The trucks have been held together by gravity since day one, give or take. So, why is it a problem now? Derailments tend to take place in locations with a paucity of bystanders. IMO, the number of injuries/fatalities from loose wheelsets is quite low.
And when a derailment inevitably will occur in an urban or suburban location? The maintenance on flat wheels is pretty remiss. What then, empty slogans like “thoughts and prayers?”
Do the trucks go much farther than the rest of the car? Is this really a problem? Anyone have any real documentation?
Boy is ChumpCharlie in for a shock when he finds out how Hayes/Buda/Nolan track bumping posts are designed (not wheel stops - different principle)…[;)]
The Class 1’s have been using Wheel Impact Detectors for the past decade. These detectors measure the impact of ‘flat’ wheels upon the track structure. The measurements created a record for the car in one of 5 catagories.
- No Defect
- Measurable impact - flag is set on cars record for continuing follow up
- Increased level of impact - additional flag is set on car’s record - if car is shopped for other reasons - change indicated wheel set(s)
- Higher level of impact - train containing car is to immediately reduce speed to 30 MPH, car can continue in train at 30 MPH to destination and then be shopped to replace wheel set(s).
- Very High Impact - STOP train immediately, Have crew inspect car, IF safe to continue - do so at 10 MPH and set car off in first available location. IF not safe, Car Dept. will be dispatched to change wheel set(s) immediately
Thoughts and Prayers are for Charlie Hebdo’s remiss operation.
In the same vein, CN is starting to use temperature detectors at the bottom of long descending grades to find cars with bad order air brakes. I can’t remember if this is a modification of existing Hot Box Detectors, or a standalone installation.
Have the American railroads been doing this too?
Different versions, but yes. (some of the older technology has been moved out on the flatlands near major yards where not quite released handbrakes are an issue)
duplicate
[quote user=“BaltACD”]
charlie hebdo
rrnut282
The trucks have been held together by gravity since day one, give or take. So, why is it a problem now? Derailments tend to take place in locations with a paucity of bystanders. IMO, the number of injuries/fatalities from loose wheelsets is quite low.
And when a derailment inevitably will occur in an urban or suburban location? The maintenance on flat wheels is pretty remiss. What then, empty slogans like “thoughts and prayers?”
The Class 1’s have been using Wheel Impact Detectors for the past decade. These detectors measure the impact of ‘flat’ wheels upon the track structure. The measurements created a record for the car in one of 5 catagories.
- No Defect
- Measurable impact - flag is set on cars record for continuing follow up
- Increased level of impact - additional flag is set on car’s record - if car is shopped for other reasons - change indicated wheel set(s)
- Higher level of impact - train containing car is to immediately reduce speed to 30 MPH, car can continue in train at 30 MPH to destination and then be shopped to replace wheel set(s).
- Very High Impact - STOP train immediately, Have crew inspect car, IF safe to continue - do so at 10 MPH and set car off in first available location. IF not safe, Car Dept. will be dispatched to change wheel set(s) immediately
Thoughts and Prayers are for Charlie Hebdo’s remiss operation.
I have been told the rule-of-thumb is if you can hear a flat spot from more than 7 cars away it is bad. But our hearing is not a precise gauge, and varies from person to person.
I agree that flat spots are a problem and are probably not fixed as often as they were in years past, but trains are not falling off the rails left and right either and I believe derailment rates have actually been decreasing.
[quote user=“charlie hebdo”]
BaltACD
charlie hebdo
rrnut282
The trucks have been held together by gravity since day one, give or take. So, why is it a problem now? Derailments tend to take place in locations with a paucity of bystanders. IMO, the number of injuries/fatalities from loose wheelsets is quite low.
And when a derailment inevitably will occur in an urban or suburban location? The maintenance on flat wheels is pretty remiss. What then, empty slogans like “thoughts and prayers?”
The Class 1’s have been using Wheel Impact Detectors for the past decade. These detectors measure the impact of ‘flat’ wheels upon the track structure. The measurements created a record for the car in one of 5 catagories.
- No Defect
- Measurable impact - flag is set on cars record for continuing follow up
- Increased level of impact - additional flag is set on car’s record - if car is shopped for other reasons - change indicated wheel set(s)
- Higher level of impact - train containing car is to immediately reduce speed to 30 MPH, car can continue in train at 30 MPH to destination and then be shopped to replace wheel set(s).
- Very High Impact - STOP train immediately, Have crew inspect car, IF safe to continue - do so at 10 MPH and set car off in first available location. IF not safe, Car Dept. will be dispatched to change wheel set(s) immediately
Thoughts and Prayers are for
I’d be willing to bet that there are more people hit by lightning than there are people hit by trucks from a railroad car or locomotive. Any takers? This seems to be a thread focused on just about nothing.
As Mac said four days ago, please cite a case-time, -railroad, location, damage to one or more humans.
For that matter, what are the stats on innocent bystanders being killed by derailments, not just from free-flying wheelsets or trucks?
Of course there are big disasters like Lac Megantic, but apart from that how often does this actually happen?
What happens when steel (not coils) on a truck shifts - and needs to be adjusted.
You also a Rotator Ron fan? I love his videos.
Have become so - reminds me of my days in the field rerailing yard derailments with wood blocking and replacers and working with the Wreck Train - locating the crane and then blocking up the outriggers for it to make a lift or two, knocking down the blocking, repositioning the crane and reblocking the outriggers.
High force locational physics of movement.
Using a crane takes a lot of thought and planning - something that isn’t learned overnight. I am amazed at all the ‘accessories’ Ron keeps accessable in the truck - accessories that permit the magic to happen.
Went to Hagerstown yesterday - saw a flat bed with a similar load headed West on I-70.
Years ago I worked at a lumber yard a couple blocks of the interstate and next door to two truck stops. We used to do a lot of forklift work for truckers whose loads had shifted.
Have seen several versions of those - Roanoke RR Museum (or whatever its called), locally the Ironton RR Rail-Trail. But this one looks the most ‘authentic’, with the seat attached to the axle - some are just a park bench between the wheels.
- PDN.