A misplaced post about ballasting over on The Ready Track got me thinking (don't ask me how) about a shot I took a year and a half ago when I was riding a passenger train over the rough line between Oaxaca, Oax and Cuicatlan, Oax in Mexico (passenger service no longer exists on that line). Here's a shot of the line in one section. This is in an area of frequent slides, so they've obviously just shoveled the loose dirt and rocks off the track to get it open for traffic. There's probably (okay, maybe there's) some ballast down there under the dirt. And probably ties too, if they haven't rotted out. Anyway, though I'd challenge you guys to come up with some shots of poorly maintained track. It ought to be something that's still in service, no fair posting abandoned lines. Regards Ed
A CSX Track Inspector told me last year that only one tie in four was required to be in place and in good condition for certification of the 60/50 mph posted speed. If this is true, then why do railroads "waste" money by installing and maintaining the other three ties? Wouldn't this be 300% redundancy? I hope you all understand that: a. I didn't believe the Inspector, but didn't tell him so, and b. I'm very glad that all(!) the ties are in place and in good repair...more or less!
Looks like the locals prefer to use this as a road..... I wonder how many vehicles the trains encounter? Boxcab E50
I have my doubts. At those speeds, that would be Class 4 track for freight. If the other three ties didn't meet FRA Inspection Standards, they'd be getting nailed for the numerous defects. Especially at joints....... Sounds more like Class 1 stuff. Or Excepted.... Boxcab E50
SP deferred maintenance!!! Know what happens when you repeatedly hammer on a chisel? The head of the chisel mushrooms... When you run repeated heavy freights on track that is not maintained well, or has extreme curvature on a heavy grade, this happens: This is NOT snow; it is metal shavings ground from the rails: All shot outside the west portal of Tunnel 2 on the old Moffat Route!
Was that SP track on a curve? If so, should have had a flange oiler. I'd hate to know of all the wheel wear ongoing! $$$$$!!!!! Yes. That would be w-a-y out of FRA tolerances! Probably closer to Excepted Track, than Class 3 or 4. Boxcab E50
Boxcab: Looks like the locals prefer to use this as a road..... I wonder how many vehicles the trains encounter? Not many, it's more like a foot or burro path. Most (not all) places that line goes are virtually inaccessable by car. At the time of the photo, train traffic was one train (consisting of one locomotive and one coach) every other day. The train ran north on 3 days a week and back south on 3 days. There hadn't been any freight traffic in months. Speed averaged 12 mph. Took us 6 hours to go 70 (+/-) miles. Regards Ed
Hemi, I was seeing many, many locations with metal shavings like you show that were the results of 30-34 50 mph freights each day before Katrina. Fortunately, CSX is replacing 80-90% of all ties and a fair amount of rail before they re-open the NO&M in three weeks. BTW, all that shaved trackage is in the middle of a six-mile long tangent...not a curve in sight.
