I have a transformer car that I was thinking of using a idler car between the loco and the transformer flat. I have seen some youtube vids of this. In a few of them there appears to be some cement blocks on the idler flats and or gondolas used for this purpose. Question is why add the weight?
I would assume the weight is added to keep the idler car force down to the rails, instead of possibly allowing the idler car to POP up slightly if the load is jerked when starting to draw thw weight of the transformer & flat… Sorta like adding ““wheelie”” wheels to drag race cars…
Yes.
tac
Yep an unweighted car used in pulling or pushing and excessivly heavy load would tend to “daisey chain”; hop off the rails particulary on curves…There is a logic to how a freight train is blocked out…like putting longer or lighter cars near the rear when possible …Perhaps one of our professional railroaders could give us a little insight onn how a freight is blocked out?
Bart Salmons said:
Perhaps one of our professional railroaders could give us a little insight onn how a freight is blocked out?
You could write a book about blocking trains… That’s the job of the yardmaster. A couple of important things to remember is the train blocking depends on the local territory. For example some of the train blocking rules I know apply to mountain grade territory. On the flats other blocking rules would apply.
Local conditions dictate the local blocking rules. The yardmaster (and crews) will have available to them a list of acceptable blocking patterns.Along with the local blocking patterns, you have to remember coupler restrictions and hazmat blocking.
For example on Steven’s Pass (a 2.2% Mountain grade) the coupler ratings are as follows:
"Without Helpers
Grade C Equipment 4,800 tons, 7000’
All Grade E or mixed Grade E & C 6,000 tons, 7,000’. All grade C equipment must be placed so that it has no more than 4,800 trailing tons.
With Helpers
9,600 tons, 7,700’ Exception 7,700’ limitation does not apply to Distributed power trains. Note: Coupler capacity limits above for no helper trains apply to trailing tonnage behind helper placement."
That’s just coupler placement! Then you have to remember the other local rules about certain cars not trailing behind other cars. For Scenic Sub (Steven’s Pass) the first 10 intermodal wells have to be filled (either double or single stack). Also can’t have XXX amount of trailing tons behind certain types of spine cars, etc.
Than after all that you get to deal with HAZMAT placement. That’s a whole 'nother book!
Simply put train blocking is quite complicated.
A train profile is given the the engineer that shows the tonnage placement. A well blocked train will look like this: X= tons per railcar. The higher the X goes up the X axis the more tons per car. The number of X’s on the Y axis is the train length, and where the LDS/MTY’s are.
XXX XXX XXX XXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX xx xx
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Short and Heavy Train
A badly blocked train will look like this
X X XX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX XXX XXX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mixed Manifest. Long, moderately heavy
Or even like this
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
X XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Light and long, with a heavy block on the rear.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Grain, Coal, Potash, etc Heavy and Long
I’ve seen and run then all. It just takes a different set of skills on how to run.
Craig