http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g11qWro1LzQ&feature=g-vrec&context=G29cc28aRVAAAAAAAAAA
No explanation for such a thing like this.
No explanation for such a thing like this.
My Golly
- Thread starter Kris94
- Start date
cascaderailroad
New member
Although this trackage has spongy trackbed and uneven sunken roadbed ... it has much in common with PennCentral trackage of yesteryear ... you are just spoiled ... as Trainz has Class V track, where as the prototype would be much more rugged. :hehe:
SantaFebuff
That's So Trainz Forum
You have the money and man power to go out there, rip up the mainline, tamper and re-level the ballast? Then go through and relay everything within gauge and at a smooth grade?
True, there are such things as "contractors" but they aren't cheap either.
Kris, you will find out a lot of railroads don't have nice track. (that one especially) It's mostly just because that's how it was when they got it, and they just haven't had the money since.
Now, if you want good track, go off and watch some NEC Amtrak videos, or Union Pacific, or some Class I train video. This RR is likely a Class III.
Cheers,
Joshua
True, there are such things as "contractors" but they aren't cheap either.
Kris, you will find out a lot of railroads don't have nice track. (that one especially) It's mostly just because that's how it was when they got it, and they just haven't had the money since.
Now, if you want good track, go off and watch some NEC Amtrak videos, or Union Pacific, or some Class I train video. This RR is likely a Class III.
Cheers,
Joshua
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Yeah.. The explanation would be a clear lack of money. Replacing ties, and ballast costs money. Replacing a quarter scale rail road takes serious hard work, and cost us near 10,000. That's 1/4 mile with a two foot wide with very skimpy ballasting, there just isn't money. This is a real road. Costing money, paying its workers, buying gas, maintenance its locomotives. a bumpy track is not on their top in list of things to do.
Well when the derailments occur and lawsuits pile up, I'm sure it will quickly become a priority.
ShadyCadence
New member
There's more miles of track in Dave Snow's Ozark Valley than the MVRR owns. Small fish=small budget=pockets not deep enough to merit big lawsuits.
Who's gonna sue 'em? The wood ducks?
Who's gonna sue 'em? The wood ducks?
I'm just saying if something were to happen they could use those tracks as an excuse.
You are aware trains have shocks, Correct? If they train isn't derailing in the video, it isn't going to magically flip the train. There are over 300 Short lines running in the United States right now, one being about 30 Miles east of myself. They do not have very good track, but they run restricted 10Mph Speed. And they run much heavier trains, than what you are seeing here. The train here also has a slow order. And My assumption is that since there are Earlier videos of this line, this is probably a problem area for the track, such as a running water or flood area. That would make it impractical to always be replacing the track work.
like butter said, I doubt anybody's going to run a train on that track at more than 9-10mph. trust me, I've seen a lot worse: I once rode behind an ex-AT&SF 3400-series 4-6-2, fresh out of restoration, on track that frankly wasn't fit to be travelled by handcars. Add to that the fact that the crew there didn't have the SLIGHTEST clue what the hell they were doing (the fireman over-stoked the oil fire and set the ties on fire, for christ's sake! 
) and it was a miracle the engine didn't tip over and suffer a fatal boiler explosion.
) and it was a miracle the engine didn't tip over and suffer a fatal boiler explosion.
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SantaFebuff
That's So Trainz Forum
Well, to be honest, out in the country, not much will happen if a grain train derails in a field other than it'll tip over. It's only going 9-10mph.
The track is the same on the Toledo, Peoria, and Western. The suffered a derailment and this is all that happened. (pictures by me):
Look at the track:
(siding): http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp168/SantaFeBuff/IMG_1630.jpg
(mainline): http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp168/SantaFeBuff/IMG_1659.jpg
Look at how bumpy it is. (note the amazingly awesome old signals too) Mind you, they ran NKP 765 on this!! (several, several, several times)
Cheers,
Joshua
The FRA allows this. That's why they are still open. The FRA closes these rail lines, and a very large amount of people are out of jobs ; and many companies will be hurt. There are many rural companies, mostly farm, near me that depend on rail to move bulk goods, over tracks just like that. The FRA wont close a company, or force them to rebuild an entire foundation like this because there's "a chance" a train will derail. That's like saying, there's a chance you will be electrocuted each time you plug something into the wall. Does that many you don't plug it in? No. You yourself use your own safety efforts. Which is what is being done here, and across many short lines, or small roads, using low speeds. Trains can bounce back and forth and not derail. They are made to do that.
There are times when it's necessary for things to be overlooked for the good and balance for the majority. The FRA does have control over these lines, but the lines are classed very, very low. If you look at the speed of the train, it's probably going no faster than 7-10 mph. The thing is, this little shortline does not have a lot of cash to pay out for maintenance, so this line is probably being worked on as they can. The tracks really are bad shape, and I wonder if they've gone back and fixed them since the video was taken. There are many lines like this in the US. We're spoiled by Trainz and it's Class I super high rail with perfect ballast. For us even our sidings look clean and safe compared to lots of these back-country branch lines which probably see service maybe once or twice a year when the grain season is in operation.
PanAm Railways, where I live, has major speed restrictions on its east end. Their top speed is something like 20mph. This is in stark contrast where the MBTA and Amtrak have down work on the tracks, and where the Norfolk Southern has partnered with PanAM on the west end. Where the "T" and Amtrak are, the freights move at close to 45 mph on the 132lb rail. The speeds are probably the same on the west end as well since there have been major upgrades. This is not uncommon either as mainlines are rebuilt, or have seen deferred maintenance. PAR is notorious for poor track and awful maintenance on their locos and rolling stock. Their aim is to get as much as they can out of everything before they replace something. Perhaps we're lucky in my immediate area, the tracks aren't that bad because of the T and Amtrak. Sadly though, they let trees grow out of tracks and punchure a gas tank on a GP40! They closed the branch not long after this, claiming lack of customers. The situation is more like they discouraged customers on the branch by raising prices, and the last customer pulled out when their rates went through the roof.
John