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Passenger Trains > Metro North balloon track questionDate: 04/02/21 14:06 Metro North balloon track question Author: Sp1110 Is the Metro North balloon track underneath Park Ave. at 46th St. a jointed rail track?
Date: 04/02/21 17:23 Re: Metro North balloon track question Author: HotWater Sp1110 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Is the Metro North balloon track underneath Park > Ave. at 46th St. a jointed rail track? What difference would it make? Why waste CWR on a 10 MPH "balloon track"? Date: 04/02/21 17:29 Re: Metro North balloon track question Author: Sp1110 I’m just wondering if the track still has the original rail installed in 1871.
Date: 04/02/21 17:39 Re: Metro North balloon track question Author: HotWater Sp1110 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > I’m just wondering if the track still has the > original rail installed in 1871. You ARE kidding, right? Date: 04/02/21 19:22 Re: Metro North balloon track question Author: Sp1110 I thought the balloon track was rarely used since Metro North started using cab cars.
Date: 04/02/21 19:24 Re: Metro North balloon Author: timz The inner loop is long gone, I assume?
Did 85-foot cars ever go around it? Date: 04/02/21 21:09 Re: Metro North balloon Author: Sp1110 I think lower level loop is now a spur.
I have never heard of a inner loop. Some diagrams show the lower level loop as incomplete. Date: 04/03/21 07:06 Re: Metro North balloon Author: nm2320 Upper level loop is in service at Grand Central Terminal, New York City, NY. Took a train through it once during a disruption with M7 equipment. Do not know if it is welded. Lower level loop not in service.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/21 07:07 by nm2320. Date: 04/03/21 07:35 Re: Metro North balloon Author: joemvcnj I don't think the lower loop could handle 85' cars. I think they once tried, and people got in a lot of trouble.
Part of the footprint of that loop is reserved for future pedestrian access from the LIRR concourse to the subway. Date: 04/03/21 08:04 Re: Metro North balloon Author: Lackawanna484 Fascinating thread
Posted from Android Date: 04/03/21 08:29 Re: Metro North balloon Author: Ray_Murphy You realize that this is 3rd-rail territory and the GCT track layout is seriously confining in many ways. How would a CWR train ever get to this location?
Ray Date: 04/03/21 08:53 Re: Metro North balloon Author: joemvcnj It also brings to mind if the current GCT terminal tracks are on the exact same footprint as the 1871 ones ? I don't think there were 2 levels in 1871 either.
Date: 04/03/21 09:30 Re: Metro North balloon Author: choodude Ray_Murphy Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > You realize that this is 3rd-rail territory and the GCT track layout is seriously confining in many ways. How would a CWR train ever get to this location? Nowadays one could get a Holland Welder high rail truck in there and ~ do it in place: https://www.hollandco.com/mow/fbweld Brian Date: 04/03/21 17:48 Re: Metro North balloon Author: Sp1110 joemvcnj Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > It also brings to mind if the current GCT terminal > tracks are on the exact same footprint as the 1871 > ones ? I don't think there were 2 levels in 1871 > either. The upper level tracks were built in 1871. The balloon track was necessary because they didn’t have cab cars back then. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/21 17:51 by Sp1110. Date: 04/04/21 09:34 Re: Metro North balloon Author: tonymarchiando I don't know which loop it was, but in 2013, to celebrate Grand Central's centennial, a train of private cars was brought in from Albany and Croton.
That train was turned on the loop and most of the cars were 85 feet--regular passenger cars, not commuter cars. The cars were open for public display for the weekend May 11-12. Tony Date: 04/04/21 10:47 Re: Metro North balloon Author: Lackawanna484 Didn't New York Central pull many trains --backward-- to Mott Haven for service?
Posted from Android Date: 04/04/21 11:37 Re: Metro North balloon Author: Sp1110 Lackawanna484 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Didn't New York Central pull many trains > --backward-- to Mott Haven for service? > > Posted from Android I thought it was illegal to run a train backwards without a caboose or a cab car. At some point the lower loop was cut back. Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/21 12:49 by Sp1110. Date: 04/04/21 12:50 Re: Metro North balloon Author: joemvcnj They hitched an electric loco on the rear and hauled them back to the Bronx.
I don't think the lower level loop tracks could ever handle 81 or 85 foot passenger cars. The NY Central's 60' long MU's vanished by 1972. Date: 04/04/21 15:10 Re: Metro North balloon Author: Lackawanna484 joemvcnj Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > They hitched an electric loco on the rear and > hauled them back to the Bronx. SNIP Thanks. That was my recollection. Posted from Android Date: 04/04/21 15:28 Re: Metro North balloon Author: choodude Sp1110 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > I thought it was illegal to run a train backwards without a caboose or a cab car. I don't think that applies to passenger trains with a sheltered end.. A backup (brake) hose and working communication with the engineer (usually by radio these days) Sure speed is reduced, but for example Today's post: Photo 5 - Less then 60 seconds seconds later, the City of New Orleans backs in after a reverse move at 21st street since the Air Line bridge is still out of service. From: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,5229370,5229370#msg-5229370 Brian |