rip off the trucks?
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2014 23:32
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 10, 2024 00:59 |
|
|
99% of rail cars are just sitting on the wheels with gravity. I am sure there's the unusual ones but its just a pin though the hole and thats it. Wheels are held on to trucks by gravity as well. There's a few with a small metal rod holding the wheels in but it doesn't do a lot of good. Works well, because even empty a majority of cars weigh in around 30 tons empty. Trucks get ripped apart because of the sheer amount of force. 143 tons of rolling freight car at 50 mph produces a poo poo load of it. BrokenKnucklez fucked around with this message at 23:47 on Feb 21, 2014 |
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2014 23:44
|
|
|
drat, look at the rails. Was that before or after the derail? What was the cause?
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2014 01:23
|
|
|
Here's a one hour documentary/instructional video about British signalling I found rather interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAO3JbXYRnI This user has quite a few more railroading vids to check out.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2014 02:31
|
|
|
CharlesM posted:drat, look at the rails. Was that before or after the derail? What was the cause? My guess would be after. Interestingly, it looks like the right hand rail has spread despite it being a sharp right-hand curve, so it's probably not excess speed around the corner, as that would impart shearing forces to the left rail from the inside flanges of the wheels. Looks like something (axlebox failure, snapped axle, broken wheel or a track problem) caused a wheelset somewhere to derail on the right-hand side and slip outside the rail, pulling the right rail inwards and forcing the wheelsets behind off the track, hence there are wheelsets everywhere and the wagons have fallen to the right rather than to the left. Disclaimer - whilst I had a stint as a road accident investigator, this is a pure guess.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2014 16:31
|
|
|
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2014 22:52
|
|
|
Rotaries are awesome. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxCPWQ-K5KE
|
|
#
?
Feb 26, 2014 01:35
|
|
|
How do they handle signals while plowing? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak-RdQeGock In the beginning of this one there is no way he'd be able to see anything.
|
|
#
?
Feb 26, 2014 02:08
|
|
|
Generally through the use of a track and time or track warrant. Specified limits where the snow fall is greatest so theres no chance of running through a switch or into a train.
|
|
#
?
Feb 26, 2014 02:19
|
|
|
So, I bought Trainz 2012 since it was on sale from the Humble Weekly Sale and...it's okay, definitely more free content than TS2014, but holy jesus is it not well optimized. On my desktop it occasionally freezes for a few seconds and the framerate is really uneven, and this is a game with graphics that are not really that advanced enough to cause framerate issues. It runs better in DirectX mode but not by much, I had to turn down some of the details to make it work. I know N3V just recently did a Kickstarter for a new Trainz that succeeded (got over $190k and they're still taking pledges) and I really hope that is better optimized. They also mentioned making it backwards compatible which is nice. The download station definitely has a LOT of content, I found a bunch of Japanese trains in there along with some narrow gauge stuff so I'm pretty much satisfied. Also, there's a problem with the PCC streetcars they include where going too fast with the trolley pole up will make it break and the game will say "your train has derailed." And then you can keep driving with the trolley pole destroyed. 
Zeether fucked around with this message at 19:51 on Feb 28, 2014 |
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2014 19:48
|
|
|
Disgruntled Bovine posted:Rotaries are awesome. How are random people allowed that close to the railway? In the UK they'd have a poo poo fit
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2014 20:38
|
|
|
Hezzy posted:How are random people allowed that close to the railway? In the UK they'd have a poo poo fit Because its perfectly fine.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2014 23:39
|
|
|
Stolen from PYF Funny picturesgipskrampf posted:Up: 
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2014 00:33
|
|
|
So, uh, the ICE3 has a pretty odd horn and it's also really loud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cosIGUN6lDA&t=109s
|
|
#
?
Mar 3, 2014 18:37
|
|
|
So if I understand railway airbakes, which I probably don't, if you took a running locomotive that was fully charged and connected it to a consist that had no air, wouldn't connecting the two pipes cause the locomotive to go into emergency?
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2014 01:14
|
|
|
Yes, if the locomotive senses too rapid a reduction in brake pipe pressure it will go into emergency
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2014 05:22
|
|
|
This made me think of this thread. There's a flickr album within that post with a lot of signaling porn.
|
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2014 06:26
|
|
|
ijustam posted:So if I understand railway airbakes, which I probably don't, if you took a running locomotive that was fully charged and connected it to a consist that had no air, wouldn't connecting the two pipes cause the locomotive to go into emergency? It could, yes, but there is a very easy way to prevent that. The cars and locomotives all have valves that control air flow through the brake pipe between cars called an angle cock. When you couple a fully charged locomotive to a cut of dry cars, it won't just automatically dump all of the air at once. Even physically connecting the brake pipes won't do that. It's not until you open up the angle cocks that air begins to flow. Let's assume we're coupling a fully charged locomotive to a cut of cars. Both sides have their angle cocks in the fully closed position. You connect the glad hands (air hoses), and you want to go ahead and open up one angle cock now since you're on the right side. The one closest to you is the angle cock on the locomotive. You can open that valve almost all at once because the air only has maybe four or five feet of brake pipe to fill before it hits a stop - the angle cock on the car you coupled up to. This is such a small amount of air that your engineer probably won't even notice it. You clamber over to the other side of the rail, and you are ready to open up the angle cock on the car, which will fill up the entire cut of cars with air. The trick to doing this is to not be too quick on the draw, and to listen. If you open it just a little bit, piece by piece, you can control the flow rate of air into the empty cars at such a rate that the air compressor on the locomotive can keep up. If you were to take the angle cock and open it the full ninety degrees in the time it takes to sneeze, you're going to put the locomotive into emergency because it senses a pressure drop that's too rapid. Opening it slowly, the pressure drop is so slow that the locomotive brake valves just assume that it's a standard application, and don't do anything except to recharge the main reservoir and the brake pipe. As a disclaimer, my only experience with this sort of stuff is on setting up relatively short work trains and 1400' passenger trains. I don't know if the guys with mile long trains do it any differently.
|
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2014 01:41
|
|
|
Pigsfeet on Rye posted:So I saw this picture today, and it raised some questions: This appears to be a "stringline" derailment to me.
|
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2014 05:09
|
|
|
same UK train route in video, side by side, from now, 30 years ago, and 60 years ago http://gizmodo.com/what-the-same-train-ride-looked-like-in-1953-1983-and-1224610511
|
|
#
?
Mar 7, 2014 16:38
|
|
|
Train friends what's dis machine? http://www.mingor.net/images-large/kewdale-rail-building-2011.JPG
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 12:53
|
|
|
evil_bunnY posted:Train friends what's dis machine? It's one of these sexy beasts: Plasser & Theurer Duomatic 09-32 CSM track tamping machine. It does all these fancy things: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballast_tamper posted:Packing of ballast under sleepers
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 13:09
|
|
|
Those things appear to have more switches and dials than the space shuttle.
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 17:30
|
|
|
I see (hear/feel...) those go past late at night occasionally, all lit up like Christmas. I always wondered what it was!
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 18:33
|
|
|
Thanks for the info!
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 18:39
|
|
|
I was linked to this guys youtube channel. He has a ton of videos of trains and trucks and such. Anyway, his 'promo' video for the channel is nice and short and pretty cool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_xunXQhcK8 Seems like he has some good cinematography skills.
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 18:40
|
|
|
JingleBells posted:It's one of these sexy beasts: Plasser & Theurer Duomatic 09-32 CSM track tamping machine. Not to be confused with one of these in the UK:  A British Rail/Windhoff MPV. Which is a modified version of the Windhoff CargoSprinter (DB 691 in germany). Basically, a DMU for freight using a modular truck system. Generally speaking a commercial failure, but Network rail keep them around for various duties - most notably they're often pulled into service when its cold for deicing overhead lines. Back in 2005 they trialled using them in Wales to see if they would fill the niche for lumber trains, they were successful, but there doesn't appear to have been any movement on making it an actual thing.
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 18:44
|
|
|
Wanna ride Amtrak and then write about it? http://blog.amtrak.com/amtrakresidency/
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 19:58
|
|
|
Day 3: still sitting on siding. Seriously though that's a pretty cool opportunity.
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 20:09
|
|
|
B4Ctom1 posted:same UK train route in video, side by side, from now, 30 years ago, and 60 years ago Oh look, Star Guitar.
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2014 21:58
|
|
 Crappy cellphone picture but whatever. It looks better at night.
|
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2014 17:43
|
|
|
MassivelyBuckNegro posted:
Nothing says tomorrow better than your mid-60's "modernist" HQ that looks just as in place in Jacksonville as it does in Moscow with a hammer and sickle on it.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2014 05:09
|
|
Ron Pauls Friend posted:Nothing says tomorrow better than your mid-60's "modernist" HQ that looks just as in place in Jacksonville as it does in Moscow with a hammer and sickle on it. That's because Jacksonville loving sucks. The only nice thing about it is the weather(and the beaches and probably the women but idk) and it was warmer in Ohio than it was there last week. I'd be quite happy if I could spend my entire career without working in that building. vains fucked around with this message at 05:23 on Mar 12, 2014 |
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2014 05:21
|
|
|
The only good thing about JAX is that they have an NFL team, for however long that lasts (not long)
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2014 07:22
|
|
|
Ron Pauls Friend posted:Nothing says tomorrow better than your mid-60's "modernist" HQ that looks just as in place in Jacksonville as it does in Moscow with a hammer and sickle on it. I hate that the communists built those atrocities in beautiful old cities in Eastern Europe. But that's pretty far off topic...
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2014 11:41
|
|
|
Soviet Rail related fact*: One of the reasons Ukraine and Belarus use 25kV instead of the Soviet 3kV for their rail electrification is because of the large amount of copper wire theft going on during the post-soviet period. *My girlfriend's dad "worked" on the railroads during this time and this was one of the stories he told me. He exaggerates things alot but it sounds plausible. Ron Pauls Friend fucked around with this message at 23:24 on Mar 12, 2014 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2014 23:18
|
|
|
Makes sense, you can cram the same amount of power through a #12 wire at 25kV as you would need a #000 wire for at 3kV (using NEC ratings for conductor ampacities, so YMMV, but you get the point.) So you leave a lot less copper out there for someone to steal if you run 25kV, because your conductors are a hell of a lot smaller, and you also fry a lot more of the people who try and steal it! Two birds with one stone.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2014 23:31
|
|
|
kastein posted:Makes sense, you can cram the same amount of power through a #12 wire at 25kV as you would need a #000 wire for at 3kV (using NEC ratings for conductor ampacities, so YMMV, but you get the point.) That does seem like a very Russian way of going about things. Speaking of very Russian things, no, these are not steam locomotives. It's called "deferred maintenance" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH6TgfseK_4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_zC7QK64Ks Disgruntled Bovine fucked around with this message at 00:05 on Mar 13, 2014 |
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2014 00:02
|
|
|
It looks like he is running a wee bit rich  It's not just the Russian way of doing things - Power = Voltage * Current (ignoring power factor for sake of example here... pretend the load is 100% resistive) so to get the same amount of power somewhere, you can jack up the voltage or the current and not have to deal with the other as much. Jacking up the current means more copper, jacking up the voltage means more insulation and care in termination. Insulation's pretty cheap compared to copper, at least up to a certain point. You also lose less in your transmission lines if you jack up the voltage. For the last century this has meant Tesla won and everyone ran AC, but now that we have modern, efficient high voltage thyristors at our disposal, HVDC power transmission is making a serious comeback. Anyways. This is all somewhat of a derail and belongs more in the A/T industrial electricity thread, but it does have a certain amount of bearing on electric trains and such.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2014 00:08
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 10, 2024 00:59 |
|
|
I was actually referring to the bit about killing people who try to steal your wire, but yes there is also the transmission loss to consider.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2014 00:16
|
|