This section of standard gauge track is in New England. Why are the ties so long?
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/pdleth/BML_WaldoBogs.jpg)
Could it be for more support in a soft or boggy area?
Exactly, It's from the B&ML track that went over a bog, and to support the weight they used extra long ties to 'float' the track
Ah, the poor B&ML. Kicked out of Belfast, and now selling off all its equipment... :(
If you hadn't said that was standard-gauge track, I would have been certain that was narrow-gauge. Must be an illusion created by the extra-long ties.
Timothy
Guilford Guy escrit:
Ah, the poor B&ML. Kicked out of Belfast, and now selling off all its equipment...
Claiming ignorance here, what's the story?
Results of a search for "B & ML railroad bog". In Your browser, click on Edit and then click on "Find in this page". Type in bog. Click Next to find the next Bog word.
http://www.cprr.org/Museum/BMLRR/
Read on.
Rich
The story goes past there. The B&ML ended shortly after being evicted from Belfast(They were behind on a few lease payments, totaling $600). The Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad Preservation Society and they ran the trains until February 08 when the last train ran. The B&ML equipment is still for sale. http://www.railmerchants.net/
I vaguely remember reading an article about some parts of the Canadian railway were laid with extremely long sleepers when going through some regions of Canada with boggy ground . This is a fairly ancient practice. The ancient wooden roads in keltic regions of Europe were similarly constructed. The Romans replaced some of these original roads with stone. The Celts had superior war chariots ; the wheels had bearings constructed with wooden rollers for higher speeds and less friction .
The geographic features around the tracks suggest that the area is hilly, and the ties are probably used for better weight distribution, as well as better and more land to hold the rails in place. It can also be for the fact it is a downhill turn near a drop, tell me, is there regular sized ties down the line? If not, then it is for the first reason, if so, the second reason. Many conclusions can be drawn from this. Further information on the locomotives, rolling stock, and the geographic surroundings are needed.
~Santa Fe buff.
Its been answered. Its the Belfast & Moosehead Lake line, which runs through parts of a marsh. In Scotland the Fort William & Mallaig Railway is built on parts of a marsh. The line is built on stacked "sleepers" as they call them, which "float" on the swampy ground.
Quote from: Guilford Guy on June 19, 2008, 10:49:53 PM
Its been answered. Its the Belfast & Moosehead Lake line, which runs through parts of a marsh. In Scotland the Fort William & Mallaig Railway is built on parts of a marsh. The line is built on stacked "sleepers" as they call them, which "float" on the swampy ground.
Any other lines have these, I want more pics!