Eastern Railroad Discussion > odd number axle count?

While scanning the CSX Columbus line I overheard an axle count at Columbia that ended in an odd number. At first I didn't think anything of it, then it hit me: Say what! How can you have an odd number of axles in a train? I could not get a closeup look at the train as it went by , but I did see one or more "spine cars" that were hauling what I believe are garbage containers, and it looked like the "middle" truck on one or more of the cars had one axle removed. Anyone help me out on this?

I could be wrong, but I don't believe ther is much equiptment out there that has an odd number of axles. The exception could be some of the Schnabal (sp) cars, but I think they have even axles too.

What probably happened is the detector missed an axle.

This happens with detectors, and usually the axle will "catch back up" by the next detector...it probably stopped for beans or something.

The other possiblity is that an axle did actually come off the train. If this did happen though, a derailment probably would have resulted. Either that or the Dragging Equipment detector should have gone off when the sideframe hit it.

Take Care
Be Safe

Did you catch the power? Must have been a C-Liner in the consist. (B-A1A) Post the photos.

Other than that, it's just a miscount. Happens occasionally.

There was a detector on the CSX Buffalo-Selkirk line that about every 5-6 trains would call off an odd number of axles. This only happened on track number one, with a westbound train! It did it for about 2 or 3 weeks but now seems to be working OK.

Could be caused by a low-hanging snowplow or airhose maybe?

See any FL-9's lately?

Roadrat

The CSX conductor who acknowledged the hot box axle count didn't sound like anything was out of the ordinary, so I assumed that an odd number count was correct. The head end power was the usual CSX. And no, I don't think an axle fell off as I watched this train pass by about 4 miles after it passed the detector. Perhaps this happens so often on this detector that no one gets excited about it anymore.
Thanks to all who responded to my post.

Bill

I was once riding Amtrak #79 or 80 from Raleigh to Washington DC. And a Dector misread the number. Got the crews attention and they started asking if any of the cars were riding a little rough. This was followed shortly by a good number of jokes.

I think the CSX conductor acknowledged the odd-number axle count without question because this is a not-uncommon detector malfunction. I heard a CSX detector in Michigan do this fairly recently and while it generated some guffaw traffic on the radio, nobody stopped their train to look for the missing axle.

What ever happened to that BN unit that had a four axle truck on the rear and a three axle truck on the front of the unit? Was it on the train too. I recall it being a SD 40 or 45 and was a experminent to test flange and rail wear.

I remember last year in Las Vegas the UP Officers Special (No E's) had some sort of car that had a 3 axle truck up front and a 2 axle truck behind it. I cant remember what that car was used for.

KevO

Axle counts are often off, don't think anything of it....

KevO Wrote:
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> I remember last year in Las Vegas the UP Officers
> Special (No E's) had some sort of car that had a 3
> axle truck up front and a 2 axle truck behind it.

Without digging through the pics I can't tell ya for sure but I think it's the Howard Fogg. The three-wheeled truck supports a steam generator on that end of the car.