Railroad Forum

[Another Ahab]

UP has been in the news lately.

Yeah, that sounds right.

I picked up that it was affecting people somewhere out West (and the policies sounded close to criminal), but I wasn't reading the article real close for detail.

But I'm going to bet that you're right on the money, G744.

 

[ranchhopper]

I was reading some reporting about a week back, and can't remember what railroad operation it was, but story was how they were working their crews ragged, like what's that about?

Glad I got out years ago most RRs are just about the money now easier to get fired that stay employed there now.

 

[G744]

When Union Pacific bought Sufferin' Pacific back (They sold it off many decades ago), a lot changed.

I saw many things that happened, some good some bad:

Using GPS to enable multiple engine locations in the consist is good.

Continuing monetary support to keep big steam on the main lines is good. Very good.

Lots of investment in rail maintenance and upgrades is good.

Lacking care of employees is bad. Very bad.

 

[Another Ahab]

When Union Pacific bought Sufferin' Pacific back (They sold it off many decades ago), a lot changed.

I saw many things that happened, some good some bad:

Lacking care of employees is bad. Very bad.

What I recall from the article made it sound like the operation was almost TRYING to abuse the line employees and make them quit.

Sure seems odd, like "what a way to run a railroad", you know?!

Like what is management thinking there?

 

[swbradley1]

In some cases a business will want to reduce overhead and one the ways to do that is to treat employees badly so that they leave and cheaper ones can be employed. Sad but true.

 

[Another Ahab]

In some cases a business will want to reduce overhead and one the ways to do that is to treat employees badly so that they leave and cheaper ones can be employed. Sad but true.

That there is criminal.

 

[G744]

First get all the old-timer union guys to go.

They then hire the "any job will do" crowd.

Just what you want driving a mile-long consist thru towns...

 

[Mullaney]

First get all the old-timer union guys to go.

They then hire the "any job will do" crowd.

Just what you want driving a mile-long consist thru towns...

.
But that locomotive is hot.
It makes a lot of noise.
It bumps and thumps and the wheels go clickety-clack down the rails.
I can't watch my videos with all that noise.
Is it all push button controls?
I can't possibly be expected to have to drive that train all day...
Did you say there is a speed limit on those tracks?
I don't follow instructions very well.

 

[Valor]

When Union Pacific bought Sufferin' Pacific back (They sold it off many decades ago)

Please explain.

 

[G744]

A bit of history:

SP-UP Unmerger 1912-1913 | History of the Rails

historyoftherails.com

Scroll down to 1912 date.

UP then bought SP in 1996.

Timeline | History of Union Pacific

 

[G744]

Like most modern RR's, the old "Clickety-clack" is no more, with very long ribbon rails and seamlessly welded together.

 

[swbradley1]

Like most modern RR's, the old "Clickety-clack" is no more, with very long ribbon rails and seamlessly welded together.

I watched them install the ribbon rail through Farmersville, OH. I think in the early 70s. They did that line due to two derailments inside of a week in the same place at a crossing. The cars would sway so much in that spot I'm surprised any of them made it. That is also when I first saw the operators that lifted the cars back onto the track. Cool

As for quiet(er). That is hilarious. I took my first Amtrak trip to Denver a few short years ago and I thought it was rough as all get out and then the train got off the lines that the freight trains used. THEN it was smooth and quiet. Looked like one switch, freight one way and passenger the other.

As for a speed limit. Yeah, when it was convenient. I had a speedometer on my phone and going through Iowa we cruised at 80+ Mph through people's backyards in very small towns.

 

[G744]

UP's ribbons appear to be around a mile long, dispensed from a special consist paying them out as they go along.

With 10 or so layers of rail on those special cars, there has to be a lot of cornering stresses bending all that as it rolls around corners...

Automated machines pull up the old rails, set new roadbed and concrete ties, then bolt down the steel as they progress. Quite amazing to watch it happen.

When trains go thru our little town at speed, all you hear is engine rumble and wheel squeak.

The occasional flatspotted wheel gives it some rhythm.

 

[Another Ahab]

Like most modern RR's, the old "Clickety-clack" is no more, with very long ribbon rails and seamlessly welded together.

Never understood that:

- How is the differential expansion handled in those lengths of steel

The expansion/ shrinkage; it has to go somewhere, right? Does anybody know?

 

[G744]

How Do Railroads Deal With Thermal Expansion? | Worldwide Rails

How do railroads deal with thermal expansion? Railroads deal with thermal expansion by heating the rail prior to installation. Therefore, the rail

worldwiderails.com

 

[Another Ahab]

How Do Railroads Deal With Thermal Expansion? | Worldwide Rails

How do railroads deal with thermal expansion? Railroads deal with thermal expansion by heating the rail prior to installation. Therefore, the rail

worldwiderails.com

Thank you, G744, you helped me override my Lazy Mode!

I still don't quite get the idea (yeah, I'm kind of slow-witted), but it seems like the step of pre-heating installs the rail at a "happy medium" (thereby minimizing the effect of any later thermal expansion/ contraction).

Or that's my story/ take-away anyhow (and I'm sticking with it)!

 

[G744]

I thought the technique of splicing the rail occasionally with a diagonal cut was pretty neat. Sort of a slip-joint.

 

[Mullaney]

I thought the technique of splicing the rail occasionally with a diagonal cut was pretty neat. Sort of a slip-joint.

.
That part of the discussion was almost at the end of the article - and it really helped it all make sense to me. And the talk about rails joining at bridges - that thought never really crossed my mind until reading. That mass of concrete for the bridge abutment and rail joining it where some parts move and the other doesn't... Wow!

 

[swbradley1]

I thought the technique of splicing the rail occasionally with a diagonal cut was pretty neat. Sort of a slip-joint.

That was my takeaway from the article. The sides force the rail to move in only a certain way. If they can do it for TGV they should be good to go.

 

[juanprado]

In some cases a business will want to reduce overhead and one the ways to do that is to treat employees badly so that they leave and cheaper ones can be employed. Sad but true.

Definitely the case when I was at Western Auto and Sears bought them out. Longtime Western Auto employees forced out to bring in young bucks at 1/2 or less the cost....of their predecessors....