Crushed stone works best since it acts as a sieve while providing a good support base.
Rail transloader equipment free#
Properly maintained trackage features ballast several inches above the roadbed, profiled at an angle towards ditches which carry away the water.Ī well-manicured line is also free of grime, dirt, or other substances which could foul the ballast and prevent it from efficiently doing its job. Not only will rails rust and ties rot when exposed to water for long periods but its presence will eventually undermine the entire right-of-way. The latter purpose is perhaps the most important.
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According to Brian Solomon's book, " Railway Maintenance: The Men And Machines That Keep The Railroads Running," ballast performs three primary functions it acts as a stabilizer in keeping rails and ties firmly in place, distributes the weight evenly throughout the ties, and carries water away from the track structure. The ballasting and ties are just as important as the actual rails. This led to the development of steel rails, sufficient ballasting, stronger bridges, and dense cross-ties made of hardwoods. Rail equipment is inherently heavy and as weights increased improvements were needed. Several other advancements propelled the industry forward in both safety and speed such as the knuckle-coupler, air brake, iron "T"-rail, introduction of steel, and high capacity boilers. He also tested the first type of steam locomotive in 1826, showcasing his "Steam Waggon" at his estate in Hoboken, New Jersey along a short stretch of track. Nevertheless he is quoted as saying, " I do verily believe that carriages propelled by steam will come into general use, and travel at the rate of 300 miles a day." His words proved incredibly accurate!Ĭolonel John Stevens went on to charter the first railroad in North America, the New Jersey Railroad Company in 1815, although it was not actually built until 1832. Unfortunately, he died before having the chance to test his theory.
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It was to run on a wooden track structure and operate at speeds up to 15 mph. The book, " Railroads In The Days Of Steam" from the editors of American Heritage, points out American inventor Oliver Evans recognized the steam engine's capabilities.Īs early as 1813 he attempted to build a steam-powered carriage system connecting New York and Philadelphia. The practice carried over to the United States and, like England, eventually adopted as its standard.īefore the railroad proved its worth as a fast and efficient mode of transportation a number of technological improvements were needed. It was based from the width of ancient Roman chariot roads found there. In his book, " The American Freight Train," author Jim Boyd notes the country's early carriers, the Stockton & Darlington and Liverpool & Manchester, used this gauge. The use of such an odd width can be traced back to England, birthplace of the railroad. Eventually, the industry settled on the "Stephenson Gauge" (standard gauge) of 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches. The most important aspect behind any rail maintenance-of-way program is keeping the track and right-of-way in working order.ĭuring the industry's early days a wide variety of gauges were utilized ranging from two to six feet. However, the age-old task of doing this by hand still endures today. These machines, and others, have largely removed the human element. There is also equipment to quickly and efficiently insert ties, plates, and spikes. Another is the undercuttter, a beastly contraption capable of removing ballast from beneath the track all by itself. Take, for instance, the ditch cleaner, which effectively returns ditches to maximum efficiency. As time passed, and technologies improved, newer designs with specialization in mind eventually replaced the Jordan. They were used throughout the 20th century and can still be found on some railroads today.
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This easy-to-maintain and relatively simple machine could perform a wide variety of tasks ranging from ballast regulation to snow removal. One of the most popular was the do-it-all Jordan Spreader. It was not until the early 1900's that the first forms of mechanization appeared. Naturally, the task was both backbreaking and dangerous. Large section gangs could be found all along the main line keeping it serviceable on a daily basis.
Rail transloader equipment manual#
Railroad maintenance-of-way has long been an important part of railroading although not always mechanized like it is today.ĭuring the 19th century the work was performed entirely with manual labor.