Train Speed Restrictions


Greg@mnrr

Section Hand
I was reading the latest issue of the NMRA Magazine where an author wrote about weathering his fleet of Walther's ore cars and when running the ore car trains on his layout the locomotive engineers observed a 25 mph spreed restriction. On the CM&N I like running a slow ore trains since the cars are short in length, heavier with the Chooch ore loads that are covered with Woodland Scenic's ore and the appearance of the train is better when running slower. Before reading this article, I never thought about a specific speed restriction for ore trains, but did run ore trains slower than a normal freight. Now they will run no faster than 25 mph.

I do have speed restrictions in the Pine River yard limits since the track entering the yard has a sharp, minium radius curve and locomotive power is limited to four axle switchers. The area in the Rocky Junction also has a speed restriction since this is where the track diverts to the future freight yard and on to the Pine River yard. Trains are required to slow entering and traveling through the Omro siding area as well. These restrictions are shown on a framed placard on the pine paneling below the layout's facsia.

Speed restrictions also increase the time it takes for a train to travel the relatively short mainline of the CM&N railroad.

Do you have specific speed restrictions on your layout and is there a particular reason for the restrictions?

Thanks for your input.

Greg

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Undec Ore Cars.jpg
These ore cars started out as undecorated, black Roundhouse ore cars. Repair patches were added and the cars were weathered using powders. Like all ore cars in service on the CM&N, they have Chooch loads covered with Woodland Scenic's ore, KD couples and metal wheels. -Greg
 
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I have a slow order at a wide S-curve with a grade crossing in the middle of the S, and just before the tracks enter a double-wide tunnel portal. No image yet, but it's an obvious place where high speed freights and passenger service would need to slow.
 
Since my layout is small town switching it's effectively in the yard limits, so it will have a speed restriction of 15 MPH.
 
There are some basic reasons railroads put speed restrictions on trains or tracks.
  1. Track geometry, primarily curvature. That is the reason speeds are restricted through turnouts, because of the curvature through the divering route. There may also be restrictions due to grades.
  2. Track structure, such as bridges and diamond crossings.
  3. Track condition, there are Federal standards on the deviations of line (side to side alignment), surface (vertical smoothness) and gauge (how far the rails are apart) plus restrictions on the number of defective ties and rail fasteners you can have in a row.
  4. The type of cars, most cars have a speed restriction of 60 mph, with some restricted to 50 mph. Auto, intermodal and reefers are normally 70 mph. MofW cars might be 40 mph. Scale test cars, excessive dimension cars (high, wide or heavy loads such as Schnabel cars) might be speed restricted to 25-40 mph and even down to walking speed around close clearances at specific points. Most modern ore cars are good for 40-50 mph, if they have a speed restriction at all.
  5. Type of operation. Dark territory, non-signaled, is good for 49 mph max. With signals it goes to 79 mph. Past an approach signal or approaching a stop signal it is typically 30 mph. In most yard limits, or when operating at restricted speed or on track other than a main track it is limited to a speed between 15 and 20 mph (caveat: pre-1985, if you are a first class train, you can blast through yard limits at track speed, if the tracks good for 79 mph, and you have signals better than approach you can blow through yard limits at 79 mph.) Engine facilities are typically 5 mph.
  6. Civic imposed restrictions, prior to the 1990's it wasn't uncommon for cities to impose speed restrictions through their city. After the 1990's, the railroads won court decisions that the Federal restrictions govern interstate commerce and the speed restrictions were lifted and the trains proceeded at whatever the track speed was. Civic restrictions are a double edged sword, the city thinks it makes things "safer" but now it takes longer to get through town, blocking crossings longer.
  7. Weather, in times of tornado, flash flood, extreme heat or extreme cold, the railroad may limit speed due to visibility, allow for quicker stopping or to reduce stress on the track. In the western states, if they winds are forecast in a specific area to be over 60 mph or so, the railroad may stop trains with certain high profile cars (auto racks, double stacks, etc).
 
The kids like to run the trains at max speed until I take their controller for a few minutes.
Op sessions, the operators tend to run a bit slower than the kids run them. I'll check their train speed with my Accutrack once in a while so they get a better idea of how fast they are going.

Accutrack.jpg
 



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