1. posterid:2676392
  2. Heavy duty trucks on B&LE hoppers-Why?

Re: Heavy duty trucks on B&LE hoppers-Why?

Mont Switzer
 

However, after loading the helium cars became lighter and therefore less need for the clasp brakes. 

 

One professional railroader told me they had a helium car on the PRR that was overloaded and it actually started to float above the rails.  They had to open a valve to bleed some of the helium off to get it back down on the rails.

 

Or was it on the SP?

 

Mont

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Jeff Ford
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2021 7:02 PM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Heavy duty trucks on B&LE hoppers-Why?

 

Dennis,

Helium tank cars are another example.  They tip the scales at 100 tons, empty.  Not only did the early cars have clasp brake rigging, they had two complete air brakes systems - one for each truck.

That's a lot of braking effort for a net payload of 3000 pounds of Helium.  All the weight came from the 30 welded steel tanks that held the gas. 

$.02,
-Jeff Ford
Sanger, TX

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