Western Maryland Scenic in big trouble

@superwarp1 posted:

Just read this on Trains news wire. The FRA has told the railroad no running until 50,000 ties are replaced at an estimated cost of just over 2 million.   Question is where that money is going to come from.

That and, who will they contract to do the work, since they haven't had a "track department" for quite some years.

Maybe a blessing.  Get the track fixed before 1309 runs on it with passengers.  And see and fix, if needed the turntable approch on the far end so 1309 can use it.

Again, another black eye.  Track is so basic.  Who dropped the ball?

@Dominic Mazoch posted:

Maybe a blessing.  Get the track fixed before 1309 runs on it with passengers.  And see and fix, if needed the turntable approch on the far end so 1309 can use it.

Again, another black eye.  Track is so basic.  Who dropped the ball?

Just my opinion but, I don't believe the "management" of that operation could organize a one car funeral!

Wow. Thanks for the link Gary. John

looks like they have been ignoring it for a long time 50,000 ties don't go bad over night, you do need a track crew on a regular basis to keep things up and do inspections especially when running passenger service. as for a major project like that the only way is to contract it out it can't be done by a normal maintenance crew.

The track  between the station and the narrows has needed work for a long time. If you watch videos of the 734 the engine almost rocks itself right off the rail.

This certainly causes rain on the parade.

True, this is deferred maintenance, not an overnight situation.  If the FRA Track Inspector made regular periodic visits, we would presume that the tie condition has been noted for some time as it grew worse.  Normally, FRA does not just drop something like this on a railroad.  It would not be a surprise if the railroad had been notified of tie defects by way of written violations (probably not fined every time, as a Class 1 road would have been) and if subsequent inspections have developed no evidence of a tie replacement plan with an eye toward full compliance with track standards.  If that is the case, then that would explain the FRA's Order.  The FRA tries to get voluntary cooperation when it finds violations, and only takes action of this magnitude after repeated attempts to see improvement.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

After reading the article I scrolled further to the comments section.  One gentleman states he worked those tracks for 17 years and they were in top condition when he left in 2015.  I didn't imagine ties deteriorating so much in 5 years but then I don't know anything either.

Well, certainly not good news. I'm just a few hours away from Cumberland and have been up there many times for the WMSR. Looks like things will be idle for quite some time.

Darn it. The Great Allegheny Passage and WMSR are two 'bucket-list' items I have been aching to get to. But the long drive from Boston has deterred me. Needless to say, the events of the past 11 months have made me regret not visiting the area sooner, and now this. I hope they come up with the dough.

@johnstrains posted:

Looks like things will be idle for quite some time.

Probably, unless a few of those big mouth millionaires around DC chip in and donate the money to keep this historic RR running.

I feel sorry for the guy that had to count all the bad ones.

Thats a shame, though. Hopefully they find a way.

@Cumberland Valley posted:

After reading the article I scrolled further to the comments section.  One gentleman states he worked those tracks for 17 years and they were in top condition when he left in 2015.

Anybody can post anything on the internet, but in my opinion, I don't believe THAT for one second.

  I didn't imagine ties deteriorating so much in 5 years but then I don't know anything either.

I believe that a track condition "survey" report on the WMSR came out in 2019, and it was not very favorable concerning tie condition. Thus, things have been left "unattended" for many, MANY years.

That's a bummer. I bet the price of 50000 ties is pretty steep in general but maybe they could for a historic chain gang with some volunteers and get to it. I just gotta wonder if the rails have been bent/damaged from improper support.

@BillYo414 posted:

That's a bummer. I bet the price of 50000 ties is pretty steep in general but maybe they could for a historic chain gang with some volunteers and get to it. I just gotta wonder if the rails have been bent/damaged from improper support.

Rails are pretty durable so they should be fine.  But as someone who has done some limited volunteer track work, you aren't getting volunteers to replace 50,000 ties in anything like a reasonable time frame, especially if you are relying on hand tools.

Given that the fully automated track laying machines only do a mile or a bit more a day, I suspect it would take a really long time for people to do this much track with hand tools!

It is out of the question to think that volunteers with hand tools can replace 50,000 ties. It would take years. Besides, there is a lot more to this job than just replacing the ties.

If the FRA has said they cannot run passenger trains, it means the track is now classed as "Excepted Track." Passenger trains cannot operate on Excepted Track.

Here's a table of the various track classifications. I think the WM would like to eventually get their track up to Class 2. There would be no need to go higher than that.

• The lowest class is referred to as Excepted Track. Freight trains can operate at a maximum speed of 10 mph.
  Passenger trains are not permitted to run on Excepted Track.
  Hazardous material cannot be moved over excepted track.
  
  
• Class 1 - Class 3 track allows operation of freight and passenger trains with various restricted speeds
  
  
• Class 4 track is the most common for regular commuter and passenger railroads allowing the typical full speed of the train.
  
  
• Class 5 track is less common, allowing higher speeds. It is expected that as demand for track speed increases, Class 5 track will become more common.
  
  
• Class 6 track is for freight trains and passenger trains traveling up to 110 mph. This is the classification level necessary for the higher-speed trains currently planned for future service.
  
  
• Class 7 limits all trains to 125 mph.
  Most of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor is Class 7 track (used on the Amtrak Acela Train).
  
  
• Class 8 track is very limited, a few segments exist in the Northeast Corridor.
  
  
• Class 9 track limits all trains to 200 mph. There is no Class 9 track currently in the USA.

At a standard 19-1/2" tie spacing, there are 3,250 ties per mile. 50,000 ties translates to 15.38 miles of track. If they were to "boardwalk" it (replace every tie), the job is a big hurdle. However, they may be able to get the track back up to Class 1 by replacing only every other tie this year. They could then get the remaining ties in over the next year or two, and eventually achieve class 2 status.

However, there is a lot more to this than just replacing the ties. The track will have to be surfaced after the ties are replaced. "Surfacing" involves the use of a machine called a Tamper. This machine will move over a section of the track, plotting every little bump and wiggle in the track into the on-board computer. The tamper then backs up to the point where it started plotting. The operator looks at where the track is now, with all of its bumps and wiggles, then plots a line for the computer to follow, placing the track where he wants it to be when the tamper is finished. The computer then moves the tamper down the line one tie at a time, lifting it, moving it, leveling it, vibrating it (so ballast goes under the tie), and placing the tie and rails exactly where they should be to make the track smooth and level.

A Ballast Regulator may also be needed to clean up the ballast and get it all placed back where it should be. The ballast really gets disturbed and scattered about in the process of replacing ties.

No matter how you look at this, it is a big job for even a fully mechanized gang.

I'm from So Cal (not anymore) and Metro-link uses Concrete ballast with spring loaded tie down of a sort just m .02

I really hate to say it but a real money pit.  1309 a engine with no place to run.

thanks Rich for the explanation