middle rails on bridge

[Chris750]

What do the middle rails on the bridge do?

 

[slabay]

It is a check rail or a guard rail. It supposedly keeps derailed cars from getting too far out of line and damaging the bridge (or falling off!)

 

[nicky9499]

If there are multiple tracks, occasionally one rail on the outermost track will be used. Like here, along the LA River at 8:01:

http://youtu.be/2eLlP8U-b7w?t=8m1s

 

[JIb228]

Its to help guide cars that might have derailed back to a safer spot. Watch that video and notice how there is a bridge abutment next to the tracks. If a car where to derail and hit that, it would be a much worse accident then if the car just derailed and was nudged back towards the rails.

 

[bendorsey]

They work too. Locally we have had 2 cars derail on the local bridge and in both cases the car stayed within the confines of the bridge and didn't fall off the rails until it was off. On the other hand when it did come off the rails it almost hit the local donut shop. Police were horrified, lol.

Ben

 

[Chris750]

I was looking at them and figured they had something to do with derailed cars, but they were so far from the outer rails I couldn't figure out how they would help. Basically they allow the car to move so far sideways and the stop them. Don't they also have some that will 're-rail' (if that is a word) a de-railed car?

 

[289v8]

Post Deleted.

 

[Chris750]

Here's a link to show some rerailers that they use.

http://www.nolancompany.com/main/rerailers/rerailers.asp

Those are SO cool, I would love to see them in action. Thanks.

 

[cascaderailroad]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n_Yof47DVE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHmIHjj4Uis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOtgEST_6i0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv5N_pWHdQU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-8gV4DJZUw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv9R0M3r9TM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn8_aex1brc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YfUHt53CaE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76z8RhMbwkM