Working rail roads and their tracks.

[California]

The guy in the foreground is applying oil to the inside of the rail to cut down wear in the wheel flanges. In some areas, they used to have oilers on the rails that would apply lube to wheels on the outside rails of a turn to help them negotiate the turn with less friction.

I've seen that on the way up Donner Pass. Greasy mess.

 

[California]

I've seen that on the way up Donner Pass. Greasy mess.

I should note we were on foot, Clipper Gap / Cape Horn region. Steep grades, tight curves.

Added: Cape Horn, see picture below.

 

[ArlyA]

I've seen that on the way up Donner Pass. Greasy mess.

Why would they be doing that there? The 4014 is rear long with its 4 axle drive trucks struggles on sharp curves.

 

[California]

Why would they be doing that there? The 4014 is rear long with its 4 axle drive trucks struggles on sharp curves.

Not 4014 related.

That long steady grade - 40 miles? - from sea level to 7,000 ft Donner Summit, has a lot of curves at minimum radius because the terrain is so rough. We walked from a back road to the Transcontinental tracks near a crossing a few miles short of the summit, and saw lots of grease on the inner side of the outer rail at the curve there.

I've also seen 4014 struggle on a too-tight curve, up on an elevated curved crossing over the main line just east of Sacramento Railyard which I think is a seldom used connection from the east/west main line. to what was Western Pacific's line south to Los Angeles. They were obviously concerned the flange on some drive wheels would climb over the outer rail. Much back up, try again, several times before the crew watching the wheels let it proceed.

 

[California]

 

[California]

Donner Pass, over the Sierras from California to Nevada, still is a marvel of engineering. Seemingly impassible rough terrain was surveyed about 1860 to make the Transcontinental Railroad. Up many canyons, across ridges and through tunnels, then up more canyons.

Riding that route today its fascinating to hear the diesels pulling hard mile after mile, up a grade that is near constant uphill.

I thought it was uniform 2% grade but I just Googled and found:
* The steepest sustained grade is about eight miles long,east from Dutch Flat -- averages 2.35%

and

* just east of Tunnel 18 on the former westward track is 1000 feet of 2.79%, where they had to realign it when they built the tunnel.

 

[BravoXray]

UP 4014 Union Pacific Steam 4-8-8-4 at Denver, Colorado photo by Mike DannemanView attachment 2248947

I'll bet the crew appreciates that big furnace in front of them in weather like that, but not so much in the summertime.

 

[BravoXray]

Why would they be doing that there? The 4014 is rear long with its 4 axle drive trucks struggles on sharp curves.

Each of the two sets of four drive axles still have a long wheelbase, much longer than the common three axle trucks on diesels, so that limits how tight of a curve it can negotiate without risking derailing. I don't think the Big Boys had any unflanged drivers as a few steam locomotives did to help with tight curves.

 

[bcp]

Wikipedia:

^^^^^^^^^


Bruce

 

[bcp]

Now to the other extreme:

Railcar of the Waco, Beaumont, Trinity & Sabine Ry, at Trinity, Texas



Bruce

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