Weekend Update 6/22/14

[arbomambo]

Going to start prepping the newest from Bill (Skytop Models)...
64' ATSF Smoothside semi-lightweight baggage-express cars...a fixture in the head end consists of ATSF passenger and mail trains from '56 til Amtrak.
Beautiful castings, underbody detail already in place, dimples for grabs...judt need to add steps , grabs, paint and lettering.
Forgive the quick pics...just had to take some pics immediately upon arrival!
~Bruce

[bbussey]

Finished the Greenville well car.

[u36b]

Ahh, the "Y-Tie": steel, efficient, recyclable; rusting easily, high maintenance, lightweight.... works in Europe, wouldn't want to run an SD70 ACe on it...
Otto K.

You are right,
but what makes this picture really interesting is the fact that there are 3 different kinds of ties/sleepers. I wounder why and were this picture was taken

Stephan

[peteski]

You are right,
but what makes this picture really interesting is the fact that there are 3 different kinds of ties/sleepers. I wounder why and were this picture was taken

Stephan

Yeah, metal, concrete and wood.  UP1950 always puts a direct URL to the photo. There is one above that photo too. If you go to the original one, the location and year might be listed.

[nkalanaga]

It isn't - I looked.  All you get is the picture.  As it's a Wikimedia picture, there is almost certainly a Wikipedia page SOMEWHERE describing it, but it would probably take trial and error searching to find it.

[peteski]

It isn't - I looked.  All you get is the picture.  As it's a Wikimedia picture, there is almost certainly a Wikipedia page SOMEWHERE describing it, but it would probably take trial and error searching to find it.

I searched wikipedia for "gleise y normal" (since that is part of the photo's URL) and here is the page on which that photo appears: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_tie 

Still, no location is given.

[Power Stroke]

Well, I finally decided today was the day to correct some of the issues that have bothered me with the layout since I built it.
Here is an early shot showing how the tracks exit the tunnel on the lower section.



I have cut out the portal, and took up the tracks. The tracks in the tunnel will have to be reradiused somewhat, and while it will be difficult, it is not impossible.
The idea is to remove the rediculous curves coming out of the portal and entering under the viaduct. This should also result in more useable realestate on the other side
of the viaduct, along with a more resonable radius in the curve out that side.
On the second creek crossing, I am leaning towards a Kato double track plate girder bridge. I'll have to make some alterations but it should be doable.
A through truss would be nice but their simply too long.

[nkalanaga]

Peteski:  Good job finding that!  Since the article says that, at the time of their information, 90% of the track using these ties was in Germany, and the title of the picture looks like German, I'd guess it was there, but that still covers a lot of territory and types of traffic.

Clicking on the photo in the article goes to the Wikimedia photo home page, with details on the photo.  Unfortunately, there are no details posted...  There is a list of the articles using the photo, which led to the German language version of the page.  Google Translate made something of a mess of the English, but it can be puzzled out, especially since we know what it's supposed to be about.  Here is the translation.

"Y-threshold

A special form of railway sleeper is the Y-steel sleeper, are assembled in pairs swinging formed steel profiles and thus yield a Y-shaped threshold. In track this threshold is in each case an attachment point shot at the one and two attachment points on the opposite rail and in the sequence of each alternately 180 ° placed with in the gravel bed.

Advantages of Y-steel sleeper are the low profile, high track resistance even in tight curves, the narrow gravel bed (only 2.6 m at the top of the ballast bed, Vorkopfschotter included) and the extremely low sensitivity to derailment consequences in shunting. The Y-shaped steel sleeper has a high resistance to lateral displacement, and is more flexible than concrete sleepers. A disadvantage is the cost per individual threshold are due to high steel prices. The small footprint makes frequent consuming readjustment of the track required.

Meanwhile, these thresholds are suitable for all conversion technologies and allow the same speeds with the mechanical working through as in sleeper tracks. In their normal use route speeds of up to 120 km / h can be admitted. But there are already much faster trafficked routes with Y-sleepers went into operation.

It is often on routes that are equipped with Y-sleepers, an increased tendency to ripple formation observed, which leads to increased noise levels. They are therefore not used when sound technical requirements must be met to avoid noise.

Y-steel sleepers are used in the network of Deutsche Bahn on seven sections. Due rusted Y-steel sleepers that have been tentatively postponed the mid-1990s on a solid track, had to be closed to rail traffic at a 14 km long stretch of the railway line Berlin-hall between Bitterfeld and Hall on 1 August 2012. [1] were the damages arose because the rain water does not run because of the impermeable subsoil and because of the track grates covered for noise reduction could not evaporate."

So it sounds like these aren't common, and may have enough problems that they probably won't become common.  Given the rusty appearance of only the Y-tie track in the photo, I wonder if this is part of the section that was closed?  If so, that would narrow the location considerably.  Any German members recognize the scene?

[keeper]

No, I don't recognize the scene and it is save to say that these ties are not common. I think concrete ties are today's choice incl. high speed track. Although high speed track has all kinds of track bed e.g. a solid concrete bed. I think it depends on the underground.

Thomas

[bnsfdash8]

I've been applying some grass with my newly built static grass applicator, I made one from an electric flyswatter. So far I'm really enjoying the static grass.



A railfan picture from my layout:

[LIRR]

Nice work on the details!

[coosvalley]

I've been working on this N scale RBOX and these HO models....hope you like...

I'd also like to mention I've really been enjoying the micro layouts!

















Thanks for looking

[jmlaboda]

BAR's F-units were quite unique, what with the high-mounted bell above the cab windows.  The only other line that had high-mounted bells like this was the Central of Georgia,...

http://southern.railfan.net/images/archive/southern/other_lines/cofg/cg807b.html
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1843584
http://rr-fallenflags.org/sout/cg808.jpg

Thanks for sharing your work!!!

[Puddington]

BAR's F-units were quite unique, what with the high-mounted bell above the cab windows.  The only other line that had high-mounted bells like this was the Central of Georgia,...

http://southern.railfan.net/images/archive/southern/other_lines/cofg/cg807b.html
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1843584
http://rr-fallenflags.org/sout/cg808.jpg

Thanks for sharing your work!!!

Nice work... but that bell placement looks like the leading cause of Excedrin Headache # 6.....

[Wlal13again]

Finally finished the train room..