Discussion of multi-loco and slack action.

coupler slack

Trains hauled by multiple locomotives: how to synchronize?

Around here the previous coal car trains have been largely replaced by tankers marked "LPG" (liquified petroleum gas) or "Straight Run Gasoline", all the condensate fractions from the local fracking gas wells.

I've noticed that between the engines (usually two at one end and one at the other) and the first and last tank car are three empty coal cars labeled "buffer car". I assume these are there to protect the engine crews if there is an accident and a tanker ruptures and catches fire. They keep the engines away from the nearest tanker. Is that correct?

Curious bit of trivia. The reason standard gauge is 4'8" is because that is the standard gauge of a Roman chariot. Goes to show that once something gets in a bureaucracy, it tends to stay.

quote:

Originally posted by Cycler:
I've noticed that between the engines (usually two at one end and one at the other) and the first and last tank car are three empty coal cars labeled "buffer car". I assume these are there to protect the engine crews if there is an accident and a tanker ruptures and catches fire. They keep the engines away from the nearest tanker. Is that correct?

Yep. The buffer car is there to provide a measure of safety for the crew as well as keep whatever commodity they're hauling removed from the hot motor on the engine. Not that it's common, but most of the time these commodities hauled don't react well to heat/fire. Extra level of protection that works both ways.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SigM4,

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Originally posted by Aeteocles:

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Originally posted by ryan81986:

The wheels are the same width of the top of the rail, so there isn't a huge margin of error before the train falls into the gauge, which has happened to me before.

What do you do with the train when that happens?

Use lots of wood blocks and wedges to slowly drag it back up onto the rails.

Went through a few derailments in my time there. Luckily none that required a crane to clean up.

If my memory is correct, the lack of Standard Gauge rail was a major logistical nightmare for the Confederates in the Civil War. had a hell of a time moving anything from one end of the fight to the other.