Jay Pat
Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA
These are 5 drop bottom gondolas cars that are loaded with ashes from the locomotives.
The ashes are porous and work well as ballast material.
The ashes contain material that is small in size included finer material.
There are 6 gates on each side of the car.
The lever at the near corner of the first car controls 3 of the gates.
There is a lever at the other end for the three gates on that end.
If you zoom in you can see the details of the chains that lower the doors and you can see the edge of the doors with material on them.
I was told you do not open all six doors on one side of the car at one time.
If you do, you run the risk of the car tipping over to the other side.
You open one set of doors on both sides at the same time.
Several days later, they did take these cars out on the line and dumped the material.
Pat
This is a nice shot and I really enjoyed your narrative. There is so much about trains that is interesting!
Great shot and excellent choice of subject.
Wow, a whole new facet of railroading for me! Telling myself of course there will be ashes - so there must be an equally interesting process of getting them into the cars?
Jay Pat
Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA
tommy2 wrote:
Wow, a whole new facet of railroading for me! Telling myself of course there will be ashes - so there must be an equally interesting process of getting them into the cars?
This is the ash pit in Chama. It is for cleaning out the left over ashes out of the bottom of the fire box.
The gates are opened inside the cab.
Ashes fall thru to the ground.
Some hot coals fall thru as well.
Some of the ash lands on parts of the locomotive below the fire box.
The Hostlers use compressed air to clean off the the area below fire box.
There are two stock piles of ashes to the left and to the right.
Pat
This is the ash pit in Chama. It is for cleaning out the left over ashes out of the bottom of the fire box.
(
Download)
bpulv
Loc: Buena Park, CA
So I'm guessing the open gondola will move over the pit and a front-end loader (I see the tire tracks) will scoop up the ashes and dump them up into it. Certainly sounds efficient, thank you!
Jay Pat
Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA
tommy2 wrote:
So I'm guessing the open gondola will move over the pit and a front-end loader (I see the tire tracks) will scoop up the ashes and dump them up into it. Certainly sounds efficient, thank you!
When the ashes are cleaned out, there are still some hot coals in there.
The stock pile will have plenty of time for the coals to burn out and cool down.
In this case, several years.
There is a track behind where I am standing. The DB Gons will be backed into this area and loaded with a front end loader (at ground level).
Kudos to you for asking questions!
I know I'm enjoying my journey of learning more.
Pat
Jay Pat wrote:
These are 5 drop bottom gondolas cars that are loaded with ashes from the locomotives.
The ashes are porous and work well as ballast material.
The ashes contain material that is small in size included finer material.
There are 6 gates on each side of the car.
The lever at the near corner of the first car controls 3 of the gates.
There is a lever at the other end for the three gates on that end.
If you zoom in you can see the details of the chains that lower the doors and you can see the edge of the doors with material on them.
I was told you do not open all six doors on one side of the car at one time.
If you do, you run the risk of the car tipping over to the other side.
You open one set of doors on both sides at the same time.
Several days later, they did take these cars out on the line and dumped the material.
Pat
These are 5 drop bottom gondolas cars that are loa... (
show quote)
Very nicely done, Pat; the narration adds to the whole.
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.