Commuter Rail Delay Discussion

Thanks 8th notch and anyone else that gave humorous answers lol

Backshophoss wrote:It's that black mass in the remains of the bumping block.
The rails must have been covered with ice!

there are speculations of the cause...but on that note, ice can reek havoc on trains, especially at grade x'ings where ice can build up in the flange area of the road x'ing and CAN derail a train

How does that explain this happening when it was trying to stop at Fitchburg? I'm not trying to start an argument. Here's to a merry Christmas and a happy prosperous 2014 to all rr.net members and their families.

diburning wrote:The locomotive wasn't heavy enough to break the ice?

If it's a very thin coating of ice there's nothing for the locomotive to break through! It'll eventually melt off if enough wheels pass over it, but until then the rails will be very slippery, with braking and acceleration distances significantly increased.

What is the speed limit for the Fitchburg station track?

WOLF wrote:What is the speed limit for the Fitchburg station track?

30 mph per timetable and signal indication (Approach).

Oh, yes. Thanks for the correction.

Let me ask this way, when the engineer is at the Fitchburg platform track they are operating the consist @ 30 mph, or they can hit the turnout behind them @ 30 mph?

Does the loco contain a black box? If so does it indicate wheel slippage?

You're speculating that the engineer engaged the brakes to stop @ the eastern end of the Fitchburg platform and the entire consist "slid" the whole length of the station platform?

WOW!

That same night three other trains slid past stations at Concord, Lincoln
and Wilmington...

D

Let me get this straight.......

On 12/21 you stated you did not want to speculate.

On 12/22 you continued to not speculate, however answering mine & other members inquiries.

On 12/23 @ 1:00am or so you recieved "some" of the facts in a download?

Please share, we're all ears.

With the excepetion of the signal approach indication everything you have posted is speculation.

Serious question are you delusional?

Are you contending when you stated braking a train on another line, when you waxed about snow and ice build up on coaches brakes, then talking of wheel slide not slip is not total speculation?

You believe what you typed isn't speculation? For real?

99.9 percent of posters in this thread don't know how to operate a train.

What is your direct connection to this mishap?

Territory? How's this for territory, you explain to me how a train on the Fitch. platform track supposedly braking for the station stop slid uphill? You do realize the main and the paralel station track slope uphill in that territory.

WOLF wrote:Serious question are you delusional?

Are you contending when you stated braking a train on another line, when you waxed about snow and ice build up on coaches brakes, then talking of wheel slide not slip is not total speculation?

You believe what you typed isn't speculation? For real?

99.9 percent of posters in this thread don't know how to operate a train.

What is your direct connection to this mishap?

Territory? How's this for territory, you explain to me how a train on the Fitch. platform track supposedly braking for the station stop slid uphill? You do realize the main and the paralel station track slope uphill in that territory.

Due to the weather conditions and track conditions that evening, it is very possible that even while trying to slow down, the entire train could have slid a considerable distance. As GP40MC 1118 said "That same night three other trains slid past stations at Concord, Lincoln and Wilmington..."

Train 408, the 6:30 am Superexpress from Fitchburg was delayed about :20 mins on 12/23/13. The culprit was GP40MC 1137, which was not loading correctly. It came in from the layover yard only acheiving 20mph. A mechanic was able to fix it after about :20mins and then on we went. We arrived in Boston about 8:10 or :20 mins late. Whatever he did worked as 1137 acheived track speed throughout the entire journey.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. Really appreciate the hard work of the MBCR crews doing the best that you can with the equipment that you have. Also, appreciate the professional railroaders on this site who share their insight with us.

-mike