Subdeacon Joe Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 "Something you don't see everyday, as it is a very rare thing to occur.... Trains can do a burnout too!" "This obviously isn't supposed to happen... The engineer operating the locomotive that did this is in deep kimchi with his bosses. Locomotives have things called "wheel-slip indicators" on them. His either didn't work, or he ignored it for whatever reason. But my goodness, if the thing didn't start rolling after moderate throttle, why throttle up and burn the rail?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 I realize that there are different types of steel used in the rails versus the wheels but if it generated that much heat, wouldn't degrade the wheel also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted November 30, 2019 Author Share Posted November 30, 2019 I realize that there are different types of steel used in the rails versus the wheels but if it generated that much heat, wouldn't degrade the wheel also? It would to some extent, but the mass of the wheel is greater than the mass of the rail and it gets a chance to cool slightly when not in contact with the rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 Its called a "Train Burnout" and happens when 1 locomotive in a multi-locomotive set experiences a control malfunction. The malfunctioning unit fails to shut down when the rest of the train does. The wheels start slipping and if the train is stopped it will damage the rails as well as the wheels on the locomotive. Keep in mind that only the lead locomotive has a crew the rest are unmanned. If the picture in the OP was zoomed out there should be additional damage matching the wheel pattern on the locomotive. Found a video of it happening at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted November 30, 2019 Author Share Posted November 30, 2019 Very impressive, indeed! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 Its called a "Train Burnout" and happens when 1 locomotive in a multi-locomotive set experiences a control malfunction. The malfunctioning unit fails to shut down when the rest of the train does. The wheels start slipping and if the train is stopped it will damage the rails as well as the wheels on the locomotive. Keep in mind that only the lead locomotive has a crew the rest are unmanned. If the picture in the OP was zoomed out there should be additional damage matching the wheel pattern on the locomotive. Found a video of it happening at night. What Dave said ^^^^ Also, there may not be trainlined signals to tell an engineer this is happening so sometimes they don’t discover it until it’s too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 Har! A burnout in Sparks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fence Cutter Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 Har! A burnout in Sparks! Ha. That's a perfect match! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Church Key, SASS # 33713 Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 I grew up in Washington, DC, three blocks from the Eckington RR yards which were the largest yards East of Chicago. I remember the steam engines starting up and sanding the tracks to gain traction. You would hear a couple of big Huff's then wheel spin with clouds of black smoke. My mother would have to shake the coal particles off the sheets after they dried on the clothesline. It seems like one day all the steam engines vanished and were replaced with diesels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baltimore Ed Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 I used to operate a yard engine [25 yrs] and it used to drive me bat crazy when my switchman would leave hand brakes tight or not release the air brakes and expect me to move the string of cars. I’ve never seen tracks burned up that bad. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painted Mohawk SASS 77785 Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 WOW..The things 'ya learn..thanks for that !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 Not only have I never seen that; I've never even heard of it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 This is the same thing I see with drivers here in Colorado. We have a TON of Californians and Texans moving here (one estimate shows 1000 per day). Neither state has snow and ice like we do, so you can always spot the Californians and Texans on the roads...spinning their tires wildly to go uphill on ice. I grew up in Iowa, where -30 degrees in January is normal. As part of driver's education training, I recall driving onto a lake and learning how to steer on ice. Don't worry, at those temperatures, the ice is six feet thick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 This is the same thing I see with drivers here in Colorado. We have a TON of Californians and Texans moving here (one estimate shows 1000 per day). Neither state has snow and ice like we do, so you can always spot the Californians and Texans on the roads...spinning their tires wildly to go uphill on ice. I grew up in Iowa, where -30 degrees in January is normal. As part of driver's education training, I recall driving onto a lake and learning how to steer on ice. Don't worry, at those temperatures, the ice is six feet thick. Ahh...! The Coloradan’s Lament. 50+ years and still going......”GD Californians and Texans.....”. (ad nauseum). It’s a nasty thing to say, and disrespectful, too. I saw the same thing with drivers in Washington State, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, California (where I now live) and Europe, for that matter. One in particular (Seattle)..... I was going to work near SEATAC airport one very snowy, icy morning at 5:00AM. Deserted 6-lane, straight-street thoroughfare. Police car (no lights) WAY out (1/2+mile?) in front of me accelerating hard. God knows how fast he was going, because the distance the car slid out of control was literally over 1/2 mile. We’re the only 2 cars on the street. He lost control (the ice took him) on the icy street, he spun around several times, slid sideways, then around some more. He was using all six lanes.... I pulled carefully over in my rental till I could feel the curb, and stopped. By the time he got up near me, he (naturally! of course!), came all the way across the six lanes directly at me, the jerk.... He missed me and slammed into the curb just behind me, bounced off and kept going, sliding along.... What a moron. I didn’t even look back (for him) but instead, pulled out and kept going. I figured he might try to blame me if I tried to help him, and he had more access to assistance than I did. I did call 911 and told them to find out if he needed help, but I didn’t ID myself. Another local boy makes good. So, my point is, and my lifetime experience is, that the “homeboys” are more likely to get into trouble such as with this ice/snow incident, and other common, known local hazards just out of plain old arrogance and foolishness than newcomers. Newcomers generally have more respect for such local hazards, which they either may not be familiar with at home, or even if they do come from somewhere else with similar weather, hazards, etc. They’re, in a new place and generally behave more carefully. Later, perhaps, they become more complacent. “California” Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.