HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: CZ94 <CZ94@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA>
Subject: Re: Push-Pull Service: Which Way do the Locomotives Point?
Organization: McGill University
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 22:45:15 GMT

In article <1992Jul22.161748.13120@ee.ryerson.ca> cal@ee.ryerson.ca (Calvin Henry-Cotnam) writes:
>
>All of GO Transit's trains have a locomotive on at least the east end
>of the train when it is at Union station.  As mentioned above, this is
>true for the lakeshore line for its entire route.  For the Stouffville and
>Richmond Hill services, they proceed east out of Union and north with the
>locomotive at the front.  With the Barrie, Milton, and Georgetown (Guelph)
>services, they proceed west and north and north-west from union with the
>locomotive at the rear.
>
>However, some of the lakeshore runs at rush-hour (with 12 coaches), have
>a second locomotive placed at the west end of the consist.  (occasionally
>some 10 coach trains may have this too)
>
>Additionally, where an F59PH is not available and a GP40 is used, an APU
>(aux power unit, converted F9B (F7B?)) or an APCU (aux power/cab unit,
>converted F9A (F7A?)) is required.  It may be at the same end or at the
>opposite end.
>
The APUs were converted from F7Bs, originally belonging to the Northern
Pacific.  The APCUs were converted from FP7As, most from the Ontario
Northland, and two from the Milwaukee Road.

BTW, the GP40s came from the Rock Island.

Tom Box
CZ94@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA

Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: msb@sq.sq.com (Mark Brader)
Subject: Switchback (was: Trip report on the C&TS)
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 92 06:40:36 GMT

> > A switchback consists of pair of switches at the ends of a piece of track
> > on which the train backs up and then reverses again to continue when
> > climbing steep terrain where there is no room for sweeping turns.
> 
> Interesting linguistic difference. A switchback in non-US usage is a very
> hilly road, which gives a ride like one receives on a roller coaster ..

I agree with the first definition, but not the second.  I think a switchback
road refers specifically to one which climbs a hillside by a series of sharp
"hairpin" turns.  Traveling along this road, you will see the hill going
steeply down to your left for a while, then to your right, then left and
so on -- all the same hill.  This sort of road, which is common wherever
there are mountains, is effectively a direct "translation to the road idiom"
of the switchback railway, replacing the reversing switches by hairpins.
I think it's obvious that the term originates with the railway.

Some railways follow a similar path, though the curves are necessarily
less sharp than would typically be used on roads.  Although switches are
not involved, it doesn't seem a totally unreasonable usage to accept the
term "switchback" for these.

> What you describe, we would probably call a reversing station or a Z
> (pron. zed :-))

I believe the standard term for a railway switchback outside North America
is zigzag.  At least, I've heard of specific examples in Australia and India
that were so named.
-- 
Mark Brader		   "... there is no such word as 'impossible' in
SoftQuad Inc., Toronto	    my dictionary.  In fact, everything between
utzoo!sq!msb		  'herring' and 'marmalade' appears to be missing."
msb@sq.com	    -- Douglas Adams:  Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

This article is in the public domain.
From: pierson@cimnet.enet.dec.com (dave pierson)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Push-Pull Service: Which Way do the Locomotives Point?
Date: 21 Jul 92 13:56:19 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

In article <1992Jul21.110647.6495@s1.gov>, lip@s1.gov (Loren I. Petrich) writes,
in part:

>	Here's another interesting configuration: that of the French
>TGV. It has an electric locomotive on each end of the train, making it
>symmetric, and presumably able to move in both directions. A
>locomotive may be necessary at each end to guarantee that the forward
>end is always streamlined (probably critical for 200 mph speeds).

	Interestingly, the modified TGV-Atlantique set which holds the World
	rail speed record used one power car, leading, with a set of
	modifications, including streamling the trailing "coach" at the rear.

	The "steam motor" portion of a locomotive steam engine is quite happy
	running reverse.  Most steamers, tho, have asymmetrical running gear,
	which makes revers operation a little "twitchy".

thanks
dave pierson			|the facts, as accurately as i can manage,
Digital Equipment Corporation	|the opinions, my own.
200 Forest St			|I am the NRA.
Marlboro, Mass	
01752				pierson@cimnet.enet.dec.com
"He has read everything, and, to his credit, written nothing."  A J Raffles
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: pierson@cimcad.enet.dec.com (Dave Pierson)
Subject: Re: Push-Pull Service: Which Way do the Locomotives Point?
Keywords: USA, Commuter, electric
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: 21 JUL 92 16:48:59    

In article <33157@cbmvax.commodore.com>, grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George
Robbins) writes, in part:

>SEPTA has relatively new push-pull equipment that runs out the (Harrisburg)
>main-line to Parkeburg (or is it all the way to Harrisburg?) - Trust me,
>it is a "standard Amtrak" electric locomotive with SEPTA markings and it
>can be seen any evening backing all the way into Philadelphia.

	Are they "standard AMTRAK", ie, EMD built AEM7, or are they summat'
	else?  I ask because NJT (and, I think, MARC) have "very similar,
	visually" ALP44s.  These are Swedish built, as was the (Rc4?)
	which was the progenitor of the AEM7 series.  My understanding was
	that the ALP 44's were cheaper than new AEM7s would have been.  Dunno
	the detail differences, but there are some.  Anybody have a handy list?

thanks
dave pierson			|the facts, as accurately as i can manage,
Digital Equipment Corporation	|the opinions, my own.
200 Forest St			|I am the NRA.
Marlboro, Mass		01752	pierson@cimnet.enet.dec.com
"He has read everything, and, to his credit, written nothing."  A J Raffles
From: matthew@cluster.cs.su.oz.au (Matthew Geier)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Rail crossing accident
Date: 23 Jul 92 02:28:57 GMT
Organization: Dept. of Comp. Science, Uni of Sydney, Australia


 On Tuesday at 2 pm in the afternoon a Westbound freight train and
a truck collided on a Level crossing 5 Kilometers east of Condoblin
in the mid-far west of New South Wales.
 Three mainline ALCO locomotives ended up on their side some distance
past the crossing , and 6 wagons were wreaked , two containing Sodium
Cyanide. One of the Cyanide carriers ruptured , littering the area
with Cyanide Pellets. The prime-mover of the truck was still under
the front of the toppeled locomotives, its trailer still back at
the crossing !.
 The 3 crew of the train were unhurt and allowed to leave hospital.
It is a miracle that the crew escaped serious injury, looking at
footage of the wreak. The locomotives look relatively undamaged,
inspite of being on their sides and away from the track.
 The driver and a passenger on the truck were killed, the female
passenger being found by the fire crews cleaning up the Cyanide. It
was initially thought the truck driver was alone.
 Crews are still at the scene , carefully picking up the Cyanide
pellets , and hoping it doesnt rain.

 The State Rail Authorities 'cheif excutive' was also on TV defending
rails safety record at moving hazardous goods.

 From what I could see on the tape of news footage ,the crossing
was an 'unprotected' crossing, common in the west. On the otherhand
the surounding country is flat grasslands , and visiblity is good.

 The main western line is expected to be closed untill Friday. ( This
line is the only standard guage route across Australia ). The Indian
Pacific was halted on its eastward journey by the crash.

Matthew Geier,
matthew@cs.su.oz.au
From: jbvb@vax.ftp.com  (James B. VanBokkelen)
Subject: Re: Push-Pull Service: Which Way do the Locomotives Point?
Nntp-Software: PC/TCP NNTP
Reply-To: jbvb@ftp.com
Organization: FTP Software, Inc., Wakefield, MA
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 10:47:16

In article <33263@cbmvax.commodore.com> grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) writes:

    ....  I'm not sure if there was
    ever a loop or wye at the Llanerch (spelled right this time) carbarn or
    if there is now any turning facility at 69'th street.

From an old MR article on 69th st (prior to the reconstruction of the P&W
portion), the Red Arrow trolleys always looped - the loop was still in
service (for both trolleys and buses) when I last visited about 5 years ago.
As I recall the track layout, Market-Frankford trains can change ends in
the station, but that would require someone actively operating the scissors
crossover; every train I've seen has looped.

James B. VanBokkelen		26 Princess St., Wakefield, MA  01880
FTP Software Inc.		voice: (617) 246-0900  fax: (617) 246-0901
From: ggg9y@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Garth G. Groff)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: scanner and train questions
Date: 31 Jul 92 15:11:21 GMT
Organization: University of Virginia

John:

Here Are Answers To Some Of Your Amtrak Questions.  I Don'T
Guarantee They Are The Right Answers.  They'Re Just What I
have heard or read, plus some outrageous opinion.

Your statement about Superliners being restricted from the
east by low tunnels is conventional wisdom, though it 
probably isn't accurate for all lines (they fit autoracks
through those tunnels).  As for comfort, I can't see much
difference.  Seats are the same in most AMTRAK cars (with
maybe the exception of the really old "Heritage Fleet" cars,
which I haven't ridden in for years).  IMO the seats are
about as comfortable as airline seats, though there is at
least generous leg room.  The double-deck cars are subject
to more sway (though they are better than the old Santa Fe
doubles).

As for replacement of older cars, the reason they are still
running is money, pure and simple.  AMTRAK is still subsidized
by your tax dollars (though profits keep rising and the 
break-even point is in sight).  Thus money for new equipment
is hard to come by.  All of the older cars have been rebuilt
since AMTRAK inherited them from the original owners, and 
are fairly comfortable.  In fact, they may actually ride better
than newer cars.  Of course, some older cars are getting 
shabby and are nearing the ends of the useful lives, but they
will probably be around a few years more.  Many of us like
the "Heritage Fleet" cars and don't think they are ugly.  We
may even be able to overlook the shabbiness and discomfort
as they break down for a bit of old-fashioned nostalgia.  It's
all in how you look at things.

As for the other answers, I'll let those with more info comment. 
Hope you enjoy your trip.  Remember, even the inconveniences are
part of the adventure.
~S


--
Garth (Haridas) Groff
"Not yet famous author"
ggg9y@poe.acc.virginia.EDU         Chant "Govinda Bohlo Hare"
From: che238n@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Semaphore Signals
Date: 30 Jul 92 10:54:27 +1000
Distribution: world
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia

In article <l7bqk4INNj7@appserv.Eng.Sun.COM>, blw@majipoor.Corp.Sun.COM (Brian Wong - SMCC Technical Product Marketing) writes:
> I just got back from a drive between San Francisco and Portland (Oregon).  I
> noticed along the way that SP still uses lower-quadrant semaphores in Oregon.
> I drove I-5, which parallels SP for many miles and I saw quite a number of
> them still working.  I didn't know ANYONE used semaphores anymore (except in
> computers, of course ;-)
> 
> Who else uses semaphores?  Are the ones on SP an endangered species?  Should I
> go measure them when I'm driving by the next time (this fall) in order to avoid
> disappointment later?
> 
> ---
> 
> Brian Wong

Go to Australia. Many secondary lines still have semaphores and somersaults.
Most are motor driven but there are a few last bastion mechanicals left.
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: roma@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Jon Roma)
Subject: Re: New Signals on NEC Mainline ?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 23:15:14 GMT

Robert Chambers <RMCCU@CUNYVM.BITNET> writes:

>In article <BrqzKD.7D2@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, roma@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Jon Roma) says:
>>The old electro-mechanical interlockings at Grand Central were the largest
>>of their type ever built; they had 400 and 350 levers apiece!  I presume
>>these are the machines being replaced unless they were replaced during a
>>previous modernization.

>I don't know about this, they are still pretty hefty due to the amount
>of traffic moving over them each day, I would imagine they were high
>on the list of upgrades when the newer types came out.
>It only takes a switch going bad during rush hour to delay an awful lot
>of commuters.

You misunderstood me.  I wasn't talking about the machines that operate
the track switches.  Rather, I'm talking about the interlocking itself;
that is, the machine inside the tower that prevents the leverman from
lining conflicting moves.  The original machines in GCT implemented this
by mechanical interference between pieces of metal attached to the levers
that operate the various switches and signals.  There was one of these
machines governing the upper-level throat and one controlling the lower-level
trackage.  As I mentioned, these are believed to be the largest of their
kind ever built.  Later technology uses relays to resolve conflicts,
eliminating the big, heavy interlocking machines.  In many recent
implementations, this is done in microprocessors.

I raised the question about the old machines because I'm curious whether
they still exist, being the largest of their breed.
-- 
Jon Roma
Computing and Communications Services Office,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Internet:  roma@uiuc.edu      	UUCP:      uunet!uiucuxc!uiuc.edu!roma
From: afsidgb@cidsv07.Berkeley.EDU (Gerard Burridge)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Push-Pull Service: Which Way do the Locomotives Point?
Date: 21 Jul 92 23:24:01 GMT
Reply-To: afsidgb@cid.aes.doe.CA
Organization: Environment Canada

In article <19JUL92.22673732.0062@VM1.MCGILL.CA>, CZ94@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CZ94000) writes:
|> In article <1992Jul19.144711.2095@e2big.mko.dec.com> pierson@cimcad.enet.dec.com (Dave Pierson) writes:
|> >In article <1992Jul18.041731.5612@s1.gov>, lip@s1.gov (Loren I. Petrich)

|> The Montreal-Rigaud commuter train service is a push-pull operation,
|> with the diesel units at the east end of the trains.  This is
|> the "wrong" end form the passengers' point of view, since when the
|> trains arrive at the terminus at Windsor Station in Montreal, all
|> passengers have to walk past the engines, which makes for a longer
|> walk, as well as exposing them to more noise and fumes.  I have
|> no idea why they don't put the engines on the other end.
|> 
|> Tom Box
|> CZ94@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA
Maybe because the crewhouse at the Dorion storage yard is at the
east end of the yard, as is what there is od maintenance/service
equipment? Which in turn is a holdover from days before
push-pull when trains were turned on the wye with the M&O.

-- 
 Gerry Burridge                        afsidgb@cid.aes.doe.ca
 Canadian Meteorological Centre        Tel.: 514-421-4646
 2121 North Service Road - #404        Fax.: 514-421-4639
 Dorval, Que.  -  H9P 1J3                             
Xref: sparky rec.railroad:5895 rec.models.railroad:1429
From: pierson@cimnet.enet.dec.com (dave pierson)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad,rec.models.railroad
Subject: Live Steam in New England
Keywords: steam, model, show, USA
Date: 23 Jul 92 13:42:42 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

From time to time, the subject of live steam comes up.  Just came across the
next three open house dates for Pioneer Valley Live Steam, Southwick, Mass,
USA. 

    Pioneer Valley Live Steamers.
    Directions:

    From Center of Westfield, Mass:

    	South on rtes 10 & 202 (called College Ave) Go about 1.5-2 miles.
    	Hillside Ave, Westfield is on the RIGHT.
    	About 2.5 Miles in on Hillside Ave, Southwick.
    	PVLS Is at 108, left off of Hillside,
        second drive after the BOMB (trust me....)

    The sneaky part is that Hillside in WF turns into Hillside in Southwick
    after about a mile. 

    Directions still work.  Mileage from intersection rt20 & rts 10/202, 1.9
    mi to Hillside Ave.  Milage on Hillside to layout 2.7.  (your milage
    may vary...).  Watch for the bomb.

    There is a "smaller" oval of dual gauge track, same gauge as Waushakum,
    this loop approx 75% the size of Waushakum.  There is a larger loop
    of 8" (?) gauge track, with reversing loop,completely enclosing the
    smaller loop.  A brick roundhouse, with triple gauge turntable, a couple
    of pneumatic lifts.  I should guess the outer oval is a half mile or
    so.

    The turntable is unique(?) in having provison for three seperate gauges
    of locos & stock.  It serves to link the "visitor track" to both the
    8" and smaller layouts, sooo, the triple gauge provision.


    30 Jul-2 Aug
    Pioneer Valley Live Steamers 40th Anniversary Celebration
    Southwick, Mass	Hillside Rd

    18-20 Sep
    Pioneer Valley Live Steamers Open House/Fall Meet
    Southwick, Mass	Hillside Rd

    10-11 Oct
    Pioneer Valley Live Steamers Open House/Fall Blow Down
    Southwick, Mass	Hillside Rd

	This info from RR Information a compendium of RR related events
	(shows, fleas, tourist RR schedules, fantrips....) in "the
	Eastern US & Canada".
		RR Information
		RR2-Box 500
		Wolfeboro, NH
		03894
		$8.00 a year
	I am not an owner, just a subsriber

thanks
Dave Pierson			|The facts, as accurately as i can manage.
Digital Equipment COrporation	|The opinions, my own.
pierson@cimnet.enet.dec.com	|I am the NRA.
"He has read everything, and, to his credit, written nothing."  A J Raffles
From: ken@aiai.ed.ac.uk (Ken Johnson)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Push-Pull Service: Which Way do the Locomotives Point?
Date: 21 Jul 92 13:32:15 GMT
Followup-To: rec.railroad
Organization: Bugs-R-Us


In article <1992Jul21.110647.6495@s1.gov> lip@s1.gov (Loren I.  Petrich)
writes:

#  I have seen shared bogies for some LRV's, such as the Santa Clara ones
#  (two cars with a hinge between them and riding on three bogies).  I have
#  even seen some shared-bogie flatcars (for freight). 


The Tyneside Rapid Transit (`Metro') cars are designed like this:
two-car units each riding on three bogies.  The express steam-hauled
`Silver Link' (LNWR, I think) of the 1930s-1940s had articulated
passenger carriages of this kind, and I think the Italian State
Railways' premier train `Il Settebello' still does. 

-- Ken Johnson

-- 
                          ////  Ken Johnson, A I Applications Institute
We won't be meeting again ////       80 South Bridge, EDINBURGH EH1 1HN
On the slow train,        ////                 E-mail ken@aiai.ed.ac.uk
On the slow train.        ////     phone 031-650 2756  fax 031-650 6513
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: kasprj@isaac.its.rpi.edu (Jim Kasprzak)
Subject: NYC's Transit Police
Reply-To: kasprj@rpi.edu
Organization: The Big Wedge 
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 22:17:30 GMT

 
 This is only marginally related to trains, but I figured this was a good 
place to ask because of the good number of NYC subway experts in this group.
 
 I was just wondering, what sort of authority are the Transit Police under?
Are they part of the NYPD, the Transit Authority, or both? Do they have the
same powers as "regular" city cops? And do they just police the subways, or
do they have other duties?
 
 For that matter, are there any good books about the NYC Transit Authority 
as a whole? I've been really curious as to how the whole thing is organized.
------------------------------------------------------------------
     __  Live from Capitaland, heart of the Empire State...
 ___/  | Jim Kasprzak, computer operator @ RPI, Troy, NY, USA
/____ *| Pro-Environment. Pro-Education. Pro-Family. Pro-Choice. 
     \_| Pro-Change. Pro-America. Pro-Clinton.
      ====  e-mail: kasprj@rpi.edu or kasprzak@mts.rpi.edu 
 
Xref: sparky rec.railroad:6031 sci.environment:10281
From: jturner@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Jeffrey Turner)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad,sci.environment,alt.activism
Subject: Re: _Scientific American_ profiles Maglev Trains
Date: 30 Jul 92 21:23:00 GMT
Followup-To: rec.railroad
Organization: College of Engineering, Northeastern University
In-reply-to: dfl@panix.com's message of 30 Jul 92 04:37:40 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.043740.22561@panix.com> dfl@panix.com (Danny O'Bedlam) writes:
>	   In any case, as the article makes clear, if you want to
>   see MAGLEV development before, say the end of the century, write
>   to the US Dept of Transportation.

	MAGLEV is ridiculously expensive to build and run.
First you have to put the "tracks" which contain electro-
magnets their whole length up on very gently curved pylons
(read BIG $ for right of way) with refrigeration units
running the whole length (for the superconducting magnets,
so the electric bill won't be astronomical, or should I
say AS astronomical as the refrigeration has to run on
something).  Then of course there's that cost of running
it.  Not to mention the noise and e-mag pollution, oh,
and of course the CFC's in the refrigeration system -
those won't escape, will they?

	MAGLEV is just an excuse to hire all the engineers
who can no longer be "logically" supported by the "defense"
industry to build something almost as useless (especially
if you're not a CEO - ticket prices unless subsidized by
the taxpayer [and CEOs hardly pay taxes] will by HIGH),
the utility level is about on a par with the mission to
Mars or the super-collider.  It will not be of any value or
benefit to the average American and the rest of the
economy will continue to go down the tubes.

Standard disclaimer applies.

					--Jeff Turner
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: saevans@l_cae14.icaen.uiowa.edu (Scott A Evans,,,)
Subject: Re: <None>
Originator: saevans@l_cae14
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 17:24:40 GMT
Reply-To: saevans@icaen.uiowa.edu
Organization: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

> I can imagine what it would be like...
> 
> The stewardess and pilots etc strapping a parachute harness and leading
> that person to the door and shoving the poor sucka out.      Only one
> problem I see with it, is that it would cause a hell of a cabin pressure
> problem!

No.  What they would need to do is to put a mailbag catcher type thing
(like the railroads used to have to get the mailbags as the train went by
at speed) on the ground, and hang the guy below the plane and make a really
low pass at the airport.  It would save the time required to land, and would
still get the guy off the plane.  The only problem would be the rapid
decelleration, but that's just one of the hazzards of being an unruly drunk!
-- 
                                              / /  *\  
          Scott A Evans                      /0/ __O/  
     (saevans@icaen.uiowa.edu)      |TTTTTTTTTTTTTT\\T| 
       Grad Student For Life        |IIIIIIIIIIIIIII\\|  
     Sparks and Magic forever!      |      / \      / \  
                 o                  |     /  /      \ |\
              _ /-_                 |                 |  
             (_)>(_)             -------------------------- 
Organization: Drama, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 18:51:54 -0400 
From: Denise Pullen <dp2r+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Train .GIF uploads to wuarchive.wustl.edu

I have uploaded the following new .GIF files to /graphics/trains on
wuarchive.wustl.edu for anonymous ftp:

BALTI-1
BL2-81
CAB-2478
DS23-195
PM-11
SL-1961
STM1604
STM490A

The above files were scanned from photos of a recent trip to the B&O
Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Also uploaded:

TROL-63

This scan is from a photo taken at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in
Meadowlands, Pennsylvania.

All the above files are compressed using the JPEG .gif compression
program and have a .jpg extension. The programs "JPEG3" and "JPEG3386"
are available for anonymous ftp from most sites.