Working rail roads and their tracks.

   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,871  
A note on curving. If I remember correctly the railroads do rail spreading in the curves. Again from memory, 3mm per degree of curve.

Most of the US railroads now use stick lubrication on the locomotive trucks. Years ago it was a grease in a pressurized tank with lines and nozzles to the sander mountings on the locomotive. Messy as " California " noted. This was done to reduce flange wear on the wheel and wear on the inside of the rail.

There is a class "c" wheel, which has has a higher brinell number, that are some time's used in switching locomotives. The switching loco's generally work yards with numerous curves.

Last note is that there are "steerable 3 axle locomotive trucks". Axles 1 and 3 are connected thru linkages and they " yaw in concert " when going thru a curve. This design minimized the wheel and rail wear and adds to tractive effort in the curve.
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,876  
I used to see this South Shore Little Joe running freight to factories on the west side of South Bend and hauling cement to a plant there as well when I was a kid.


Very interesting history... Little Joe (electric locomotive) - Wikipedia
 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,877  
The South Shore used to run down the center of the streets from Downtown South Bend to the western city limits, then again through the streets of Michigan City, IN. This video shows the early passenger units I remember. Many of the buildings are still there. The eastern yard is long gone. The train stops at the airport in SB and no longer travels through town.

It also shows a few shots of the Little Joe's hauling freight through Michigan City, as well as the passenger units. Towards the end, it shows the current modern passenger units that they run, and those are slowly being replaced with double deck units.

All freight is hauled with diesel electrics today.

Enjoy!

 
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,879  
   / Working rail roads and their tracks. #3,880  

Bruce
Aerial view


Using the Google Earth app and looking at the 2007 photo, you can see a network of underwater tracks or older and newer ones.

1738340081421.png


Bruce
 
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