Seen outside Reading: a train of no less than 39 Plasser & Theurer MFS conveyors. Quite impressive!
Guy
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"To every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, neat and wrong" - HL MenckenYellow things
May 13, 2005
17 Replies
In message , "Just zis Guy, you know?" writes
If you are referring to what I think you're referring to, I think that's a ballast-cleaning train and seems to be permanently stabled at Reading when not in use. The times I've seen it in motion, it's been top and tailed by Freightliner 66s, and it is impressively long.
Yes, ballast cleaning sounds about right. It is enormous, isn't it?
Guy
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"To every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken
In message , "Just zis Guy, you know?" writes
Got any pictures of it?
Not me, no - I don't have a digital camera and my old-fashioned chemical camera doesn't fit in my bike bag.
Guy
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"To every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken
In message , "Just zis Guy, you know?" writes
After doing some more research, it's official name is the "High Output Ballast Cleaning System" There's more info on it here:
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on Plasseur & Theurer's site here (including pictures):
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Apparently the thing is 800m long, bet signallers love that!
Here's a rather appalling picture of it that will at least give you an idea of the size of the thing.
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Pete
CN and CP freight trains at least twice that length pass near my house frequently! However, the passenger trains usually have only 3-5 coaches.
In message , mutley writes
Hmm. I'll have a couple of models of that for my model railway :-)
I think you've got the space - it would go twice round one of my loops ;-)
Guy
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"To every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken
Yeah, I remember when I first moved to the US, and had to stop at a level crossing for a freight train to go by. Couldn't believe the length, must of been a mile long! (and took forever) :-) Rob
It seems like forever, but at 60 mph it's only about a minute, plus another 30sec. or so between the barriers descending and the front end of the train (usually 3 locos) arriving. No more than some traffic lights. At 30 mph, it's an extra minute.
At 60mph, it's EXACTLY a minute for a mile long thing to pass a fixed point.
HTH.
If it's EXACTLY a mile long and going EXACTLY 60 mph, yes.
Assuming time is a constant. :-)
Are there any large gravitational masses nearby?
Regards, Greg.P.
A couple of spotters just of camera?
That's why I said it. Still, I'm glad to have your confirmation that the laws of physics are unchanged.
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