Railroading on the Tehachapi: Changing a Damaged Power Switch Machine
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- As solid and heavy as most railroad equipment is, it is still sometimes susceptible to damage. In this case, a tamper had not been properly stowed for travel and struck this switch machine at CPSP 345, North Rowen, just below Keene.
The damage wasn't significant but enough to warrant a new machine be installed. We were fortunate to have a spare and a signal gang to give us a hand! The job went smoothly, quickly and, most important, safely.
So, join us for a little repair and replacement job on the mountain!
West (North) Rowen GPS 35d 15' 09"N 118d 34' 04"W
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Great that there's roads right beside the track , I remember having to walk miles to get to my tampers to work on them . Still a lot of tracks that don't have road access . Great video Mark .
There are still a few very remote places on the Tehachapi, but we are blessed with some great access.
This was the first video I watched on your channel. Must have been about two years ago when my web browser thought it was important enough for me to watch. Since I have been a rail fan at three years of age, I have been hooked every since. And watching this was so interesting I never realized the mechanics of how switch machines can be changed out if broken. Thanks for sharing your knowledge about railroading.
It's my pleasure and I am glad you enjoy the channel. Thanks for checking it out!
When I see the rough profile of the landscape along the service road that runs along the tracks, I cannot be but be in admiration for the genius and cleverness of early surveyors and railway builders who traced optimal locations, all this this without the benefits of aerial mapping and GPS technologies. Ontario, Canada. 2021/04/12.
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It is pretty amazing that, with only a couple of minor changes, the line is still as it was originally surveyed.
@@MarkClayMcGowan...Amazing indeed. Btw, I should point out that I am concerned about possible future health consequences from any type of "belt-packs" held in close proximity to the lower part of the body (see e.g. at marker ~7:00). We have to always use the precautionary principle and consider radiation-emitting devices held close to the body as potentially unsafe until proven otherwise. Similar considerations apply to any cell-phone held in close proximity to the head. I suggest that management should carefully review and discuss the issue at future safety meetings. 2023/12/21. Ontario, Canada.
WOW, you work in the coolest office in the world.
BNSF signal Maintainer here thanks for these videos..!!
and another ground throw by Caboose Industries. Really like your videos Mark. Soooo informative for us railfans.
119 views and not a single comment. I liked it. That's cool getting to see the inner workings of an automatic switch. And even more cool to drive along the locomotive that close!
I've been surprised and disappointed at how few comments I get on the RR videos.
Lack of comments isn't always a bad thing. You know us railroaders like to think we all know a better way than the next. Stay safe out there brother!
@@imgod13 that's true! I'm retired now so safety is a still a must, I just don't have to fill out any forms! Thanks for checking out my channel!
Love your videos. I never knew how much I loved trains and what makes them tick until I started watching your videos. They are very incormative and answer all my questions. Next is to see one up close.
This has got to be one of your best and great videos.
It was fun to make. I got run through the mill for it but I didn't care!
I'm glad you enjoyed it and thanks for checking it out!
Thanks for posting this and others. Makes me really wish I would have stayed in MOW
Hi Mark, I must have missed this one! Nice job on the M23...they are bullet proof and my favourite machine to work on. I see you only have one detection rod? We have a rod for each switch , even on the "tied switch rail" machines. I was wondering if you would show the detection being set...but wise not to. I was at Rowen , near the bridge ...hard to believe I was there sitting back in in Australia! Looking forward to the next video sir.
Cheers Gregg.
Did you see the M-23 video? I don't do any adjustments but do explain what the various parts do
Are these units rebuildable or compromised enough to be used as parts only? Great stuff here and appreciate the “ride along” in maintenance such as this as I’m in class 3 area ( track warrant and hand thrown switching) and don’t ever see this kind of work... thank you sir!
As long as they're not shattered they can be rebuilt. UP occasionally installs new ones in big projects but most are reconditioned. It's about a $5K price difference.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for checking it out!
Great video! In the beginning, you mentioned that the train would have to wait for you.... Did you have to inspect it before letting them go through?
We just had to make sure the switch was spiked as it was no longer connected to the machine, which locks it, and we were in the clear.
If you haven't watched my video on how an M-23 power switch machine works you should check it out. It explains a lot.
Thanks for checking it out!
Loved overtime! I paid off a 30 year mortgage in 14 years with overtime. Retired 8 years ago with no debt. Loving retirement.
We can put a m23 in including basket throw rods and new head ties in under 2 hours
Depending on access and having the right equipment in place (which as maintenance, we rarely did) so could we, but we rarely needed to change the ties as we were usually just replacing a damaged machine. The gangs generally did the complete jobs. Thanks for checking it out!
How did the switch get hit does anybody know I seen a chunk out of it not good I know you boys are get that fixed good video🚂 God bless🙏
You ever run into Hobo Shoestring ? Lol.
Hello from Nakina Ontario Canada’s. CN caramat sub mile 132ish lol
Greetings from a colleague.We have a different electric switch.
why not give the train a signal after spiking and clamping the switch?
Because there was a track indication in the next block. Turned out to be a broken rail.
question (from a former CNW/UP switchman)… as per the instructions for operating a power switch manually, whats the purpose of putting the switch back to power only when the leading wheels goes through the switch???
It's a "just in case thing". When it's in motor, the throw lever is locked in place and can't pop open for some weird reason and as long as the OS is occupied, it can't throw under power either
Happened at CP Canal leaving the IHB to CN a couple of years ago to one of our guys. He didn't do the procedure properly and....bam, switch flips and on the ground.
@@BossSpringsteen69 yikes... i definitely had a feeling it could do that but didn't understand the mechanicals behind it... in 10 years i hand threw power switches twice... it rarely happens but when it does you have to know what your doing
Did signal employees give roll bys?
@@bruceflaws3213 yes... all the time
Who maintains the roads that you guys drove on to get out there is it the railroad or is the county
The rights of way are all maintained by the railroad. Paved roads are maintained by state, county or cities.
You will find, mon ami, that if you gingerly place your booted-feet atop the trucks dash, and push against the dirty windscreen, it WILL 'pop-out' quite easily. Try it. The driver will never cause you to film, or look, through one again !
(Then again, he may never buy you a biere [beer] again eiither.
.
Ahhh...He's my buddy. He'd still buy me a beer!
could you explain how crossing circuits now work as i notice there are no longer insulated joints on the island circuits on the main lines but they still have them on the industrial tracks.
If you go to my channel (and subscribe if you aren't!) I have a video on how crossings work. From crossbucks to GCP4000s.
It should answer your questions.
Thanks for checking it out!
why do all dispatchers sound the same on radio 12:20 , our d&h dispatcher when i worked for NS as a conductor trainee sounded just like that , didnt feel comfortable with the mark up time for conductors so i left , if i go back to freight i may go to another craft like signal maintainer
@ 6:30 what do you know, a full size model railroad switch machine.
Something tells me that blacksmith's hammer would do significant damage to a model switch machine! I think having some model tools lying around one with some slow order boards on each side would be cool though!
Thanks for checking it out!
Is the machine supposed to move the points that slow?
Yes. These are geared for torque rather than speed.
also... what type of track protection did you all use... form B??????
We used foul time. If you're subscribed you can find the video I did called Railroad Worker on Track Safety where I go over all the types we use and when and where they are used.
Thanks for the comments and for checking out my channel!
@@MarkClayMcGowan Is that something like booking out the line?
@@jemijona I can't say I've ever heard that term but it sounds more like a Form B, which is acquired 12 hours in advance of the work. Foul time is acquired at the time the work is to be done.
@@jemijona I'm going to link the "On Track Safely" video here. It's pretty informative
@@MarkClayMcGowan We used to book time on a country line when we needed to "foul the line" or run a hi-rail vehicle. This was all done over the airwaves using a train to base radio. We would contact the controlling signal box and book time between trains. In one case, we couldn't contact the signal box to advise we were off the line so the signal box sent the train into "our" section with a caution. This was back in the '90's. I am not sure what the current procedure is now in Melbourne Australia.
I feel the same way about dodge
Sorry you just told me how it got broke I'm good
Replacing it would be better. Cracks all over... :-)
They did replace it