Durand Diamond VIDEO

[jukeman45]

[Mr. Tops]

I hope they keep the nice pretty pastel colors on there after they install it!

[A No.1]

WHY DO THEY NEED NEW ONES? SOUNDS LIKE THEY DONT USE THE ONES THEY HAVE

[jukeman45]

Started putting them together today

[hobojim]

one question abouts OWLS that will show my stupidity. Doesn't the flange of the wheels riding up and over the main rail cause a groove to eventually wear into the high speed rail? Or does it take so long that it is considered insignificant?

[CAT345C]

one question abouts OWLS that will show my stupidity. Doesn't the flange of the wheels riding up and over the main rail cause a groove to eventually wear into the high speed rail? Or does it take so long that it is considered insignificant?

I would think that it would eventually damage the flanges, if for some reason a car still had a hand brake on or a flat spot or a thin flange and nobody had caught it yet, but I'm going to go on the safe bet that this type of diamond was hopefully tested before the FRA allowed them to be used in service.

[Mr. Tops]

Yes, the flanges of the train crossing on the low-speed line do put grooves into the rail on the high-speed line but the groove is insignificant. It amounts to a rigid joint in the rail.

In this photo, the high speed mainline runs left-to-right. Jon Roma photo.

[bobby_stevens6009]

I have seen a owls crossing in action if you stay 10mph or less you should be ok. But the couple i have seen they traveled way over 10 mph and it can become a bit scary. When u see it from a distance it just looks like a really bumpy diamond but if u watch up close ( really heart stopping and loud) it doesn't seem to safe just like leap frogs, if you ever get the chance watch a autorack go over a leap frog watch how it leans over when crossing the frog..In the long run i think flang bearing crossings will be the norm i hope only full flange bearing diamonds stay around they seem really safe because they do not involve a trip over top the crossing rail.. but instead involves all the weight being placed on the flange for a longer distance..herein Philadelphia we have the only trolley line left to cross a mainline railway Csx placed a owls crossing now i think for this it works

Septa trolley crossing csx Philadelphia sub in Darby PA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1clIZUppBY

Up train crossing at Earlville Illinois watch to 0:50 of video is when it shows the train crossing ( which i think they are traveling a little faster than 10mph by the time the end crosses the diamond)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCf2zTmhZ3E

[Mr. Tops]

I have seen a owls crossing in action if you stay 10mph or less you should be ok. But the couple i have seen they traveled way over 10 mph and it can become a bit scary. When u see it from a distance it just looks like a really bumpy diamond but if u watch up close ( really heart stopping and loud) it doesn't seem to safe just like leap frogs, if you ever get the chance watch a autorack go over a leap frog watch how it leans over when crossing the frog..In the long run i think flang bearing crossings will be the norm i hope only full flange bearing diamonds stay around they seem really safe because they do not involve a trip over top the crossing rail.. but instead involves all the weight being placed on the flange for a longer distance..herein Philadelphia we have the only trolley line left to cross a mainline railway Csx placed a owls crossing now i think for this it works

Septa trolley crossing csx Philadelphia sub in Darby PA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1clIZUppBY

Up train crossing at Earlville Illinois watch to 0:50 of video is when it shows the train crossing ( which i think they are traveling a little faster than 10mph by the time the end crosses the diamond)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCf2zTmhZ3E

The point of OWLS crossings is one route will have an increased speed and one route will have a low speed (hence the name; one-way low-speed). The slow-speed line is restricted to 10mph over the crossing. The only places these will be found is where there is a mainline crossing a branch, or lesser used line, or where the speed is already 10 mph. You cant really see the effects in the Septa video, but the UP crossing at Earlville is a good example. The train 1as going 10mph the entire time it was crossing the diamonds.

[hobojim]

My understanding, from other railfans, was that the old diamond had a speed limit of 40mph. Anyone know what the new speed limit will be?

[Mr. Tops]

Yes, Durand is 40mph. After the installation of the OWLS diamond, the speed on the Flint Sub will be whatever track speed/train speed is on the line, there will be no more 40 mph speed restriction unless there is some other restriction that is prohibiting the train from running maximum allowable speed.

[bnsfben]

Yes, Durand is 40mph. After the installation of the OWLS diamond, the speed on the Flint Sub will be whatever track speed/train speed is on the line, there will be no more 40 mph speed restriction unless there is some other restriction that is prohibiting the train from running maximum allowable speed.

Do you think that curve just west of the depot is enough to limit speeds? Also I think that the horn ban will keep speeds down though. I am hoping maybe for CN to convince the city to lift the ban, since there are less trains than there were when the ban was created!

[Mr. Tops]

The curve was the only thing I was thinking of; though, I'm not a Durand expert. Just putting it out there. The simple fact that they are putting in OWLS diamonds is to increase the speed. If it was going to remain at 40mph after the switch, they might as well use conventional diamonds. The horn ban will not change and it will not prevent them from raising the limit through town. There are many, many places that have quiet zones on tracks that are rated for 60mph+. Look at Metra in Chicago...

[jukeman45]

The curves were lifted last year.

[jukeman45]

[bobby_stevens6009]

they might be putting them in for the purpose of less maintenance! no more welding on the frogs OWLS take less a beating then standard diamonds...

[AARR]

they might be putting them in for the purpose of less maintenance! no more welding on the frogs OWLS take less a beating then standard diamonds...

The diamonds at Durand take a heavy beating. Bolts and other pieces were forever loosening and those rails bounced like a trampelene. Many of us commented on the diamond's condition. A maintenance worker even said he would not take a train over his own work on the diamond It wouldn't surprise me if the primary reason of the new diamond is to reduce maintenance.

[Mr. Tops]

They are putting them in for several factors; less maintenance and higher speed. The fact that most trains that cross the diamond going into or coming out of the yard are already going 10 mph so that does not get affected by installing the OWLS diamond. They also benefit from higher speeds on the Flint Sub. I don't work in the track department, but it doesn't take an expert to know that these types of diamonds take less of a beating then convetional diamonds.

[PAT.C]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT HE SAID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AARR]

They are putting them in for several factors; less maintenance and higher speed. The fact that most trains that cross the diamond going into or coming out of the yard are already going 10 mph so that does not get affected by installing the OWLS diamond. They also benefit from higher speeds on the Flint Sub. I don't work in the track department, but it doesn't take an expert to know that these types of diamonds take less of a beating then convetional diamonds.

Do you think they're putting this dimaond in because when EHH leaves they'll be more trains