Western Railroad Discussion > Kansas is flat, don’t you know (vol #6): ESS Ramona

It was the second “bum steer” day in a row for shootin’ up one o’ them thar promised Saharan sunsets. Shucks pardner, what I done got weren’t even up to snuff fer a reg-lar Kansas sunset! But I shore did find me another part of the billiard table ever square inch o’ Kansas is. Ever-body says so…

1. The clear signal is guarding the east siding switch at Ramona, KS. We’re looking due SW (TT west) through 300mm of tele-boomer glass, from the 370th St crossing out in the suburbs on June 26, 2020.

Thanks for looking long!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/20 01:54 by santafe199.

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Is this why you had to think a mile ahead AND behind your train ?

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trainman Wrote: > ...  had to think a mile ahead AND behind ...

That's correct, although most hoggers will cite you a much longer distance ahead factor. Obviously, and in most cases, "behind" a given train need only extend to the FRED. I remember one night back 1984 "hitching" a ride from Emporia up to Lawrence to see a girl I was dating. I knew one of the regular engineers working Amtrak #3 ~ #4 between KCUS & Emporia, and had an open invitation to ride with him "anytime". Back in those days the Eastern Division 1st District still had ATS, so 90 MPH running was the norm in non speed-restricted territory. That's one mile every 40 seconds! I had been working 6 years by that time and had an idea an engineer would be very busy negotiating the various speed-restricted curves scattered all along the 1st District. But I was taken by surprise at how busy the engineer actually was! It seemed like he was constantly adjusting the throttle and using blended braking (train air combined with dynamics), etc. I asked "Mr X" and he told me at those speeds it was routine for a passenger engineer to be thinking about upcoming track conditions 5-6 miles ahead of the train. In my career I never ran any regular passenger service. In freight service my routine was to be thinking 2-3 miles ahead of whatever train I was running...

Lance/199

I'm guessing this is the UP on the "Golden State" route, is that correct?  Nice shot, thanks for posting.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/20 18:42 by ntharalson.

ntharalson Wrote: > ... guessing ... "Golden State" route ...

Yep "Golden State Route" for proper name sake. Or just GSR as has been used a zillion times. Between Topeka & the McPherson ~ Hutchinson stretch it can be a real roller coaster of a RR! West of Hutch the GSR starts to really flatten out...

Lance

Nice shot! Brings back old memories when I first saw the undulating track of Kansas, which I thought was flat back in the late 1970's.

Larry

Rule one...keep her stretched.....

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
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> Rule one...keep her stretched.....

Only if you can stay awake!