posted
I was hoping to get some photos of the northbound Starlight yesterday. Unfortunately it was running later than I thought and the sun set long before it arrived. So as not to make the trip a total bust I decided to scout other camera locations around Elkhorn Slough between Castroville and Pajaro before it got totally dark.
The train finally caught up to me in the last glimmer of twilight, crossing a bridge over teh slough. At the lead were four locomotives, all different. #1 was an Amtrak California F59, followed by a Surfliner of the same type. Next was a Dash-8 followed by a Genesis.
At the end of the train were two express boxcars.
I also got to hear a detector on the scanner as it passed. That was the first time I heard one. I am wondering, how do those things work, and what sort of defects do they test for?
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
posted
The defect detectors check for hot roller bearings and are called hot box detectors. Overheated bearings can eventually derail a train. Other defect detectors check for dragging equipment or shifted loads. And as you probably heard, they also tell the number of axles, the speed of the train, and sometimes even the outside temperature.
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
As atsf375 said, these detectors are set up to look for various types of problems. Some are intended for something specific, like over-height cars approaching a tunnel while others look for a number of different things. The messages do provide a variety of information and can be quite different.
For example, some of the detectors close to where I live, one on Canadian Pacific and the others on Canadian National have very different messages:
"C.P. detector, mile 2-0-0.4, Belleville sub, north track, total axles 2-9-6. No alarms. C.P. detector, mile 2-0-0.4, Belleville sub, north track, total axles 2-9-6. No alarms. Message complete. Detector out."
as opposed to
"Kingston 3-2-1 - no alarms."
or
"CN detector - Bala 1-8 - west - no alarms - 3-7."
The final numbers in the last message indicate the train speed in mph. One thing I wonder about the very brief message from the first CN detector is that this is in double track territory and it doesn't even identify which track. I have seen trains pass in opposite directions here within seconds of each other. If there was a defect, how would they know which train it was?
posted
BNSF detectors are quite descriptive. One in Cajon Pass between Cajon and Blue Cut says something along these lines:
"BNSF detector, milepost 6-4 point 7, South Track: No defects, repeat, no defects. Total axles 2-8-8. Train speed: thirteen miles per hour. Temperature, seventy-five degrees. Detector out."
I guess they vary a lot from railroad to railroad.
posted
I've heard some engineers say that as they're talking with the dispatcher, the detectors always come on and "step on" their message, but they are still good safety devices to have.
Regarding the "mixed bag" Mr. Toy spotted on the head-end of the Starlight- what a treat! That train seems to have the greatest variety of power than any other Amtrak train.
Maybe someone knows the answer to this question: How often does the Starlight carry mail and/or express? I rode it in '99, and stood at the rear door of the last coach for most of the ride. It was great being able to watch the track roll away behind, and see the ocean on the curves.
Posts: 553 | From: Flagstaff, AZ USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
Another quirk regarding defect detectors. When I was in Flagstaff AZ a few years ago, the message on BNSF was something like:"Santa Fe Railroad, milepost" (I don't remember the numbers), "north/south track, no defects detected". The notable thing was that on the north/south track part, the "voice" was much faster than on the rest of the message.
[This message has been edited by Ken V (edited 04-29-2002).]
posted
Eric, of the handful of Starlight trains I have seen, very few have freight cars. Saturday's showing was a rarity. I think most of the express traffic is east-west.
I rode to Oregon last May on one which had two roadrailers attached in Oakland, but the return trip had nothing and I got some great photos out the rear, including several tunnel shots. You can see some of them in this travelogue I posted: http://hometown.aol.com/mptoybox2/starlight_run_may_2001.html
As for the locomotives, every train I see is different. One southbound train I saw last year had one Genesis, one F40, another F40 in Surfliner colors and one Amtrak California F59. But it was refreshing to see one with just two Genesis units last week. It looks better on film when everything matches.
And thanks everyone for the info on detectors. The one I heard had a pleasant female voice. It gave the train's speed, number of axles, and said no defects.
With a little luck I may be on that train again in about a month. We'll see what works out.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
posted
Mr. Toy, I have been onboard some trains as they have passed these detectors, and if the conductor is nearby you can clearly hear the message on his/her radio. I have never heard one with the tempertaure mentioned, but I do recall hearing "Track Number _" (in double track territory), the axle count, and 'no defects'.
MP
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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I can hear a metrolink detector on my scanner from my house. It says something like,"Metrolink Detector milepost point seven(0.07) four zero(40) miles per hour no defects repeat no defects total axles one six(16)". A few weeks ago it was being tested and it said "Stop Your Train, Stop Your Train hot box first axle left side" It went through many different possible broad casts and included hotboxes, dragging equipment, and speed restriction warnings, as well as detetor malfunction. I guess it was being tested because of the recent BNSF-Metrolink colision that happened in the area. (I saw the aftermath daily as I drove to school at Cal State Fullerton!)
Wow! thats so wierd, as I was typing this message my scanner picked up the detector. If thats not creepy I don't know what is.
Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Regarding the Starlight's variety, it does seem to have the most varied consist of any Amtrak train I know. When I rode it late last year, the consist was F59PHI #2001, P42 #83, and F40PH #231 (the Operation Lifesaver engine). It also had a single mail car and a dead-head Cal Train commuter car on the rear. Both were removed in Sacramento. I have seen Starlights with P32's, Surfliner, Cascade, and Amtrak California F59PHI's, and once even a Metrolink F59!
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I located a detector on the UP Capitol corridor at Martinez amtrak (one of my favorite train watching spots) immediately west of the passenger platforms that is set up to detect everything. When broadcasting its report it gives axle count, train speed, and any defects found over 4 tracks.
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Posts: 5 | From: Santa Rosa,CA USA | Registered: May 2002
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posted
I live near the south portal of the Nelson Benett Tunnel in Tacoma, WA (approx MP 6-7). I have a clear view of the track by it, and I see the Starlight 11 (about 11:00 AM) and the 14 (anywhere from 7:00 to 2:30 AM in one case). I do see a lot of different power on those! I have seen F40's, F59PH-I's P40's, P42's, P32-8's, and very rarely a frieght engine. They sometimes do have MHC's hooked on the end, buy most of the time they just have the normal consist of one baggage, one transition sleeper, three sleepers, one parlor car, one diner, one lounge, and 4-5 coaches (summer months usually have 5 coaches, winter 4). Lots of BNSF and UP traffic goes by here, too. I'm still looking for the Microsoft Train Simulator 4723 Dash9 loco! I saw 4728 yesterday, and 4724 last winter, but still no 4723! Microsoft says I'll get some sort of prize if I snap a photo of it!
Posts: 5 | From: Tacoma, WA, USA | Registered: Apr 2002
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