# Spike



## George K (Mar 27, 2015)

While waiting for the local commuter train to take me downtown this evening, I saw this:




Is this a potential problem?


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## CCC1007 (Mar 27, 2015)

One in one hundred, no. One in five, yes.


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## GG-1 (Mar 27, 2015)

Aloha

It can be, Based on the class of track though and speeds a certain amount of loose spikes is allowed. I do not know the values.


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## George K (Mar 27, 2015)

Commuter trains pass through here, with countless BNSF freights, every day. Some of the express trains don't stop at my little burg, and they blast through at speeds that I'm sure are in excess of 50-60 mph. On my ride home tonight, I was clocking 65.


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## NW cannonball (Mar 27, 2015)

George K said:


> While waiting for the local commuter train to take me downtown this evening, I saw this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the photo.

Maybe we are not seeing the same problem?

The first thing I see is the one lonely spike standing up and about to fall out of the tie. But that's already been fixed with the tight spike next to it in the same tie plate.

The second thing I see is, to the right of that marker, the next tie plate to the right has no spikes, zero spikes at all, on the gage (inner,camera-facing)) side, and the next to the right of that has no spikes on the camera-facing side.

I think that the spikes are there to hold the tie-plates and thus the rails from moving sideways.

Maybe this thread should move to "General Rail Discussions" to get more expert advice on the safety implications?


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## Palmetto (Mar 27, 2015)

George K said:


> Commuter trains pass through here, with countless BNSF freights, every day. Some of the express trains don't stop at my little burg, and they blast through at speeds that I'm sure are in excess of 50-60 mph. On my ride home tonight, I was clocking 65.


George: the maximum authorized speed for passenger trains on the BNSF Racetrack is 70 MPH. I used to fondly watch the evening commuter westbound parade at Lagrange Rd. The Downers Grove and Naperville expesses blasted right through there!


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## NW cannonball (Mar 27, 2015)

George: what motivated me to post to your photo, on second thought, not the spikes but the eroded ties.

The pix of spikes and tie plates didn't seem bad, but

No sign of any new crossties. All in the pic seen old and eroded - maybe a few years left.

On the BNSF primary and secondary mains near here, (MSP) - no pax - BNSF replaces at least 1/6 every year.

The BNSF line you ride -- maybe there is possible upgrade soon, that BNSF not replacing crossties?


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## tim49424 (Mar 27, 2015)

George,

My sister took several pictures on our trip last year with our mom on the Empire Builder, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr of the same spike situation....we both wondered the same thing.


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## rrdude (Mar 27, 2015)

That is NOTHING. You want scary? Go to ANY shortline, walk a few hundred feet......... I still get the hebbie-jeebies just thinking about how few spikes, fish plates, and good ties we had on the KLS&C Railway, and we ran several trains (tourist and dinner) per day.

However, since we were regulated by the ICC, (today the STB) and ran passenger trains, we were inspected about once a week, maybe it was monthly, I don't remember. But we got to know the track inspector *REAL WELL*. Him and that damn Day-Glo orange can of spray paint he used to mark defects... Ugh.

A lot of times people get wigged out when they see a train at a road crossing, and they watch the rails "give" or go up and down. They are SUPPOSED to.

Now, "pumping mud" can get a bit dicey, 'cause left unchecked, it just usually always gets worse. But if it only happens once in a while, no problemo.

I also see clamps on the rail, so this is better than most.........

A lot of it has to do with speed, weight, and makeup of train.

It's amazing that more trains don't derail, but then a LOT do, at slow speeds, that never make the news, and shouldn't....

I was even able to re-rail a freight car I ran off end of track, by simply positioning some lumber to guide the two rear wheels on the last truck, and "pulling" the train back on the track.

You can safely get on that commuter train ALL DAY LONG. (But then again, I am _*not*_ a track inspector, I just used to distract them, or offer them a ride in our hyrail......... so we could go FASTER down the track, instead of walking so damn slow...........)


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## George K (Mar 28, 2015)

Well, this is interesting. I came across this photo, taken (I don't know when) feet from where I was standing on Thursday evening. See it?


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## railiner (Mar 29, 2015)

I guess this is a better system?

https://www.google.com/search?q=rail+clips&biw=1440&bih=813&tbm=isch&imgil=ANLLyEPDgQII2M%253A%253BZsmCLuXrFg8WAM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.eilbeckcranes.com%25252Feilbeck-solutions%25252Fcrane-rail-clips-and-pads%25252Fwelded-platform-base-crane-rail-clips%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=ANLLyEPDgQII2M%253A%252CZsmCLuXrFg8WAM%252C_&usg=__OyYkAoIJNnC4Gx_PGow4a5sx5-Y%3D&ved=0CDAQyjc&ei=9pwXVay_F4O1ggSX1oPgDQ#imgrc=ANLLyEPDgQII2M%253A%3BZsmCLuXrFg8WAM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.eilbeckcranes.com%252Ffiles%252F5013%252F3947%252F3511%252Frail_clips_welded_platform_base_S73R_S94R.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.eilbeckcranes.com%252Feilbeck-solutions%252Fcrane-rail-clips-and-pads%252Fwelded-platform-base-crane-rail-clips%252F%3B682%3B840

Or, this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandrol#/media/Fileandrol-on-concrete.jpg


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## Ryan (Mar 29, 2015)

"Better" depends on what you're trying to optimize for.


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## VentureForth (Mar 31, 2015)

Well, it ain't the Maumee & Western Railroad!

Full disclaimer: It's now the Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railway since being bought by Pioneer Railcorp and made respectable.


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## railiner (Apr 1, 2015)

That is an amazing photo...I suspect it was taken with a very long telephoto lens, which tends to distort any railway into looking bad, but not that bad...


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## CCC1007 (Apr 1, 2015)

Look closer, the crew is visible checking to make sure they didn't derail.


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## KmH (Apr 14, 2015)

Wanna watch video of trains moving on those M&W (N D & W) tracks?


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