Well Mr. Van Dorp, when you make quotes like this:
It means to me you have not been out very much. Not all lines have access roads. Unless you call a farmers field access?
As I said in my previous post, there are all sorts of high rail vehicles from pick ups to heavy machinery, which also use highways, at speed. They are not dangerous to operate on either mode, unless you are not properly trained.
Exactly how is that trolling? I am just saying Jaap, you are wrong.
[:)]
You’re pretty clueless aren’t you Mr. Van Dorp?
And I am only saying that on police cars and fire engines they are useless like you.
Why would you say that?
Eh? Someone mention me . . . ?
Interesting forum. I heard about this from the time Salaam Allah was posting on here.
Who are you scrapping with now?
see the Chief troll and the little trolls.
You still have not answered my query.
Got proof to back those claims up?
I’ll leave out the jab.
While the Pierce heavy rescue is indeed sort of a concept vehicle, Big Moose’s hi-rail fire truck is very real. They cover territory that is simply not accessible any other way. There are others with similar equipment.
Just like the residents along the Adirondack RR who have personal hi-rail vehicles they use to access their property, the fire department drivers must have annual rules training in order to operate on the tracks.
Emergency services organizations along the Alaska RR have similar equipment.
http://franktartagliainc.com/equipment/
If Hi-rail trucks are so unsafe to operate, then why do places like that exist? In a country that’s as litigious as ours…things that are so (supposedly, according to you) dangerous would not be allowed to be used/made.
Again, a matter of complete opinion Jaap. I doubt you can hang hirail gear on a police interceptor or Charger, but it could be mounted on explorers, tahoes, and durangoes (the RR police vehicle of choice around here). I’m sure it would involve extra training for the individuals using it - but is not a complete impossibility.
There already is at least one fire dep’t employing hirail gear (up in Whittaker, AK I’ve been told). With several state-owned rail lines being used for recreation purposes in the off-season, I can see a reason for a truck with hirail gear. Be safer than taking a truck that size down some rutted overgrown access road, risking getting stuck or tipping over.
Just because they don’t do it in your tiny piece of the railroad world, doesn’t mean it couldn’t work elsewhere. This truck could also be marketed to other countries. IT is an interesting concept that may not play out… but don’t dismiss it as “useless”.
Not just matter of opinion, first off a fire rig without water or its limited amount of water is off no use.
A fire truck is not driven like any other hi-rail vehicle, speeds are higher, and for that allone its not worth extra weight, you can only hang so many tons on a rig so any useless stuff cuts down on usefull stuff.
I don’t know of railroads out west but here we have tank cars with pumps for fire fighting.
in non winter months the cars are sitting at risk spots filled with water and tested once a week. ready to be pushed or pulled to a fire location.
Before one car is empty more can be brought in from other locations, they can be filled from streams/rivers/hydrants etc and returned to fire.
Which makes a team of smoke jumpers, which carries only the water in their canteens, pretty useless, too.
Alas, most forest firefighting is not done using vast amounts of water. Hand tools, chain saws, and small pumps using available water supplies are the weapons of choice.
Add to that the overwhelming possibility of a lost or injured person in the woods and a vehicle which can mainly carry people and equipment is perfectly useful.
Things which are not necessary don’t last long. Obviously hi-rail fire/rescue vehicles serve a purpose, since they exist, have existed, and will continue to exist.
HEY,HEY,HEY!!!
It’s one thing when people flame on me,it’s another when they come on MY tread and flame at each other.I started this thread so everyone can see emergency vehicles fitted with railroad wheels.
SO,KNOCK THE FLAMING OFF!!!
Wow, then half the fire trucks in my town must be useless, since they carry no water (or very little). We don’t even have a tanker aka. tender in this town. How do we get by?
So you are going to drive a tandem tanker truck (or ay other truck with a large water tank) 80mph down a highway? Right. There is nothing magical about a fire truck. It has a purpose. (Ianf that purpose isn’t always about carrying water and dalmations.)
And last I checked, I didn’t see any water tank cars hanging around in my yards. That’d be real convenient. Get a 2 hour call to move a water tank car, but after you perform your class-1 on them, get power, get authority, hold for amtrak…
In the meantime half the state burns down, but oh well.
And yes, JVD, it is a matter of your opinion. Just like the above is my opinion.
Oh for Heaven’s sake!
Was this super-duper large font really necessary?
I would say not.
Please reduce it…because large font adds absolutely nothing to your post.
Speeds are higher? I watch as signal trucks keep pace with me in I-90, 70 mph. I watch welding trucks maintain 65 on the Interstates, safely (to refresh your memory, they weigh 33,000 pounds). That is the average weight of some rural tanker trucks (they can go as high as 66,000 pounds on a Freightliner chassis, some in this class have 6x6 drive). Today’s apparatus have bigger capabilities for a reason, because departments demand it (the same above Freightliner chassis has a 400 hp. plant available).
So again, I don’t buy your argument Jaap.
No need to shout old sock. There is a vast difference between flaming, and state obvious flaws in an argument. I promise not to “tread” upon your thread. Besides we might need a high rail equipped truck to put out those flames.
No we don’t because there’s no use for one…
OK I’m done…just had to get that in. I’ll be 10-6 on the side.
I have lived by the BN/BNSF tracks my whole life and have seen there crews with pickups, SUV’s and larger trucks and they hop on and off right at teh street crossings doesnt seem to take them more than a minute or so…