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Re: SP 4449 UP deadhead move in June
Author: FEF-3
Date: 04-30-2017 - 17:02
mook Wrote:
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> The amazing think in that video isn't that 3985
> itself made it through - it's that the tender made
> it through.
>
> A few years ago, I watched UP bringing the
> business train into Old Sacramento on the new
> track for the museum. Apparently there was a short
> section of tight curvature (first time the track
> was used in anger). The diesels made it through,
> as did the cars, but the centipede tender on 844
> climbed the rail and dropped a couple of axles on
> the ground. Fouled the main line for an hour or so
> while the train was uncoupled & pulled into Old
> Sac by the diesels and 844 moved back into the
> clear. After lifting & locking up a couple of
> tender axles, 844 herself went through fine. The
> track was rebuilt while the train was in Old Sac
> and everything came back out in good shape -
> though they did bring 844 out by herself, just to
> be safe.
Those tenders can go forward through a curve that is too sharp to back through. Trying to use that 5-axle rear of the tender as a lead truck never works.
UP learned that lesson decades ago and
Put heavier pedestal tie bars under the rear axles. They could be run up on a steel wedge and blocks inserted to hold the flanges up clear of the rail.
844 was so equipped until recently, when"newer, smarter" people took over, scrapped the wedges, and decided it could go anywhere he wanted it to go.
Wrong.
-------------------------------------------------------
> The amazing think in that video isn't that 3985
> itself made it through - it's that the tender made
> it through.
>
> A few years ago, I watched UP bringing the
> business train into Old Sacramento on the new
> track for the museum. Apparently there was a short
> section of tight curvature (first time the track
> was used in anger). The diesels made it through,
> as did the cars, but the centipede tender on 844
> climbed the rail and dropped a couple of axles on
> the ground. Fouled the main line for an hour or so
> while the train was uncoupled & pulled into Old
> Sac by the diesels and 844 moved back into the
> clear. After lifting & locking up a couple of
> tender axles, 844 herself went through fine. The
> track was rebuilt while the train was in Old Sac
> and everything came back out in good shape -
> though they did bring 844 out by herself, just to
> be safe.
Those tenders can go forward through a curve that is too sharp to back through. Trying to use that 5-axle rear of the tender as a lead truck never works.
UP learned that lesson decades ago and
Put heavier pedestal tie bars under the rear axles. They could be run up on a steel wedge and blocks inserted to hold the flanges up clear of the rail.
844 was so equipped until recently, when"newer, smarter" people took over, scrapped the wedges, and decided it could go anywhere he wanted it to go.
Wrong.
