Quiet Trains

If the tank cars were new, they probably had perfect wheels with no flat spots or other defects on the wheel treads.  Vibration from irregularities on the wheels accounts for a lot of freight train noise.

The locomotive might have been in dynamic braking mode, and not braking hard enough to cause the resistor fans to operate at high speed (where they make a whining sound).

Thanks for the info. I thought the new look to the tank cars might have something to do with it. I have no idea if they were full or empty? I guess I have never heard an engine in dynamic braking mode before. It sure was quiet. 

I can certainly see how one of these could sneak up on you without warning if you weren't paying attention or had your earphones in or whatever else you were doing. I still can't get over how quiet it was. Had no idea they could be this quiet.

You can get an idea of how full the car is by looking at the springs.  Compressed springs indicate their is some degree of load if not full, relaxed springs indicate an empty.

Thanks, good idea. I'll have to start paying attention to the springs so I can tell the difference between full and empty. I have never even looked at them very much before.

In my backyard I cant see them, but can I hear them.

 I can often tell an empty train by the hollow echo, or higher pitched clacking.

Heavy loads I feel in my feet.

I am pretty prototypically challenged, so it's all a learning experience for me. Biggest problem now is I am getting older and I can't remember it all. If I do learn something new, sometimes it sticks and sometimes it doesn't. Guess that's where they got the 'hard to teach an old dog new tricks' phrase.

I suspect no clickety-clack may have been largely due to continuous welded rails, no joints to make noise.  Even with perfect wheels, you'll hear cars going across rail joints.

Good point, I agree with the welded rail. The welded rails probably added to it all and made it even quieter, the reason for no clickety-clack at all. All the other trains on the same tracks make the clickety-clack. Many are quite loud too. This is an area I frequent pretty regularly for my morning walks.

I think Number 90 probably also has it with them being all new wheels. I have probably just never heard an all new train before? It looked like all brand new tank cars that had just been un-boxed and put on your layout for their maiden voyage.

I had several unit trains of brand spanking new empty hoppers fresh out of Freight Car America. The comments from crews watching the train by was that it sounded like a swarm of bees. I could even hear them on the head end when drifting.

Also, being as they were not broke in yet (read drag in the trucks), they had some unique handling qualities that made handling a bit easier than a normal train with many miles on the cars.

Back in 1994, I was standing at the Call office at Shaffer's Crossing with the 611 sitting right there waiting to go to the house. I was looking straight at it when she started to move and this was uphill, the only sound she made was the creaking of some ties under her weight.

The 'swarm of bees sound' could have been what the second train I heard sounded like. The medium pitched hum I referred to above, but still wasn't really all that loud. There was definitely a hum to the wheels though. I didn't notice that on the first one, it was just quiet.

Both of these trains were headed toward Kansas City from the southwest on BNSF tracks. I believe they would go through the Argentine yard to get to K.C., or maybe the yard was their destination?

A lot of the new tank cars have yet to get flat spots, which makes them very quiet. If you have a minute, go on YouTube and search "BHP Iron Ore". Australia is really good about keeping up with wheel maintenance, I personally think it is very strange watching videos of trains with american locomotives and american style cars quietly gliding down the track.

as Big Jim said, when the tank car unit train runs by here on the Port Reading secondary, all I hear is the sound of buzzing bees after the engine has passed.

noticed it for the past couple weeks. must be new equipment.

A couple of years ago, CSX replaced the hopper/gons on the "rock runner" that I see once or twice a week.  The difference in sound was striking, especially if the train is running down grade or not braking and empty.   From cranking and banging to a low hum.  The car sets are a couple of years older now, and the hum has gotten even quieter if there are no flat spots.   They are finally starting to show their age now, especially in the form of dents, dings and scars from where the front end loader misses now and then.

One question I have I notice there is always one loaded car after the engine. I'm guessing this is some sort of buffer, but any ideas?

Bob