You've Never Seen This Before....Amazing Train Video

Nicely done; thank you!

Amazing how those clips and ties hold the rail from spreading with that much weight.

Thanks for posting. Pretty cool.

Mike R

Someone will have to refresh my memory here but I remember seeing photos of a VERY similar operation done regularly at that circular freight terminal owned by the CNJ (?) that the CNJ Boxcab operated at (The Boxcab was modeled by MTH and the prototype is at the B&O Museum in Baltimore).

A neat process. Thanks for posting.

A great video - thanks!

Awesome!

That is one beautiful F7.

Thanks for posting.

Mike

Awesome! WOW!
Would love to see the track breakdown and if they got it done for the Amtrak to leave on time.

A transfer table in operation? Awesome stuff there. And an F unit too.

Bill, they did it in minutes. Amazing crew. I couldn't film it because I needed to film the transfer table. One of the things the F-7 crew showed me was a elevator button in the cab. It raised and lowered the snow plow. That would be cool in a O scale F-7 model. Lionel, how about it? Don

I'm so glad that there are Railroads and volunteers out there that still think it important to preserve and maintain these giants so guys like Don can film them in color for the rest of us to see.

It would be a shame if all we had as a video record were old black and white film.

Guys like Rich are getting to do something very special indeed.

I just wish Norfolk Southern still felt that way about steam.

David

Terrific: American steel + American labor + some classic American 'over the top' thinking! Nice shooting Don.

Very cool! Those pros did a great job, and quick!

obviously, this has to be done more than once. why don't they build a permanent crossover?

I'm diggin your 40 foot waves video too! You look great out there on the surf board!

quote:

Originally posted by Between A&B:
Terrific: American steel + American labor + some classic American 'over the top' thinking! Nice shooting Don.

x2!!!!

Wow
And it didn't even cause a short!
Bill

That was great! Thanks for the post.

Nice video, thanks for sharing

Cesar

Nice video, glad you are back to work.

I wonder what % grade that was. Good old American ingenuity.

TEX
Steve

Interesting video..I'm curious.. Not being familiar with the area, it appears the shop, complete with a transfer table is well equipped and used for other engine repairs.
So anyone know why that F-3 could not get into the shop like other engines without crossing UP tracks?
Joe

It's all part of the California Railroad Museum. UP doesn't want to maintain a cross over for the few engines that need work from the Museum. The shops are part of the museum operation but about a half mile away. Only museum engines are repaired at the shops. They also make a few parts for other railroad museums in the shops. You can see more of the shops in this month O Gauge Railroading Magazine. Don

I'll use my inaugural de-lurking post to say that if you are ever in the area, it is a phenomenal museum and a must-visit. Great staging and atmosphere, and something for all interests. How'd you like to: Walk the length of a vintage RPO car? Experience a vintage sleeper car, darkened inside, with sound effects and gently rocking as though in motion? Sit at the controls of the giant SP Cab-Forward? There's an impressive exhibit of toy and model trains as well, including a really fun, multi-level standard and O gauge layout controllable by the kids, and several wooden train tables with plenty of Thomas stuff for the kids to play with.

I'm really fortunate to live nearby and visit regularly with my kids, so I was pleased to see this video and the OGR feature.

Donn

Just another example of your typically superb videography, Don!

Really neat to see both the "track work" and the transfer table in action.

Thanks Donn and Allan, before we moved to Maui, we temporarily lived in Sacramento for a little over four months. I was lucky enough to be asked by the museum to do some filming for them. You are so right, I think the California Museum is one of the best in the county. The Rio Vista, one of the very best for traction, Niles Canyon, and The Golden Gate Railroad Museum are in the Bay Area as well. Don

quote:

why don't they build a permanent crossover?

A permanent crossing is not cost effective when considering the wear on the rails caused by locomotives and heavy freight cars bouncing over the flangeways required on a regular crossing.

I do wonder if it would feasible to construct a crossing like the one for the SEPTA route 11 trolleys at the CSX grade crossing in Darby, Pennsylvania.
Video at: SEPTA-CSX Darby Rt 11 Grade Crossing



There is no flangeway for the trolley; the trolley's flanges ride on top of the CSX rail. (While feasible for the relatively light weight of trolleys, not sure this would work for a locomotive.) Anyway, CSX has a smooth, continuous rail surface through the crossing so that there is not an issue of the trolley crossing causing wear to CSX's tracks. This replaced a traditional crossing (with flangeways) a few years ago. I myself have not ridden across it in a trolley but I understand that it is no bumpier for trolley riders than the previous standard crossing.

quote:

It's all part of the California Railroad Museum. UP doesn't want to maintain a cross over for the few engines that need work from the Museum.

Thanks Scale Rail.
Could be the first time I've seen a transfer table in operation...
Joe

Joe, it was the first time for me. Don

The SEPTA rail crossings with no flangeways for one route is a new one to me. The video of removable rails for the California Rail Museum was also very interesting. Here is another curiousity in this department called "removable crossing" (almost a third of the way into this long web page).

http://members.trainweb.com/be...ndloco/crrnjbxt.html

I was at Railfair '99 and at the end of Railfair they had a bunch of equipment lined up to leave, ATSF 3751, The Daylight and etc. As I recall, start to finish was 45 minutes. It was real interesting to see the big northerns cross a temporary track. As I recall, UP said it saves them over 100K a year to not have to maintain the diamonds. Not sure if UP charges CSRM for the labor to place the temp crossing or if it a "donation."