Reuse of Buried Track?!?
billbolton16
Friday, June 14, 2002 2:03 AM
--- In TramsDownUnder@y..., "Roy Winslow" <rwinslow@b...> wrote:
There are no lack of *proposals* from various parts of the world to
reuse buried track. Finding examples where it has successfully
happened is the tricky part.
As far as I can gather from my reading of the rather limited amount
of info available on this topic, this really doesn't help unless the
track has only been covered over for a relatively short time.
Apparently track which has been bitumened over does deteriorate even
when set in mass concrete. This seems to particularly relate to
various corrosion effects, including electrolysis, that are not
evident when track drains and the concrete road surface itself are
maintained etc.
Also Brett mentioned, other utilities may dig up chunks of the street
to maintain their own infrastructure with no regard at all to the
impact of their work on the redundant tram tracks.
BTW, see...
http://www.mata.org/images/const10.jpg
... for a picture of the McKinney Ave Transit Association pulling out
the original DR&T track on Cole Ave (the return part of the loop from
McKinney Plaza) in early 1995 prior to replacing it with new MATA
construction. See also...
http://www.mata.org/images/cpwork-j2.jpg
for one piece of the original DR&T special work which remains in
use. For many years the straight route was just a stub, but it now
connects to new track construction on the recent West Village
extension of the route. Here's a story a story from MATA's "Trolley
Stop" newsletter about W2 369 on MATAs first ever powered run through
that particular special work....
*****
WHEN MATA WAS VERY YOUNG - Summer 1998
by Harry Nicholls, Director Emeritus
In the last issue, at the end of the article about Dr. McClure, the
editor asked, "How do you pull over a trolley?" It seems as if this
should be a difficult procedure, but it isn't. Although it doesn't
happen on a regular basis, I can recall two times when we "pulled
over a trolley" during the first year of operation. The first time
was just prior to opening night.
After the rail was laid and the overhead wire strung, we decided to
test our biggest car on the line late into the night and into the
early morning. We turned on the power and rolled #369 out of the barn
and onto the line to check the track curvature on Hall St. at both
McKinney and Cole. Granted, this was a little late to be testing, but
it was the first time we were able to do so after the power had been
connected. Ed Landrum was at the controls as we cautiously moved the
car to the switch at McKinney and Hall. We waited for all traffic to
clear and then slowly, every so slowly, started around the curve and
through the switch.
We made many stops to see how the trucks interfaced with the
trackwork. At last, we were through the switch. Since we had not
encountered any problems, we decided to go back and do it again. The
test went off so smoothly that we never did try the Hall/Cole turn.
After a short discussion, we agreed to call it a night and head back
to the barn.
Ed put the car in reverse, started through the switch and curve, and
promptly parked the front truck off the track next the curb. What to
do? Here was #369 derailed with her nose at the bus stop, headed in
the wrong direction on a one way street at 2 A.M. - another MATA
milestone - we had pulled over our first trolley!
After some discussion, we decided to try reversing the big streetcar
to see if it would follow the wheel tracks in the asphalt back to the
track. To our relief, it did. After re-railing the front truck, we
proceded to try our run-through test once more, going through the
switch at very slow speed. With many sighs of relief and the wiping
of brows, we cleared the switch without incident and were again
headed for the barn. Needless to say, #369 crept all the way back
home.
Some time later, during revenue operation, another motorman had the
dubious pleasure of seeing Matilda's rear end swing to the right in
his rear view mirror as made his left turn from Hall to Cole. Once
again, we were able to re-rail the car by simply backing it up. So,
pulling over a trolley to the curb is possible - but never when
convenient or expected.
Editors note: We're happy to assure all our readers that the glitches
in our trackwork have long been ironed out. "Pulling over" a MATA
trolley is the rare exception and not the rule
*****
Cheers,
Bill
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proposed to use substantial sections of former track as an
economy measure.
There are no lack of *proposals* from various parts of the world to
reuse buried track. Finding examples where it has successfully
happened is the tricky part.
OTOH, much of Brisbane's track was in mass concrete and track
replacement continued until 12 months before closure, so
a lot of the track lurking under the bitumen in Brisbane would
certainly not be classed as life expired.
As far as I can gather from my reading of the rather limited amount
of info available on this topic, this really doesn't help unless the
track has only been covered over for a relatively short time.
Apparently track which has been bitumened over does deteriorate even
when set in mass concrete. This seems to particularly relate to
various corrosion effects, including electrolysis, that are not
evident when track drains and the concrete road surface itself are
maintained etc.
Also Brett mentioned, other utilities may dig up chunks of the street
to maintain their own infrastructure with no regard at all to the
impact of their work on the redundant tram tracks.
BTW, see...
http://www.mata.org/images/const10.jpg
... for a picture of the McKinney Ave Transit Association pulling out
the original DR&T track on Cole Ave (the return part of the loop from
McKinney Plaza) in early 1995 prior to replacing it with new MATA
construction. See also...
http://www.mata.org/images/cpwork-j2.jpg
for one piece of the original DR&T special work which remains in
use. For many years the straight route was just a stub, but it now
connects to new track construction on the recent West Village
extension of the route. Here's a story a story from MATA's "Trolley
Stop" newsletter about W2 369 on MATAs first ever powered run through
that particular special work....
*****
WHEN MATA WAS VERY YOUNG - Summer 1998
by Harry Nicholls, Director Emeritus
In the last issue, at the end of the article about Dr. McClure, the
editor asked, "How do you pull over a trolley?" It seems as if this
should be a difficult procedure, but it isn't. Although it doesn't
happen on a regular basis, I can recall two times when we "pulled
over a trolley" during the first year of operation. The first time
was just prior to opening night.
After the rail was laid and the overhead wire strung, we decided to
test our biggest car on the line late into the night and into the
early morning. We turned on the power and rolled #369 out of the barn
and onto the line to check the track curvature on Hall St. at both
McKinney and Cole. Granted, this was a little late to be testing, but
it was the first time we were able to do so after the power had been
connected. Ed Landrum was at the controls as we cautiously moved the
car to the switch at McKinney and Hall. We waited for all traffic to
clear and then slowly, every so slowly, started around the curve and
through the switch.
We made many stops to see how the trucks interfaced with the
trackwork. At last, we were through the switch. Since we had not
encountered any problems, we decided to go back and do it again. The
test went off so smoothly that we never did try the Hall/Cole turn.
After a short discussion, we agreed to call it a night and head back
to the barn.
Ed put the car in reverse, started through the switch and curve, and
promptly parked the front truck off the track next the curb. What to
do? Here was #369 derailed with her nose at the bus stop, headed in
the wrong direction on a one way street at 2 A.M. - another MATA
milestone - we had pulled over our first trolley!
After some discussion, we decided to try reversing the big streetcar
to see if it would follow the wheel tracks in the asphalt back to the
track. To our relief, it did. After re-railing the front truck, we
proceded to try our run-through test once more, going through the
switch at very slow speed. With many sighs of relief and the wiping
of brows, we cleared the switch without incident and were again
headed for the barn. Needless to say, #369 crept all the way back
home.
Some time later, during revenue operation, another motorman had the
dubious pleasure of seeing Matilda's rear end swing to the right in
his rear view mirror as made his left turn from Hall to Cole. Once
again, we were able to re-rail the car by simply backing it up. So,
pulling over a trolley to the curb is possible - but never when
convenient or expected.
Editors note: We're happy to assure all our readers that the glitches
in our trackwork have long been ironed out. "Pulling over" a MATA
trolley is the rare exception and not the rule
*****
Cheers,
Bill
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Will You Find True Love?
Will You Meet the One?
Free Love Reading by phone!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/Deo18C/zDLEAA/Ey.GAA/DiTxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/