WP&Y photostory

bobyar2001 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:12 am

Just a nice, basic travel piece, with lots of good photos:

http://www.railroadphotoessays.com/foru ... php?p=8215

Plus other stories about Milwaukee Road freight operations on Tacoma Hill (where Reading 2100 was supposed to run), riding the Electroliners and a recent trip through the Royal Gorge. Worth a look.

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Sat Jul 21, 2007 5:35 pm

What is the purpose of that weird bit of trackwork where the branch diverges to the right but then crosses back over on a diamond?

Bobharbison · **Joined:** Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:42 pm **Posts:** 3013

softwerkslex wrote:

What is the purpose of that weird bit of trackwork where the branch diverges to the right but then crosses back over on a diamond?

It's the railroad equivelant of a big truck swinging into the opposite lane before making a hard right turn. They couldn't turn quickly enough if they just put in a normal turnout, so they did that to get the curve where it needed to go. Things are tight around there, mountains on one side, water on the other etc.

It's unusual, but it works...

ray dewley · **Joined:** Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:18 pm **Posts:** 150

Are those Diesels equied with dynamic brakes?

What's with the "grafiti" on the rock face in the last pic? One is of the Pacific Pricess Lines, but includes a Capt. name. Are those local equivalent of billboards?

Ray Reter · **Posted:** Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:12 pm

I remember seeing similar trackwork along the old waterfront (now gentrified) in Baltimore where sidings entering loading docks had to be "swung wide" for clearance purposes. -- Ray

gbrewer · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:30 am **Posts:** 150

Yes, at least the 109 and 110 certainly were equipped with dynamic brakes. And it really came in handy coming down from White Pass.