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Street Running in the USA or Canada


trisonic

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In the top photo they appear to be pushing the cars, the engineers are both leaning out of the cabs looking past the cars. This is possibly the reason for two short trains.

 

Agreed that they're pushing.  The only reason I can think that they wouldn't just have one engine pushing two cars is possibly some rule about needing a caboose for the brakeman when traveling more than a given distance (or a given number of cars)

 

Another thing that really puzzled me was the distance between the trains.  Even at yard limit speeds, they shouldn't be that close.  Upon further looking, just past the first train, there's a man in the road.  Its possible (probable?) that he's a flagman, and has stopped the two trains, and the two engineers are looking at him to see when they could proceed.

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They are guard rails, put there so that if there is a derailment, the back of a wheel will rub against them and prevent the derailed cars from going too far from the track.

 

Agree.  Commonly found on bridges, sometimes on tight radius curves.  The two outer rails are the running rails.

 

I'm assuming they are there so, in the case of a derailment, the cars don't run out into the road and block traffic.  Can't think of any other reason to have guard rails there.

 

Of course, if there's a derailment on the tracks IN the road, you'll have those issues...

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Like you say, unusual to see that on plain track away from vulnerable structures, but it does explain why the gaps didn't look consistent! ;)

 

If I remember the track on the right gets quite a bit higher than the road (out of picture).

 

I believe I need more details of “Pete’s Grocery” in the other photos!

 

Nowadays it would be "Pete’s Deli”......

 

Best, Pete.

Edited by trisonic
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A friend of mine is a well known railroad artist here in the states.  His latest work is titled "Drama on Washington, Syracuse, NY", and features street running in the age of steam.  Here's a pic of it, copied from his web site.

 

post-7591-0-41754600-1459783219.jpg

 

I've seen the original, and this picture really doesn't do it justice.  (the original is 24" x 36")

 

Copies are now available to order, either a giclee on canvas or a print on archival paper.  If you're interested, info on ordering is available on his web site at http://www.tutwilerfineart.com/New-Release.html

Disclaimer:  David and his wife Line are friends of mine.  I own copies of several of his paintings.  I don't have any business relationship with him.

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I'm on my phone and reading al the pages is not possible, but I just got the South Shore Line electrics running down 11th Avenue in Michigan City Indiana. On our way to Chicago for the New Zealand-Ireland Rugby on Saturday, so no photos till Sunday night/Monday when home.

 

Was cool though, my first time seeing street running.

 

Stephen

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I'm trying to figure out what a Illinois Central inspired paint scheme is doing in CA...

Iowa Pacific uses it for almost everything. They also have (had?) SD90MACs in that scheme running in New Mexico.  

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