RailRoadFan.com

Today (9/24/21) Amtrak 355 had a baggage car to meet the 28 axle limit on CN, I thought I got a good photo of it, Whaddya guys think?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/184885804 ... ed-public/

Let's do some math
1 engine with 4 axles.
1 food service car with 4 axles.
3 coach cars with 4 axles each.
1 baggage car with 4 axles.

Added together that equals 24 axles which is what CN is requiring on the Wolverines.

CN is requiring 30 axles on the Bluewater.
Doing the math there is way more complicated and I get lost.

Can someone explain for me why CN cares if the train is shorter than X number of axles?

trainjunkie47 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 25, 2021 8:12 pm

Can someone explain for me why CN cares if the train is shorter than X number of axles?

I believe there was an incident at a grade crossing where a short train didn't activate the crossing protection properly.

The problem is supposed to be related to Amtrak using disc brakes.
The junk build up on the wheel treads doesn't get removed by braking which would occur if tread brakes were used.

I don't remember for sure but I think CN was/is using a flange oiler at Charlotte, correction welcomed.

I've also seen some say it's because Amtrak is using a different wheel profile.

This incident happened in Charlotte and was fatal(mom and daughter IIRC).
There were also incidents in Illinois around the same time.
I couldn't find the FRA report online, maybe somebody else can.

Ummm.....Amtrak uses both disc brakes and wheel tread brakes on their passenger cars...

Yes, there is a flange oiler in Charlotte....just to the west of the crossing that had that accident....one could theorize about the "crud" on the rail head being a contributing factor with that accident....we were told afterwards that there had been a coal train that came thru right before we did, spreading coal dust on the rail (yes, I was on the crew that day) and that the DS's were "losing" us on the CTC system....and that's when we were told to do the running brake test every 10 miles AND approach all grade crossings with electronic warning devises prepared to stop until we could verify that said crossing protection was working before entering the crossing...(that was not a good time to be an Amtrak engineer)

But,

how come Amtrak didn't have said issues with getting lost in CTC territory and grade crossing devises not activating on BNSF, CSX, NS, and CP territories, using the same type of cars and braking equipment?? Back then, there were LOTS of coal trains on those railroads, so there should have been issues with coal dust on the railhead causing Amtrak trains to lose their shunting abilities...hmmmm.....