Strasburg Railroad Feight

[Chessie8638]

Fans of Strasburg probably never heard #90 work as much!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HuuvS1t4fw

[styckx]

#90 has the best whistle ever (reading 6 chime).. I could pick that whistle out of a group of hundreds.. Glad to see her back under steam after 6 months for her 1472 service day inspection. She looks and sounds great.. That new paint is awesome. Pure vintage paint with just a small "Strasburg" branding. She was just put back in service July 11th. That's as new and as pristine as a steam loco as you'll get right now. Might run up to check her out tomorrow.

Posted on another forum by a Strasburg Railroad shop employee.

Our ex-Great Western #90, a.k.a. the country’s most reliable 2-10-0, has returned to service after receiving her second 1472 service day inspection, having steamed 1450 service days in nine years and five months. The inspection and other repairs took just over six months to complete.

She also received heavy repairs to her foundation brake rigging, some new bushings in her side rods, and one hundred twenty five new flexible staybolts, caps and sleeves. And to top it all off, her first end to end, top to bottom paint job since 1991.

She earns her keep alright. This morning she teamed up with SW-8 #8618 to haul thirteen loads to Strasburg, creating a new record for train tonnage, just under 2,000 tons of gross train weight. According to Baldwin formulas, #90 alone is rated at 1,443 tons on our line.

[arizonachris]

She actually runs daily freight? A steamer? And it's still a coal burner? I'm amazed the EPA lets them get away with it. Must have had to put a catalytic converter on.

She sure is beautiful. And, yes, you could tell she was working hard, even with that little helper.

[Chessie8638]

Yea Strasburg got back into the freight business after many years of only pulling New Yorkers... I mean tourists.
It's easier just to use the steam locomotives then the switchers half the time, since the switchers act up most of the time.

I find it hard to believe she's only rated at 1,443 tons. She pulled 11 coaches (mix of Strasburg's and heavyweights) and both 1223 and 7002 back from Leaman Place back to East Strasburg by herself. Anyhoo, I'm glad they put #90 back into the Great Western/Strasburg hybrid scheme. Probably the best, imo.

[styckx]

Yea Strasburg got back into the freight business after many years of only pulling New Yorkers... I mean tourists.
It's easier just to use the steam locomotives then the switchers half the time, since the switchers act up most of the time.

I find it hard to believe she's only rated at 1,443 tons. She pulled 11 coaches (mix of Strasburg's and heavyweights) and both 1223 and 7002 back from Leaman Place back to East Strasburg by herself. Anyhoo, I'm glad they put #90 back into the Great Western/Strasburg hybrid scheme. Probably the best, imo.

Coaches and engines are a little lighter than fully loaded freight cars.

From Kelly Anderson (VP of mechanical department)

Well, if they were the 30 ton capacity cars which were common when she was built, she would be able to pull 30 cars. Freight cars have grown a lot in the last eighty seven years. On dead level straight track, #90 is good for a 12,000 ton train.

The ruling grade is 1.5%
#90's TE is 48,960 lb.

From memory: Rolling resistance per ton of a car is 4 lb. Grade resistance is the percentage of a ton that the grade is (i.e. 1.5% of 2,000 lb is 30 lb). Add both of those together for a total resistance per ton of 34 lb. 48,960 lb tractive effort / 34 lb resistance per ton = 1440 tons total train weight. #90 and tender weigh 186 tons, so the net train weight she is rated for is 1254 tons, about 9 modern loaded freight cars. The drag from curves reduces tonnage ratings as well, but I would have to do my home work to discuss that.

Out in Kansas for example, someplace with 0% grade and straight track, 48,960 lb tractive effort / 4 lb resistance per ton = 12,240 tons total train weight, about 91 modern loaded freight cars. Go to 0.2% grade, and that tonnage rating is cut in half.

[styckx]

New movie of that awesome pull: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7BmVqkwr9Q