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Trainnews volume 2 - issue 147
Author: Espee99
Date: 06-19-2009 - 21:21
Trainnews - volume 2 - issue 147 - 06/19/09
EDITORS NOTE - Due to the Giants 6:05 game tomorrow evening, Trainorders will publish again on Sunday. Thank you.
The Alaska RR is Wireless. This picture of the south end of the Hurricane, AK siding has so much to teach. L to R: the grab irons on the next coach from the one I’m leaning out a dutch door (bottom half closed, upper have open). Next are the signal heads. We have just left the siding so everything is red. Notice how far away from the track the signal base is. The reason will become obvious. Next is the black diagonal sign about 12 by 3 inches called a “Reminder Bar” (see below). Under it the “END ROCK BLOCK” sign. The name of the block the train has just entered.
I’m looking to the rear of the train. I’ll explain blocks below. Then the “BEGIN CTC” sign. CTC = Centralized Traffic Control. One of relatively few ARR sidings where the dispatcher controls the track switches and signals. (Somewhere in that pile of equipment is an antenna.) At other sidings the train crew must get down to set the track switches.
Here’s the interesting part. The solar panels and small wind turbines are to keep the batteries charged. Remember there are winter months where no or little sun shine. I guess the wind blows. I have never seen that battery charging combination before.
To the far right is the big propane tank that fuels the track switch heaters that keep switch points clear of ice and snow. The heater and ducting can be see below and a little left of the BEGIN CTC sign.
Reminder Bars: To clear the track in the winter the RR uses spreader and flanger cars to push the snow over to the far sides of the tracks and keep the snow in the middle of the track a little low. Well if these devices are down when crossing say a track switch or a detector (detectors defined below) the switch stand, maybe points, or a detector would be removed. In this picture the reminder bar’s purpose is obvious. But out in the country in a couple feet of snow I’m sure the little sign by itself on an 8 foot pole helps.
Blocks: Most of the ARR is unsignaled. This is true of portions of most railroads. So the unsignaled portion is partitioned into named blocks of a few to several thousand feet. The dispatcher issues Track Warrants in a formal manner via radio (historically via telegraph) to trains or others that might need to be on the track, e.g., maintenance crews, permission to be in the block. As you would expect there are very strict rules on wording of the Track Warrant, and on repeating it back to the dispatcher. Only one train may occupy a block and maintenance crews must be off the track. More than one maintenance crew can be in a block. A crew could be one maintainer in a high rail vehicle or a lager group of employees using equipment to change out ties or install new rail. In the picture the train just left a CTC siding (dispatcher controlled) and entered a tack-warrant block. At the north and of the siding are two signs that say “END CTC” and “ENTER XYZ BLOCK”.
Detectors: The three types of detectors are hot journal (senses temperature of the wheel bearings as the train goes by), dragging equipment (these detectors are flaps between and out side the rails that if hit as the train goes by sends a warning), and high/wide (there is a tunnel ahead, has a load shifted?). Today’s detectors talk, i.e., sends a radio message. An example: “Detector milepost two forty five point thee, no defects, no defect, 120 axles, temperature six four degrees, detector out.” Usually it will repeat its message a second time.
Note: in areas with electric power available the Alaska RR is grid connected. The picture was taken form the southbound Hurricane Turn.
Marty Bernard photo
Request - Folks please send more photos to trainnews@att.net, include a description so that others will be able to share your reason for submitting the newsworthy or scenic photo. I process them as I receive the email so once I open and move you comment and photo to the server I will acknowledge it; however, that does not mean it will post on that days trainnews. Rest assured, that it will post in the next few days.
Domestic News
Train Derails In Rockford
[cbs2chicago.com]
Bus driver cited in crash with Metro light rail train
[www.azcentral.com]
Booze banned on Coaster trains after 9 p.m.
[www.sdnn.com]
Commuter train a long way off
[www.state-journal.com]
No injuries in Perry Co. train-log truck accident
[www.hattiesburgamerican.com]
Town to recommend train station move
[www.myrecordjournal.com]
Brown, Purple 'L' service restored after outage
[www.chicagobreakingnews.com]
Train crossings worry Leighton residents
[www.waff.com]
LIRR Employees, MTA Cops Revive Heart Attack Victim on Train to U.S. Open
[www.longislandpress.com]
Competing high-speed train plans battling for support
[www.lasvegassun.com]
CSX Freight Train Derails in Gouverneur
[www.gouverneurtimes.com]
Freight Trains Face Burdensome Bottleneck in Midwest
[www.pbs.org]
High winds blow rail cars off tracks
[www.wishtv.com]
Train plans draw a crowd
[www.nj.com]
Policing Railroad Crossings: 42 Given Tickets for Crossing Infractions Thursday
[www.tradingmarkets.com]
and
Police Use Train In Railroad Crossing Sting
[www.kirotv.com]
Chamber supports new Amtrak route
[www.mtexpress.com]
City making progress on railroad tracks deal for V&M Star
[www.vindy.com]
Railroad Company plans local projects
[www.thetimesnews.com]
Should taxes fund railroad improvements in Washington state?
[seattle.bizjournals.com]
Railroad shipping: Despite signs of improvement, AAR says weekly totals are down
[www.logisticsmgmt.com]
Cape Cod Central Railroad's Scenic Fun Train
[www.capecodtoday.com]
Amtrak's internal watchdog unexpectedly steps down
[www.boston.com]
Senators look for better freight ways
[www.examiner.com]
R.J. Corman completes purchase of locomotive maker
[www.bizjournals.com]
Metra awards contracts for several stimulus-funded projects
[www.progressiverailroading.com]
CN hammers out EJ&E-related mitigation agreement with 17th Chicago-area city
[www.progressiverailroading.com]
Casey Jones attraction plans ribbon-cutting
[www.jacksonsun.com]
Michigan's portion of high-speed rail line is ready to build, with stimulus money help
[www.mlive.com]
Canadian News
New operator needed to revive freight-train service
[www.saultstar.com]
International News
Commuter property: new high speed train brings buyers to Kent
[www.telegraph.co.uk]
FEER(6/5) China's Rail Plans: Awesome Or Awful?
[online.wsj.com]
Wales ‘faces 15-year wait for super-fast trains’
[www.walesonline.co.uk]
A high Emergency Quotient can get you a train ticket
[timesofindia.indiatimes.com]
Ayrshire residents rail against trains in the night
[www.theherald.co.uk]
Record fine for late trains
[www.news.com.au]
Call for electric train service in Madurai
[steelguru.com]
Full steam ahead for train trip
[www.bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk]
Train bosses are on the right track
[www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk]
New bullet train could be world's fastest
[english.cctv.com]
Cascais train network overhaul
[www.the-news.net]
Northern train service to be extended to Omanthai
[www.colombopage.com]
Final OK on high-speed train only after elections
[www.the-news.net]
EDITORS NOTE - Due to the Giants 6:05 game tomorrow evening, Trainorders will publish again on Sunday. Thank you.
The Alaska RR is Wireless. This picture of the south end of the Hurricane, AK siding has so much to teach. L to R: the grab irons on the next coach from the one I’m leaning out a dutch door (bottom half closed, upper have open). Next are the signal heads. We have just left the siding so everything is red. Notice how far away from the track the signal base is. The reason will become obvious. Next is the black diagonal sign about 12 by 3 inches called a “Reminder Bar” (see below). Under it the “END ROCK BLOCK” sign. The name of the block the train has just entered.
I’m looking to the rear of the train. I’ll explain blocks below. Then the “BEGIN CTC” sign. CTC = Centralized Traffic Control. One of relatively few ARR sidings where the dispatcher controls the track switches and signals. (Somewhere in that pile of equipment is an antenna.) At other sidings the train crew must get down to set the track switches.
Here’s the interesting part. The solar panels and small wind turbines are to keep the batteries charged. Remember there are winter months where no or little sun shine. I guess the wind blows. I have never seen that battery charging combination before.
To the far right is the big propane tank that fuels the track switch heaters that keep switch points clear of ice and snow. The heater and ducting can be see below and a little left of the BEGIN CTC sign.
Reminder Bars: To clear the track in the winter the RR uses spreader and flanger cars to push the snow over to the far sides of the tracks and keep the snow in the middle of the track a little low. Well if these devices are down when crossing say a track switch or a detector (detectors defined below) the switch stand, maybe points, or a detector would be removed. In this picture the reminder bar’s purpose is obvious. But out in the country in a couple feet of snow I’m sure the little sign by itself on an 8 foot pole helps.
Blocks: Most of the ARR is unsignaled. This is true of portions of most railroads. So the unsignaled portion is partitioned into named blocks of a few to several thousand feet. The dispatcher issues Track Warrants in a formal manner via radio (historically via telegraph) to trains or others that might need to be on the track, e.g., maintenance crews, permission to be in the block. As you would expect there are very strict rules on wording of the Track Warrant, and on repeating it back to the dispatcher. Only one train may occupy a block and maintenance crews must be off the track. More than one maintenance crew can be in a block. A crew could be one maintainer in a high rail vehicle or a lager group of employees using equipment to change out ties or install new rail. In the picture the train just left a CTC siding (dispatcher controlled) and entered a tack-warrant block. At the north and of the siding are two signs that say “END CTC” and “ENTER XYZ BLOCK”.
Detectors: The three types of detectors are hot journal (senses temperature of the wheel bearings as the train goes by), dragging equipment (these detectors are flaps between and out side the rails that if hit as the train goes by sends a warning), and high/wide (there is a tunnel ahead, has a load shifted?). Today’s detectors talk, i.e., sends a radio message. An example: “Detector milepost two forty five point thee, no defects, no defect, 120 axles, temperature six four degrees, detector out.” Usually it will repeat its message a second time.
Note: in areas with electric power available the Alaska RR is grid connected. The picture was taken form the southbound Hurricane Turn.
Marty Bernard photo
Request - Folks please send more photos to trainnews@att.net, include a description so that others will be able to share your reason for submitting the newsworthy or scenic photo. I process them as I receive the email so once I open and move you comment and photo to the server I will acknowledge it; however, that does not mean it will post on that days trainnews. Rest assured, that it will post in the next few days.
Domestic News
Train Derails In Rockford
[cbs2chicago.com]
Bus driver cited in crash with Metro light rail train
[www.azcentral.com]
Booze banned on Coaster trains after 9 p.m.
[www.sdnn.com]
Commuter train a long way off
[www.state-journal.com]
No injuries in Perry Co. train-log truck accident
[www.hattiesburgamerican.com]
Town to recommend train station move
[www.myrecordjournal.com]
Brown, Purple 'L' service restored after outage
[www.chicagobreakingnews.com]
Train crossings worry Leighton residents
[www.waff.com]
LIRR Employees, MTA Cops Revive Heart Attack Victim on Train to U.S. Open
[www.longislandpress.com]
Competing high-speed train plans battling for support
[www.lasvegassun.com]
CSX Freight Train Derails in Gouverneur
[www.gouverneurtimes.com]
Freight Trains Face Burdensome Bottleneck in Midwest
[www.pbs.org]
High winds blow rail cars off tracks
[www.wishtv.com]
Train plans draw a crowd
[www.nj.com]
Policing Railroad Crossings: 42 Given Tickets for Crossing Infractions Thursday
[www.tradingmarkets.com]
and
Police Use Train In Railroad Crossing Sting
[www.kirotv.com]
Chamber supports new Amtrak route
[www.mtexpress.com]
City making progress on railroad tracks deal for V&M Star
[www.vindy.com]
Railroad Company plans local projects
[www.thetimesnews.com]
Should taxes fund railroad improvements in Washington state?
[seattle.bizjournals.com]
Railroad shipping: Despite signs of improvement, AAR says weekly totals are down
[www.logisticsmgmt.com]
Cape Cod Central Railroad's Scenic Fun Train
[www.capecodtoday.com]
Amtrak's internal watchdog unexpectedly steps down
[www.boston.com]
Senators look for better freight ways
[www.examiner.com]
R.J. Corman completes purchase of locomotive maker
[www.bizjournals.com]
Metra awards contracts for several stimulus-funded projects
[www.progressiverailroading.com]
CN hammers out EJ&E-related mitigation agreement with 17th Chicago-area city
[www.progressiverailroading.com]
Casey Jones attraction plans ribbon-cutting
[www.jacksonsun.com]
Michigan's portion of high-speed rail line is ready to build, with stimulus money help
[www.mlive.com]
Canadian News
New operator needed to revive freight-train service
[www.saultstar.com]
International News
Commuter property: new high speed train brings buyers to Kent
[www.telegraph.co.uk]
FEER(6/5) China's Rail Plans: Awesome Or Awful?
[online.wsj.com]
Wales ‘faces 15-year wait for super-fast trains’
[www.walesonline.co.uk]
A high Emergency Quotient can get you a train ticket
[timesofindia.indiatimes.com]
Ayrshire residents rail against trains in the night
[www.theherald.co.uk]
Record fine for late trains
[www.news.com.au]
Call for electric train service in Madurai
[steelguru.com]
Full steam ahead for train trip
[www.bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk]
Train bosses are on the right track
[www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk]
New bullet train could be world's fastest
[english.cctv.com]
Cascais train network overhaul
[www.the-news.net]
Northern train service to be extended to Omanthai
[www.colombopage.com]
Final OK on high-speed train only after elections
[www.the-news.net]
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 Trainnews volume 2 - issue 147 |
Espee99 | 06-19-2009 - 21:21 |