The Train Thread 2

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Profile Bernie Vine
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Message 1776134 - Posted: 4 Apr 2016, 7:18:53 UTC - in response to Message 1776081.  
Last modified: 4 Apr 2016, 7:19:56 UTC

Not a good day for Amtrak
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/amtrak-train-strikes-vehicle-in-somonauk/
A man was killed when an Amtrak train struck a vehicle in far west suburban Somonauk on Sunday afternoon.

About 3 p.m., the 28-year-old man at the wheel of the car drove north around lowered gates at the Green Street crossing and was struck by westbound California Zephyr Train No. 5, according to Somonauk police. The village is about 25 miles southwest of Aurora.


Rather than a stock picutre of 822 here is 5 (03) leaving Chicago.



It is currently nearly 8 hours late, also 3 California Zephyr 3 (03) is 4 hours late.

I am sure the problem is that most people are used to seeing long slow freights and are unaware just how quickly an Amtrak train may arrive at the crossing.

Also I have seen at least five instances at Chesterton last week where a freight train approached the crossing at walking pace and continued at that pace until almost all 80 or so wagons were across, one actually came to a stop.

Whist I know it is stupid to drive around the gate it will continue as people hate being held up.

It may get worse as the rumour I have heard is that due to the massive downturn in freight, yards closing many layoffs, at least one company is putting locos in the middle and end of a train and adding 30-50 wagons, thereby running 2 trains for every 3, and saving on one train crew.

It will of course mean to the road user that trains take even longer to clear the crossings.
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Message 1776298 - Posted: 5 Apr 2016, 1:01:28 UTC

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Message 1776387 - Posted: 5 Apr 2016, 22:29:38 UTC

Today freight
http://abc7.com/news/train-fatally-strikes-person-near-downtown-pomona-station/1276947/
POMONA, Calif. (KABC) --
A Union Pacific freight train fatally struck a person on the train tracks between downtown Pomona and Ontario early Tuesday, prompting temporary delays on Metrolink's Riverside line.

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Message 1776467 - Posted: 6 Apr 2016, 4:14:39 UTC

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/via-train-car-collide-near-london-ont-killing-2-1.3520018

This is about an hour from my house, and I've driven the crossing a few times. Flashing lights and buckboards, but no barrier. The land is dead flat, with good visibility of trains from both directions. Initial reports are that lights were working, train was doing about 60 mph. Kind of amazed this could happen at this location. The road was probably slippery, from snow the previous night, remains to be seen if this was a factor.

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Message 1776502 - Posted: 6 Apr 2016, 7:19:58 UTC
Last modified: 6 Apr 2016, 7:20:34 UTC

Well according to Operation Lifesaver

There were 2059 collisions between a road vehicle and a train in 2015, 244 deaths and 967 injuries in the US.

So that is nearly 6 collisions a day.

The number is falling from a high in 1981 of 9461 collisions, 25 a day more than on an hour.

Obviously it is mostly the fatal ones that get reported.
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Message 1776536 - Posted: 6 Apr 2016, 10:58:08 UTC

That's a scary number....

Compared to Europe as a whole (Total similar track mileage, but far higher number of trains and aggregate train mileage) where the number is about 620 per year (last data is about 6 years old, but the trend has been a progressive reduction in accident rate, or just under two per day.
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Message 1776652 - Posted: 6 Apr 2016, 17:08:53 UTC - in response to Message 1776536.  

I think the issue in North America is the large number of uncontrolled crossings, mostly rural with very light vehicle traffic. This accident was on a Class 1 line, with 25+ trains a day, a lot of Class 2 lines see one or two trains a week.

According to Wikipedia (I know) Canada and the US total about 267,000 miles of track. Germany, France, Italy, UK and Spain total 130,000 miles.

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Message 1776677 - Posted: 6 Apr 2016, 18:34:39 UTC

Bill, you have used a small subset of Europe - the whole European rail network is about 350,000 route-km, compared with the ~250,00 route-km of the USA.
Europe as a whole has a vast number of un-gated crossing, and a great many low usage lines. The crossing accident figure is for the USA, not USA plus Canada. It is worth noting that the stats for Canada are far more favourable than those for the USA, and some European countries fare very badly, despite having very little railway track.
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Message 1776679 - Posted: 6 Apr 2016, 18:42:09 UTC

UK Railway Data Table

A selection of the available data on UK railways, updated as far as possible to Feb 2011.
Item 					Statistic 		Comments
Route kms 2010 				15,777 	 
Route kms 1961 				28,100 	 
Track Miles 				21,000 	 
Stations 				2,516 	 
Platform faces 				5,736 	 
Trains 					4,000 	 
Services run 				20,000/weekday 		This is 16% increase from 1995 to 2009
Operating Staff 			5,500 	 
Signal Boxes 				1,100 	 
Level (at grade) Crossings 		7,000 	 
Level (at grade) Crossing Deaths 	13 (2009) 		This is low by world standards
Turnouts 				19,000 	 
Signals 				17,000 	 
Tunnels 				674 	 
Overbridges 				15,000 	 
Undeerbridges 				20,000 	 
Viaducts 				2,000 	 
Cuttings 				3,000 	 
Embankments 				3,000 	 
Electrified areas 			40% of total 	 
Electrically operated traffic 		60% of total 	 
25kV AC electrified track 		7,578 single track kms 	 
AC feeder stations 			73 	 
DC electrified track 			4,285 single track kms 	 
DC sub-stations 			430 	 
Network rail property ownership 	4th largest in UK 	 
Listed buildings owned 			Cost £50 million/year 	 
Persons visiting stations 		1.75 million/year 	65% of all rail trips start or finish in London
Passenger journeys per day 		2.75 million 		In the last 10 years passenger kilometres have risen 36%
Passenger journeys in 2010 		1.32 billion 		Passenger kilometres were 33.3 billion
Railcards Sold 	1.9 million 		82% of journeys are made on discounted tickets
Freight carried 			400,000 tonnes/day 	 
Energy usage 				1 car uses 50% of the energy of a whole High Speed Train 	 
Average age of Rolling Stock 2009 	15 years 	
Cost of new rolling stock, 
ordered since 1996 			£4.5 billion 		4,700 new vehicles at almost £1 million each
Fuel range of UK HST 			1,400 miles 	 
  	  	 
Sources: Network Rail, ATOC, SRA 
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Message 1777186 - Posted: 8 Apr 2016, 15:53:12 UTC
Last modified: 13 Apr 2016, 11:29:17 UTC

I haven't been posting many pic of late as I detected boredom for "American grey" :-)

However today I will post a few, and no they are neither American or grey.

Firstly 60163 "Tornado" made one of its regular appearances at my local station today pulling the "Belmond British Pullman"



Moving faster than normal I only got one good pic!!

However whilst I was standing on platform 2 I was finally able to get a close up look at another new trainset.



The 387/2, 210 to be precise very, well red!! And an express!!



The new Gatwick Express units are finally staring to appear



At the other end 387 215, still in "showroom condition" wonder how long that will last!!

They are replacing the 28 year old 442's



Which despite being 28 years old have only been on the Gatwick Express service since 2008. These were never built to be an express airport service and hopefully the 387, will be better, having more and larger doors.

The 442's do have a claim to fame though:

"The class holds the world speed record for a third-rail train with 174 km/h (108 mph), attained on 11 April 1988."

Not many people know that !!

Another interesting thing is that the 442's had the word "Gatwick" removed as some of the trains go on to Brighton and it was causing confusion!!

As to the fate of the 442's it is undecided at the moment.
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Message 1777450 - Posted: 9 Apr 2016, 4:47:06 UTC - in response to Message 1777186.  

Thank you Bernie for the colorful photos of trains from across the pond.
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Message 1777675 - Posted: 10 Apr 2016, 1:42:34 UTC - in response to Message 1775978.  

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/amtrak/news/Amtrak-responds-to-FRA-safety-directive-following-deadly-accident--47877
Amtrak responds to FRA safety directive following deadly accident

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has directed Amtrak to conduct an immediate safety review with key workers, including track workers and train dispatchers, as the regulator continues its investigation into this week's fatal train accident in Chester, Pa.

The FRA also directed Amtrak to improve communication among work crews, supervisors and rail dispatchers.



http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/04/03/amtrak-train-derails-after-striking-backhoe-on-tracks-south-philadelphia.html?intcmp=hpbt1
Two construction workers were killed when an Amtrak train traveling from New York to Savannah, Ga., Sunday struck a backhoe that was on the tracks about 15 miles south of Philadelphia, Delaware County officials said.

The crash, which occurred around 8 a.m., derailed the lead engine of Palmetto Train 89, according to a statement by Amtrak.

Of the 341 passengers and seven crew members on the train, 35 people were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, according to Chester County Fire Commissioner Travis Thomas.

"We have the situation under control now," Thomas said.

Reports from witnesses on the train indicate the Amtrak conductor blew the train's horn, but construction workers were unable to clear the tracks in time.

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Message 1778028 - Posted: 11 Apr 2016, 2:31:36 UTC

Yes, it's American, and yes, it's gray (actually Platinum Mist). 668 will arrive Chicago on 6 tomorrow.

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/55208-acs-64-heads-up/?p=657550

I do not expect to see it, unless it ends up being just the perfect amount late into Naperville. I'll be working until 4 and then going to the dr. at 430, so it would have to be going by just as I walk out the door at about 407.
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Message 1778088 - Posted: 11 Apr 2016, 6:59:48 UTC - in response to Message 1778028.  

Yes, it's American, and yes, it's gray (actually Platinum Mist). 668 will arrive Chicago on 6 tomorrow.

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/55208-acs-64-heads-up/?p=657550

I do not expect to see it, unless it ends up being just the perfect amount late into Naperville. I'll be working until 4 and then going to the dr. at 430, so it would have to be going by just as I walk out the door at about 407.

Indeed, as I now "spot" for an Amtrak daily whereabouts list I get to hear a bit more and knew about 668 almost as soon as it left :-)

Despite it being grey and Amtrak, I will still hopefully post a pic.

Currently running 20 minute late at Holdrege NE.

It is interesting as I now get a daily e-mail listing all the "spotted" Amtrak services and what is pulling them and any problems

i.e. Amtrak 4 (8) was 4.30 late into CUS as 169 died between LaJunta and Lamar,s/o at Lamar and 65 brought it in alone.
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Message 1778300 - Posted: 12 Apr 2016, 9:06:48 UTC
Last modified: 12 Apr 2016, 9:08:20 UTC

As promised (or threatened :-) ) here on a bright sunny April afternoon ACS 64 668 makes it's début in the windy city!!



Unusually I was able to catch it at Galesburg 2 hrs 45 earlier.



Also you may remember when the Southwest Chief derailed on the 14th March, well it appear there was damage to the track caused by a runaway truck

Amtrak, BNSF suing Cimarron feed company, alleging ‘gross negligence’

One has to wonder when removing the truck how no one noticed the damage to the track an what that might mean.
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Message 1778305 - Posted: 12 Apr 2016, 10:09:26 UTC

Quick - administer the antidote before Chris hyperventilates too much!

I was invited to ride on a special train on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway ("La'al Ratty") at the weekend.

We gathered at the seaside



with the guest of honour preparing to board the Pullman car, of course.



This line is built to the same dimension as the Romney, Hythe & Dynchurch Railway that has featured here before - indeed, they lend each other locomotives for special events - but instead of running along the coastal plains, Ratty heads for the hills. 40 minutes later...







Stella was a good friend of my mother's, and her son is a driver on the railway - to explain why I got the ride.

90 is a good age, but the next service train up the line was hauled by River Irt - an engine first built in 1894 (though much remodelled since then).



They build to last in these parts! I'll spare you the three hours of speeches, food, and music, but a good time was had by all. And they laid on a spectacular sunset for the ride back.



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Message 1778447 - Posted: 12 Apr 2016, 20:11:58 UTC - in response to Message 1778305.  

Quick - administer the antidote before Chris hyperventilates too much!

I was invited to ride on a special train on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway ("La'al Ratty") at the weekend.

We gathered at the seaside



Nice, Richard. What is the track gauge?

Bernie, I don't suppose you caught the BNSF business train going by Galesburg this morning?
David
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Message 1778497 - Posted: 12 Apr 2016, 22:04:31 UTC - in response to Message 1778447.  

Nice, Richard. What is the track gauge?

The track you see is 15 inch (381 mm) gauge, and has been since 1915. The line was originally built in the 19th. century to a more robust 3-foot gauge, to transport iron ore to the coast for onward shipment.

That means the track is roughly one-quarter scale, but the locos - so far as they are modelled on mainline locos, which isn't far - are closer to one-third scale: the line has gradients up to 1 in 40 (2.5%), and 'true scale' locos aren't powerful enough.

Many more details in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravenglass_and_Eskdale_Railway
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Message 1778539 - Posted: 13 Apr 2016, 0:12:58 UTC - in response to Message 1778447.  

Bernie, I don't suppose you caught the BNSF business train going by Galesburg this morning?

My mistake, it's leaving tomorrow morning after the Metra rush. Figure it to be at Galesburg around 11 or a bit after.
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Message 1778544 - Posted: 13 Apr 2016, 0:36:16 UTC

Bernie, I don't suppose you caught the BNSF business train going by Galesburg this morning?

Well no the GBB camera have been unreliable of late and they were working on them today

However, I did just happen to see it passing the Chicago camera on Thursday

https://youtu.be/B6g6JiJIvE8

And just by chance again yesterday when it returned.

https://youtu.be/FIahodbCovs

The cars were from 6611 back:

Snoqualmie Pass, Stampede Pass (hep), Raton Pass, Marias Pass, Stevens Pass, John Reed and William B Strong.

I thought video was better as trying to cut and paste them all would have taken too long.


I was going to look them all up but it is a bit late here.
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