Working rail roads and their tracks.

[HawkinsHollow]

Think that will work fine until you hit the first bump, join or switch.
Then it's a wonderful lever arm?

Not sure I understand your comment.

 

[gstrom99]

Not sure I understand your comment.

I think I'd stop and walk through these...

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I think I'd stop and walk through these...

View attachment 773915

Yeah, that could be interesting.

 

[kenmbz]

The arm that goes to the second track would be torqued if the drag on either side was greater.
Forget about switches, the Arm or the bike would twist change the direction of mass quickly.

 

[dodge man]

We have a pretty busy rail running through our nearby town, Macomb Illinois. At a couple different times I lived within a couple of blocks, never really bothered me. I moved to the area in 1984 and I’ve never lived in this area where I couldn’t hear the train whistles. We live about 4 miles from the tracks now. At night if I’m not asleep and the windows are open I can hear the engines digging in as they speed up leaving town and hear the whistle at the crossings. I like the sounds for some reason.

 

[cqaigy2]

It might seem kinda weird, but at night, when going to sleep, i also like the sound of engine going under load. Not sure why, but also a distance train whistle does the same.

 

[ArlyA]

My first RR job was in a tiny little town with a double main line passing through with a full train every 20 minutes or so. We lived about 4 or 5 blocks away from them and you could smell the coal dust emanating from the trains, not to mention hear the power heads rumbling. Memories from my distant past.

 

[BoylermanCT]

We have these pedal cars in RI and NY on tracks dedicated to this operation.

Experience the magic of the railroad like never before

Ride the rails on pedal-powered rail bikes in one of our spectacular locations, a unique, family-friendly experience.

www.railexplorers.net

 

[MossRoad]

My first RR job was in a tiny little town with a double main line passing through with a full train every 20 minutes or so. We lived about 4 or 5 blocks away from them and you could smell the coal dust emanating from the trains, not to mention hear the power heads rumbling. Memories from my distant past.

The only regular steam train I ever remember was in a local cement company gravel pit (Kuert Concrete for those locals interested). The pit was about a mile long and they had a large dragline and a payloader that would fill the train cars and the steam engine would pull them up to the plant. At night, we'd drive by the plant and you could see the orange glowing fire under the steam engine while it sat in the engine shed, especially in winter with a blanket of snow. It would have made a good Christmas card. I was born in 1961, and I'm guessing they stopped using it by 1970. They had a little Plymouth diesel locomotive that took over. The pit is now mined out and road bound, so no room for expansion. The cement plant is still there.

The steam engine was sold to a machine tool shop in Mishawaka, IN and sat in front of their business on Jefferson east of town for many years. They painted it bright yellow with the company logo. Last I heard, I believe it may be in some park in Ohio. I used to have pictures of it.

 

[MossRoad]

HA! Found this info on some train site....

Vulcan c/n 3313 built 11/22 for Sturm & Dillard at Columbus, Ohio as their number 100. Sold to South Bend Sand & Gravel in South Bend, Indiana in 1946. Later displayed at Machinery & Supply Company in Swanson Heights, Indiana circa 1970-77.

Now it sits in Grand Pacific Junction Victorian shopping district, SW of Cleveland.