Adirondack Scenic Railroad rehab work

Class 3 track gives you 60 for passenger and 40 for freight. The Adirondack presently observes the freight maximum unless there is something more restrictive.

On the south end I think all grade crossings have circuits that are long enough for at least 30 and there may be a couple long enough for 40. I cannot tell you if there are speed restrictions on bridges because I simply don't know.

The north end has some very tight curves (still Class 3 mind you) and what seem to me to be a million grade crossings. I think 25 or 30 is what they observe up there. Just because you CAN run 40 (or 60) doesn't mean you HAVE to run 40. It's a scenic railroad after all, and to go the ten miles from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake in 15 minutes would be kinda pointless.

The Adirondack runs through vacation country with hikers, trail bikers, canoeists, kids, pets, and wildlife (LARGE wildlife) and the Adirondack seems to take a pretty common sense approach to where they are, speed-wise. They run a very safe operation.

I read from time to time that this or that tourist line can't use a particular engine or favorite piece of equipment because of "a Federal regulation." That sounds to me like "FRA Defect." That doesn't happen on the Adirondack. I think they ran over 700 trains last year and I didn't hear of a single mechanical delay. They're pretty amazing.

Just because you have Class 3 track, doesn't mean that you can legally run that fast. Locomotives that are not equipped with an event recorder are restricted to 30 mph.

Are any of the ADCR's locomotives equipped with event recorders?

.....anything running over 30 has event recorders as per FRA 49CFR PArt 229.135 and ditch lights for over 20mph under 49CFR Part 229.125

there are various bridge, crossing and other restrictions on "both ends" of the railroad. From south of Woodgate to Snow Jct is 30 mph tops. Only 40 mph section is from several miles south of Woodgate to the McKeever bridge north of Otter Lake.

Lake Placid end is run at 25mph, gives a smoother ride and let's people see the scenery better.

noticed Blocktruck's statement that Lake Placid had 70-80-90 LB rail replaced with 105. I don't think so, although haven't run up there since early summer.

At the end of ADRC operations in 1980 the first mile out of LP had 105 DY rail, just RR south of Old Military Road Crossing. The remainder was 90RA into Saranac Lake, and last I knew still was. To my knowledge there was never any 70-80 lb rail...if there was it would have been on one of the old unused sidings. Even the old power plant switch at Raybrook, removed in the early 1970's was 90#, as most of the rail and turnout was still in the brush as late as 1999.

I never did figure if Menair's operation of 1980, PC or NYC put in that last mile of 105DY. I suspect it was NYC after buying it from D&H in 1946.

The rest of the railroad is mainly 105DY - 6 bolt

I've read Castus Jack's comments and I think a friendly wager is in the offing. Here's what I will wager on:

70, 80, and 90 pound rail on the main or station track (North track) at Lake Placid station was replaced with 105 lb. rail.

EXCEPT for bridges and grade crossings, track speed from Remsen North (Snow Jct.) to Thendara (FULTON) is 40 mph.

Track speed between the villages of Lake Placid and Saranac Lake is 30 mph.

Please keep in mind that I am betting on what is (2005), not what was (2004.) Also keep in mind that a fair portion of this thread has referenced the amount of track work done, which must have been done for some purpose.

Now, what would Castus Jack like to win that I can afford to lose?

:-)

Well, hey I am an engineer there....what do I know !
They suck my brains out into a three ounce jar and away I go.

Not sure what transpired after I last ran the territory on November 26, 2004, but the 40mph didn't start till off the Big Woodhull trestle going north. They were in progress of doing tie and surface work, but my bulletin order for the day was 30 south of there with attendent slow orders on the Big Woodhull trestle itself and through the junction at Snow. MA&N was 30mph tops with at least one stop and flag crossing and several slow orders, including through Remsen and own at Stittville.

When I ran at Placid this summer the overall trackage from Lyons (south of LP to North Country Community College was basically 30 mph, but we ran it at 25 as it gave a better ride and we still make the schedule. Most the way through Saranac Lake is 10 account of crossings and congestion.

As far as the rail size on the north end, I was the General Manager there 1993-99, and walked every inch of it several times, and worked with Dave VanPelt (Supervisor of MoW) in putting toghether the basis of the workscope for the eventual DOT rehab. The rail was 105 DY from the Depot to just south of Military Road, near MP LP 1, then was 90# from there to Saranac Lake. I don't recall all the sidings off hand, but the Raybrook Power Plant siding was 90# and the turnout was still mostly there dismantled in the brush. This 90# stock went on my inventory list. I seem to recall most of the run-around and tail at LP as also being 90#, and there were steel ties in part of this track were the old steam loco pits were. These ties were still there in July / August.

Hey, all I know is what I saw. I was also there in Summer, 1980 as a brakeman, but didn't get too involved in what size rail was under me, and as far as speed limits went in 1980......well we threw out the book most days.

one more thing....the 40mph stopped at McKeever Bridge at MP 49.50 northbound, and from there up the twisty rollercoaster to Fulton (Thendara Yard Limit) was 30mph with a slow order of 10mph on McKeever Bridge and 20mph on Moose River Bridge at Minnehaha.

(as of 11-26-04)

I have not seen a new G.O. to lift those restrictions, but perhaps one does exist. I have not been marked up.

Well, you didn't lose, and I didn't win, so it's beer at Van Aukens and we'll find a third person to pick up the tab.

Seriously tho, since the completion of the track work the GM will ask NYSDOT to approve 40 from H29.14 to H58.00, and NYSDOT has indicated they will OK it. (There won't be a request to change restrictions on bridges in 2005.)

As to LP station track, I asked, and was forwarded an email that sez:

"Lake Placid, 1000 feet - Main yard track Rehabilitation. Replaced 70 - 80 - and 90 Lb. rail with 105 Dudley rail. New ballast and ties.
Lowered track at Passenger platform for easier loading & detraining Wally"

hey, if Wally says it, then it is true, I am sure however that the NYC placed 105DY to from the yard to MP LP 1. That "platform track may have been lighter rail

I say Wally buys at VanAukens !!

...or we each buy a round !!!!

see ya there

That should be fun to run 40mph from Snow to Fulton, lets hope Norton has the power in shape to do it !

My Dad recently started volunteering with Adirondack Scenic and loves what he has seen so far. He hasn't done much with them in a while because of the weather and other things, but he has told me how much he enjoyed working with the crew there.

Cactus-
Been so long since I've posted here, couldn't remember my username or password, so had to re-register, but from my new username, I assume you know who I am!
Those EMDs (I could use another, less polite name) will be as ready as it is humanly possible for them to be! At this point tho, 1508 is still waits for replacement of a TM.

ah, the mind...I hear it is either the first or second thing to go, can't recall which it is...

Bring on the HP CenturyMan !!, I hope the 4243 will be in better condition
than that last run !

How is the little 244 ?

Sounds like we are getting more and more into a EMD railroad with the 2064 gone. That only leaves the 8223 and 4243 ?? and any MA&N power.

Can't give any details yet, but there MAY be more ALCO power coming our way this year. Everything is very preliminary yet. Will definitely need some work if it happens, so don't get too hopeful about this becoming an EMD road just yet!
Re: 4243, disabled the smoke cam last fall, and had a lot more power. May have a weak turbo. Still have to get to the bottom of the ECP problem--not getting proper input to the panel. TG rotor may need to be remagnetized. Found a contact for a place to do the work, but am having a devil of a job getting the name and number! Have to set TRP for second event, and we're adding a refinement to help compensate for excessive smoke partially generated by the GE gov.
Our "little 244" is getting new (to us) brake heads, and LF comp shoes this year, also a few other minor adjustments. Everything else worked well last year. 7249 getting DB re-installed, and hopefully, paint. I agree about the old paint job, but it's tough to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

CENTURYman- I can help you find your lost account- please contact me off-list.

-otto-