I know there were places (such as portions of British Railways, Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan Transfer and so forth) where both third-rail electrics and steam engines operated on the same trackage. Does anyone here know of any incidents where, for example, a valve gear hanger came loose and contacted the third rail?
Mitch
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M. Mitchell Marmel posted:I know there were places (such as portions of British Railways, Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan Transfer and so forth) where both third-rail electrics and steam engines operated on the same trackage. Does anyone here know of any incidents where, for example, a valve gear hanger came loose and contacted the third rail?
Mitch
OK, just how would a main structural member like a valve gear hanger, come loose? Besides, valve gear hangers were/are pretty high up above the machinery.
Most third rail has a board cover several inches above the rail, e.g. the LIRR. This should prevent most of the issues you're concerned about.
Hot Water posted:OK, just how would a main structural member like a valve gear hanger, come loose? Besides, valve gear hangers were/are pretty high up above the machinery.
Well, I was thinking something like a pin failing and dropping, say, an eccentric rod onto the third rail. Given an operation with exposed third rail, seems to me that one could see considerable fireworks...
Mitch
Well, LIRR third rail is virtually identical to subway third rail, shoes ride on top with a wooden (now fiberglass) protection board mounted on brackets above them.
The old elevateds had third rail that was completely exposed and positioned much closer to the running rails, much like Chicago's system.
---PCJ
Things did come in contact with the third rail, which on some systems would result in the circuit breaker tripping at a substation. On one electric railroad I am familiar with, records indicated the most common problem was hopper car doors hitting the third rail when track crews were dumping ballast. Often during a derailment, derailed equipment hits the third rail. Sometimes animals would come in contact with the third rail. I know of one case where a B and B crew got a tape measure across the third rail. The tape vaporized. No one was hurt. The biggest problem is on some of the large subway systems where the normal operating current is very high, so substation circuit breakers are set for very high currents. Third rail faults are just life on a third rail operations. The AAR clearance standards include clearance for third rail operations and give a standard location for the third rail. I believe these AAR standards are written around the NYC third rail. The reason that sill steps are bent in under the car is to clear third rail.
The "pins" that hold valve gear together are pretty stout bolts with a slotted nut to accept a cotter key to prevent it from loosening up. They're not anything like the rivets that hold model locomotive valve gear together.
Rusty
It apparently does happen on occasion...
| 7:58 AM (34 minutes ago)  | | ||
| ||||
Yes:
At about 18:50 hrs on Saturday 23 November 2013, train number 1Z94, the
17:48 hrs service from London (Waterloo) to Weymouth, was approaching
Winchfield station in Hampshire, travelling at about 40 mph (64 km/h) (figure 1).
The right-hand connecting rod of the steam locomotive hauling the train became
detached at its leading end (known as the small end), which dropped onto the
conductor rail, causing an electrical short circuit and consequent arcing. The train
was stopped by the action of the locomotive crew, about one mile (1.6 km) east of
Winchfield, when they saw the flashes from the electrical arcing.
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