Railroad Thread

[Sir Gallivant]

Another attempt at incorporating aerodynamics into the world of railway traffic?

[Ancient Mariner]

To quote the caption of the following photograph; "One of these things is not like the others." See if you can spot the difference.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=339226

One has a plow-plough?
Per

[Verbal]

Completed 737 fuselages are shipped by rail from Wichita to Renton for airplane final assembly. And no, they do not arrive full of bullet holes.

[Giles]

whats the pedigree on this fuselage?
line number?

[Verbal]

whats the pedigree on this fuselage?
line number?

LN 31-something-something, likely 3137 through 3199. Would have been delivered some time last winter.

Did you just say, "Pedigree"?

[PurduePilot]

A question regarding that--what would you expect to see from the camera that took that video? Or is there just one pointing each direction on each locomotive?

The cameras are mounted on a large percentage of the locomotive fleet and often are left running even when the locomotive is not operating as the lead unit (as in the case of the tornado video).

The following link shows the view when the locomotive is in the lead. In this case you are riding a locomotive operating on a single track that is slowing to go into a siding at Kismet, California to pass an opposing train. The first signal you see is "yellow over yellow" meaning the train is to reduce speed but is cleared past the next signal. The scrubbing sounds heard at the beginning are caused by the wheel flanges sliding along the rail. The microphone is located down in the nose of the locomotive and the sounds are louder than would be heard by the crew. As the train nears the siding the opposing train comes in to view. You can hear the air brake exhaust as the engineer is slowing the train. The first indication of trouble is that the opposing train's bright headlights are still on - normal practice is to dim the lights unless there is a crossing in the area. At about 40 seconds you can see the next signal changes from "red over green" or medium clear to "red over red" or stop. This is because the opposing train failed to stop at its red signal and rolled past the insulated joint and is now approaching the "fouling point" where it could strike the other train. You can also see the crew jumping off their locomotive seconds before impact. I have not seen an accident report for this incident but assume the crew of the opposing train was inattentive and failed to follow their signals. Locomotives have event recorders as do many local signal installations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mus8xOs2rWk

That link no longer works. This one does. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTeDAst3KA0

[PurduePilot]

Completed 737 fuselages are shipped by rail from Wichita to Renton for airplane final assembly. And no, they do not arrive full of bullet holes.

I passed one of those trains somewhere on I-90 in eastern Washington (or was it Montana?) on my way back to the land of corn last month--long train with four green 737 fuselages right in the middle of it. Didn't have time to snap a picture since we were going opposite directions and closing pretty fast.

Completed 737 fuselages are shipped by rail from Wichita to Renton for airplane final assembly. And no, they do not arrive full of bullet holes.

Of course they're not bullet holes--they're pre-drilled for riveting.

[Peter_K]

To quote the caption of the following photograph; "One of these things is not like the others." See if you can spot the difference.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=339226

The trolleys look different. The one on the left has some hydraulic shock absorber things attached to the first and rear axles.

[Not_Karl]

I can't believe no one noticed the different liveries.

[J]

Yes, different paint schemes and different snubbers on the 2 GE locomotives (both the same model). Here's an intersting blog from a BNSF engineer who regularly handles Boeing shipments back in Montana and Wyoming. There are three pages to this particular entry.
http://krugtales.50megs.com/rrpictale/p ... 10713a.htm

[ZilogMan]

The 1928 film The Wrecker features a spectacular crash between a passenger train
and a Foden steam lorry stuck on a level crossing. The scene was filmed at Herriard
on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway, in one take, and destroyed both the
steam wagon and the SECR F1 Class locomotive. (30 seconds clip)

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3a8_1286706641

[J]

Congratulations to the Swiss on "breaking through" what will be, when fully completed in 7 years, the world's longest tunnel at 57 KM. On a key route between Zurich and Milan it is designed to move vehicles and trucks off of the highways.

Here is a video showing the cutter emerging through the last of the rock.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj8-0w7s ... embedded#!

Here is an animation showing how the machine operates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFHrI3HFMDg

[Not_Karl]

A crash between two trains and a bus in Buenos Aires leaves 11 dead.

Videos:

From a surveillance camera outside the station.
From three surveillance cameras at the train station.
From one of the trains.

[flyboy2548m]

A crash between two trains and a bus in Buenos Aires leaves 11 dead.

Videos:

From a surveillance camera outside the station.
From three surveillance cameras at the train station.
From one of the trains.

Holy left winglet! I take it, most of the dead were from the bus?

[Not_Karl]

I take it, most of the dead were from the bus?

All of them. Roughly two thirds of it disappeared:

[J]

Looking at the various images it is clear the crossing where the bus pulled in front of the commuter train at least had warning lights - it probably also had gates as did the adjacent crossing at the other end of the station platform. Adding to the hazard, it appears these trains were operated by electrified thrid rails.

Many serious accidents like this happen at crossings equipped with a whole host of warning devices including one out in Nevada a few months ago where an empty gravel truck drove into the side of an Amtrak train resulting in several fatalities including the Conductor. The gates were functioning properly and the view of the approaching train from the vantage point of the truck driver was clear for more than enought distance to have been able to stop.

Amtrak sues trucking company over fatal Northern Nevada crash (story and photographs)
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/ju ... orthern-n/

For amusement here is another report of the story, apparently for commercial drivers, helpfully showing a Soviet locomotive.
http://www.alertdriving.com/home/fleet- ... vada-crash

[flyboy2548m]

For amusement here is another report of the story, apparently for commercial drivers, helpfully showing a Soviet locomotive.
http://www.alertdriving.com/home/fleet- ... vada-crash

Looky, a TEP70! That brings back memories.

[Not_Karl]

Looking at the various images it is clear the crossing where the bus pulled in front of the commuter train at least had warning lights - it probably also had gates as did the adjacent crossing at the other end of the station platform.

The warning lights were permantently on, and the barrier locked at 45 degrees with a stick. An employee from the train operator was controlling the crossing until a couple of minutes before the crash.

it appears these trains were operated by electrified thrid rails.

Indeed.

[J]

The warning lights were permantently on, and the barrier locked at 45 degrees with a stick. An employee from the train operator was controlling the crossing until a couple of minutes before the crash.

That's great. So the bus operator is conditioned to ignore the warning device because it is always on and gate is helpfully propped up out of the way.

As noted by flyboy, the locomotive shown in the newpaper does look like a TEP 70. I looked on Kilroy's railroad website and there are a couple of photos of these.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=159470

While there were videos of these units, here's one of another Soviet locomotive demonstrating the value of having properly adjusted fuel injectors. It also looks like the second unit is running hot.
http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=8734

[J]

Corrections:

While there were NO videos of these units, here's one of another Soviet locomotive demonstrating the value of having properly adjusted fuel injectors. It also looks like the THIRD unit is running hot.

[OldSowBreath]

I bet Al Gore chokes his chicken to that video!

[flyboy2548m]

As noted by flyboy, the locomotive shown in the newpaper does look like a TEP 70. I looked on Kilroy's railroad website and there are a couple of photos of these.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=159470

While there were videos of these units, here's one of another Soviet locomotive demonstrating the value of having properly adjusted fuel injectors. It also looks like the second unit is running hot.
http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=8734

Never got to ride on anything pulled by a TEP70 or any kind of a 3TE unit. Mostly it was VL-80P electrics, built in my hometown.

[Peter_K]

Is TEP70 a different symbol for M62? They look kind of similar
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... 4-1223.JPG

Here is video from inside the cabin. Couple of kids have difficulty getting it to move despite having extensive experience in MS Train Simulator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kilqxkvPhnc

[Peter_K]

It also looks like the second unit is running hot.

In this one it also seems that the second unite is running slightly hot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE2XsZka ... re=related

[Peter_K]

I bet Al Gore chokes his chicken to that video!

This one at least have a sound track to get you into the mood!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BStjNHvys2M&NR=1
I like the video description. It say This is what we have to work with.