Even Heavier Freight Cars!
Interesting article in this month's Railway Age, discussing the difference in car components wear when car weight is increased from 263,000 lbs to 286,000 lbs. Emphasis is on the car itself, but other research has been done by the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. in Pueblo, Colorado as to what these heavier cars do to track, too.
My question is, has there been any thinking as to how to rerail these megacars when they go on the ground? If you have ever tried to rerail today's rolling stock, and it seems like all you have is some old lumber, a little rope, and a bumper jack, the question might cross your mind when you realize that tomorrow's cars are 10% heavier!
posted by Rip @ 5:13 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
The Class 1's are talking about 310,000 loading is next. The 286 loading is destroying the short lines. At the NRC we lobbied to get tax relief for the short lines when upgrading to 286 loading and it just got passed with a maximum of 3500 per mile tax deduction. There are RIF loans for short lines at very low interest rates. For 286 loading the minimum size rail must be 112# and the supporting structure must be very stable. 310 loading will require a minimum of 132# rail. When will it end?
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