Railroad Forum

[ranchhopper]

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?

Every once in a while they do let go we heard one let go in the dead of winter sounded like a rifle shot when it broke.

 

[Valor]

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

Thank you. Very interesting. I was there when UP bought SP in 96. I was SP. Didn't know UP bought SP way long ago.

 

[SCSG-G4]

As far as expansion is concerned, way back in the 1960's in an engineering class our professor asked us to calculate the thermal expansion of a one mile section of rail with a temp rise of 20 degrees F. , then calculate how much it would rise in the middle if both ends were held absolutely stationary. The first answer was about an inch, the second was 49 feet. They were putting down 1/4 mile sections of rail then.

 

[ranchhopper]

.
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.

Heck the first locomotive I learned to operate still had a deadmans pedal that had to be held down to run.

 

[Tracer]

Tehachapi_(1991) SP "Oil Cans" Exit Tunnel #5 - YouTube Southern Pacific SD45T2 Locomotives.

 

[Valor]

Tehachapi_(1991) SP "Oil Cans" Exit Tunnel #5 - YouTube Southern Pacific SD45T2 Locomotives.

V-20 engines, 3600 HP

 

[Another Ahab]

Heck the first locomotive I learned to operate still had a deadmans pedal that had to be held down to run.

Well the idea behind the pedal is a good idea for sure, but guessing now there are different ways to address that problem (run away train), that right?

 

[Tracer]

Tehachapi Loop - Military Train - 4k - YouTube

 

[Tracer]

BNSF US Military (Abrams Tanks) Train over Tehachapi - YouTube Lots and lots of M1A Abrams tanks.

 

[Mullaney]

Tehachapi Loop - Military Train - 4k - YouTube

.
Thanks @Tracer !!

Wonderful power on display... Both the locomotives and the armor at the Tehachape and the second line of Abrams at Caliente. I couldn't help but capture a few frames to share with the group. Especially neat to see one of our Norfolk Southern locomotives pulling as well.


@ Caliente



@ Tehachapi Loop

.

 

[juanprado]

Canadian Pacific has a nice series of military tribute commemorative locomotives .

Canadian Pacific honours Canadian and U.S. military with unique locomotives - Canadian Military Family Magazine

Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway unveiled five specially painted locomotives on Remembrance Day. The trains honour the history and culture of the armed forces. The Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACUs carry the message of military pride across CP’s transcontinental railway in the U.S. and Canada. The...

www.cmfmag.ca

 

[Mullaney]

Canadian Pacific has a nice series of military tribute commemorative locomotives .

Canadian Pacific honours Canadian and U.S. military with unique locomotives - Canadian Military Family Magazine

Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway unveiled five specially painted locomotives on Remembrance Day. The trains honour the history and culture of the armed forces. The Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACUs carry the message of military pride across CP’s transcontinental railway in the U.S. and Canada. The...

www.cmfmag.ca

.
Thanks @juanprado !

I snagged the images to share here.





.

 

[msgjd]

Heck the first locomotive I learned to operate still had a deadmans pedal that had to be held down to run.

I often noticed the deadman pedal being held down by a stick !

 

[msgjd]

Tried numerous times in the mid-70's to hire on a road my grandfather, his father, and several other relatives had retired from or worked on. But the road went downhill and continued to lay off people under 20yrs seniority .. So I went to enlist as an army railroader instead, thinking for sure I would wind up in Europe.. The recruiter was quite baffled and temporarily speechless, apparently never hearing of such a thing... He says to me, "I don't believe they have those anymore. Vietnam beat us up, we need truck drivers, there is a shortage of them.." .. . As a non-worldly farmboy, I believed him .. A couple weeks into basic during a march down to the supply depot, along comes this string of boxcars pulled by an old black Alco with "US ARMY RAILROAD" on its long high hood .. Darn straight I was mad !

 

[NY Tom]

Great pictures but my favorite is the old switcher...

.
Thanks @juanprado !

I snagged the images to share here.

View attachment 887901

View attachment 887902

.

 

[juanprado]

Union Pacific also has the spirit #1943 commemorative military locomotive.

No. 1943 - The Spirit Locomotive Honoring U.S. Armed Forces

Union Pacific’s Locomotive No. 1943, The Spirit, was the company's 16th commemorative locomotive. The Spirit honors the United States’ armed forces and the men and women filling their ranks. Created in collaboration with Union Pacific veterans, the locomotive illustrates the railroad’s...

www.up.com

 

[msgjd]

when I come across them in the days to come, I will post pics of the final batch of tanks fielded by my former Bn, being loaded to head west to Ft Irwin by rail

 

[Mullaney]

Union Pacific also has the spirit #1943 commemorative military locomotive.

No. 1943 - The Spirit Locomotive Honoring U.S. Armed Forces

Union Pacific’s Locomotive No. 1943, The Spirit, was the company's 16th commemorative locomotive. The Spirit honors the United States’ armed forces and the men and women filling their ranks. Created in collaboration with Union Pacific veterans, the locomotive illustrates the railroad’s...

www.up.com

.
Added Pictures





.

 

[Mullaney]

.
Unfortunately, Norfolk Southern must have a pack of useless college boys or maybe it is management that has no desire to share railroad history on their website. More than half of the links are broken that mention heritage go off into oblivion.

Up in Spencer, North Carolina we have a transportation museum. An old Southern Railroad maintenance facility built in 1897 started out repairing steam trains and maintaining rolling stock. Half way between Washington DC and Atlanta Georgia, the location was proposed by Samuel Spencer, President of Southern Railway. The original roundhouse was 15 stalls and grew to the 37 stall facility that you can visit today. The roundtable is still operational today and historical preservation happens there today.





.

 

[Tracer]

.
Unfortunately, Norfolk Southern must have a pack of useless college boys or maybe it is management that has no desire to share railroad history on their website. More than half of the links are broken that mention heritage go off into oblivion.

Up in Spencer, North Carolina we have a transportation museum. An old Southern Railroad maintenance facility built in 1897 started out repairing steam trains and maintaining rolling stock. Half way between Washington DC and Atlanta Georgia, the location was proposed by Samuel Spencer, President of Southern Railway. The original roundhouse was 15 stalls and grew to the 37 stall facility that you can visit today. The roundtable is still operational today and historical preservation happens there today.

View attachment 887916

View attachment 887917

.

The late L. Stanley Crane. In his day the best CEO in railroading, at the Southern Railroad and later at Conrail. The useless college boys could learn a whole lot about running a successful railroad from him.