What is this engineering train?

[Europa1]

It is 3 or 4 tanks, and what looks like one generator, with a Class 66 at each end. The tanks and generator thing are blue with the Network Rail logo. It's been at Foxton station as my train has been heading the other way for the last few mornings.

[Boatbuoy]

Weed Killing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jwR3bOxcQI

[MitchT]

It's actually the rail head cleaning train. Often seen at this time of year blasting slippery deposits (mostly leaf mulch) off the rails.

[ecsrobin]

Whilst watching that YouTube video it showed this: https://youtu.be/cg7Rq8YTWHU that is a seriously long train for the UK network is it not?

[legzr1]

ecsrobin said:

Whilst watching that YouTube video it showed this: https://youtu.be/cg7Rq8YTWHU that is a seriously long train for the UK network is it not?

Quite a sight watching it in action.

Hauled to site by leading loco then splits in half and becomes self powered for the duration of the work, is recouped then hauled back to depot by the loco on the rear for reloading.

Saved NR an absolute fortune in reballasting over the years.

Think Tight5 from this parish still gets to drive them.

[Europa1]

Boatbuoy said:

Weed Killing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jwR3bOxcQI

Thanks for the video - that's the one!

[spitfire-ian]

ecsrobin said:

Whilst watching that YouTube video it showed this: https://youtu.be/cg7Rq8YTWHU that is a seriously long train for the UK network is it not?

Oh that's where it's gone now.

The bd thing came past our house most nights for the best part of a year, not that my inner trainspotting geek minded too much


Network Rail High Output Ballast Cleaner by Ian, on Flickr

[P5BNij]

spitfire-ian said:

ecsrobin said:

Whilst watching that YouTube video it showed this: https://youtu.be/cg7Rq8YTWHU that is a seriously long train for the UK network is it not?

Oh that's where it's gone now.

The bd thing came past our house most nights for the best part of a year, not that my inner trainspotting geek minded too much


Network Rail High Output Ballast Cleaner by Ian, on Flickr

That's one of our regular jobs when it's working on the West Coast or Midland Mainline, the 'bd thing' can weigh up to 3,300 tons fully loaded (including a Class 66 at each end), is exactly half a mile long with the couplings stretched and takes a mile and a quarter to come to a stand from its maximum speed of 60mph. Lots of fun on gradients, even more so on a wet rail!

[tight5]

MitchT said:

It's actually the rail head cleaning train.

It's actually the rail head treatment train !


Legz, don't get on HOBC anymore, ANOTHER contract we can't keep.

[markmullen]

I found this on youtube about the long one, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=furiKA-QgoI

[northwest monkey]

At the risk of sounding stupid, what exactly is the point of cleaning the stones?

On one of those videos it shows the machine basically sucking the stones up then spitting them back out.

[Flying Phil]

northwest monkey said:

At the risk of sounding stupid, what exactly is the point of cleaning the stones?

On one of those videos it shows the machine basically sucking the stones up then spitting them back out.

Quite understandable Q - After time the ballast (stones) gets smaller and accumulates dirt/dust/debris and no longer allows water to drain away from the sleepers/track, thus the track bed becomes softer and less able to support the rails. New ballast allows the water to be drained away.

[AJB88]

I deal with the HOBC, The RHTT is not something I deal with directly but my office does.

[Chrisgr31]

This is a pretty amazing bit of kit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlj2vbSB9og plenty to go wrong. Imagine being the designer of it!

[gooner1]

Flying Phil said:

Quite understandable Q - After time the ballast (stones) gets smaller and accumulates dirt/dust/debris and no longer allows water to drain away from the sleepers/track, thus the track bed becomes softer and less able to support the rails. New ballast allows the water to be drained away.

Drainage, possibly the biggest cause of problems track wise.

[legzr1]

tight5 said:

It's actually the rail head treatment train !


Legz, don't get on HOBC anymore, ANOTHER contract we can't keep.

[northwest monkey]

Flying Phil said:

northwest monkey said:

At the risk of sounding stupid, what exactly is the point of cleaning the stones?

On one of those videos it shows the machine basically sucking the stones up then spitting them back out.

Quite understandable Q - After time the ballast (stones) gets smaller and accumulates dirt/dust/debris and no longer allows water to drain away from the sleepers/track, thus the track bed becomes softer and less able to support the rails. New ballast allows the water to be drained away.

Cheers for that - I love knowing stuff like this!

[MitchT]

tight5 said:

MitchT said:

It's actually the rail head cleaning train.

It's actually the rail head treatment train !

Ah, yes, the RHTT.

[demic]

What makes leaf mulch slippy? Moisture. Let's make it wet. Good idea chaps, my wheels are now square and my pants are no longer fit for purpose.

[lufbramatt]

Europa1 said:

Boatbuoy said:

Weed Killing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jwR3bOxcQI

Thanks for the video - that's the one!

Why do they need 2 locos on that? doesn't exactly look like a heavy load.