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British rail freight operator buys new EMDs, second-hand electrics
Cool! Some more knowledge on rail freight in Europe!
Anyone notice that the crossover switch to the left of the loco (top picture) is lined FOR the crossover? Operating Rules in the US call for both ends of a crossover to be lined before operation is initiated. In this case, the near end (out of the picture) cannot be lined for the crossover, as the locomotive is past the clearance point; i.e., at the lined switch of the crossover. Make sense?
Go EMD!
@EMORY KELLER - Heh, I see what you mean. I kept looking to see if maybe it wasn’t really a crossover, but a fork in that line, but it looks as if the “fork” really does go too close to the neighboring line for that to be likely.
One thing to bear in mind is that Britain’s railway network is a hell of a lot more automated than most of the US (NEC etc excepting.) It could be there’s no perceived need for such an operating rule as a problem with that is considered “unpossible.”
What you are seeing is a double track junction. Trains in UK generally follow left hand running so the switch in question is a trailing switch for traffic in the opposite direction.
This line has crossed the line the train is on and is parallel with the nearest line to the left of the train. There are two other lines in the background which may be sidings.
Another great result for EMD to think that thirty years ago there wern’t any North American built freight locomotives in the UK now they’re all over not only this country but making inroads into Europe as well. Contrast that with the Class 92 locomotive, most of which have spent their time in storage
In the second picture I do not see a third rail or over head wires. Where is the locomotive receiving its power from?