Goods trains through stations

[garethashenden]

Why do goods trains slow down going through stations? If it's ok for a passenger train to go through at 125 why can't a goods train go through at 50? It just seems strange...

['CHARD]

I expect it depends on the sectional appendix/ rules of the route/ special notices applicable to a location at a point in time.  I can think of plenty of stations where freights pass at the line speed applicable to them - 50/ 60 mph and upwards.

[Reorte]

If they're going through via avoiding lines then they've probably got to slow down for the pointwork there. Do they slow down going through stations that passenger services often don't stop at, and using the same lines?

[Rivercider]

There might be a number of reasons depending on the location or type of train,

do you have a specific station (or stations) in mind?

 

cheers

[Rugd1022]

The trains you've seen slowing down may be following another train!

 

Certain wagon types have 'heavy axle weight' restrictions placed on them when travelling over particular bridges - are there any underbridges where you are?

 

Oxford has container trains passing through on the middle roads at 75mph...

[garethashenden]

I've seen it in three stations and those are the only stations I've been at when a freight train has gone through so it seemed like the norm. York; southbound coal train, Didcot; westbound steel train, Stratford (East London); east and west bound container trains. Stratford makes sense for going slowly through the junction but the train in York opened the throttle halfway along the platform.

[jonhall]

I think its frowned upon to come to a stand in a platform in case someone decides to hitch a lift and go train surfing, that can lead to some fairly slow trundles if the signal beyond the platform is a bit slow in going green or difficult to seen until you are close to the platform, Certainly I've seen a number of freightliners coming up from Southampton behind a unit on single and double yellows, which crawl up to the point where the driver can see the signal and then will try and get through the platforms with a reasonable turn of speed.

 

Jon

[Rivercider]

One of the locations that I have seen 66s in action regularly in recent years is at Taunton station when waiting for a train.

They are nearly always Freightliner Heavyhaul 66s and are usually just leaving, or approaching the nearby Fairwater Yard.

One day, few years ago, I saw an EWS 66 power through on the up main at the head of the loaded Burngullow - Irvine silver bullets, I thought 'wow that is impressive!' 

It made me think that up to then all the 66 hauled trains I had seen had been at stations like Westbury, Bristol Temple Meads, Newport, Cardiff or Exeter St Davids, and none of them at high speed,

 

cheers

[The Stationmaster]

I've seen it in three stations and those are the only stations I've been at when a freight train has gone through so it seemed like the norm. York; southbound coal train, Didcot; westbound steel train, Stratford (East London); east and west bound container trains. Stratford makes sense for going slowly through the junction but the train in York opened the throttle halfway along the platform.

In the case of Didcot it would most likely be running on restrictive aspects and braking for Foxhall or even braking for the junctions at Foxhall; in teh case of York it might be restrictive aspects but also if southbound it would be coming off a speed restriction.  Dunno about Stratford.

 

Round our way (GWML) the only reasons any freights slow down near stations is usually for restrictive aspects following passenger trains or possibly (in the case of Twyford) if they are crossing Down Relief to Down MaIn at Lands End (Twyford West to the younger generation) - the last one I saw doing that was probably doing about 45mph when the loco passed Twyford station and about 5-10mph when the rear wagon passed, but it was a 100SLU train so not far short of a quarter mile long.  In the past we used to try and get the stone empties down the Main if we could as that way they could overtake the stopping passenger trains and avoid delay.

 

Edit to correct brain f*rt

[EddieB]

Dunno about Stratford.

 

Freight speeds are restricted through Stratford.  Most freights take the North London line, which involves a tight curve to the South-West of the station, but additionally all freights need to negotiate facing cross-overs in both directions.

[great central]

The trains you've seen slowing down may be following another train!

 

Certain wagon types have 'heavy axle weight' restrictions placed on them when travelling over particular bridges - are there any underbridges where you are?

 

Oxford has container trains passing through on the middle roads at 75mph...

 

They're going pretty well through Grantham platform 2 northbound, having come down from Stoke tunnel, after being on the slow on the climb from Peterborough. Also knowing there's a 125mph passenger somewhere in rear probably means they're keen to get a move on!

[Titan]

Brings back memories of standing on Witham Station waiting for trains. Two class 37's flat out at 75mph on 25 Freightliner wagons, as they prepared to rush the grade up to Hatfield Peveral. This was in the days before all the yellow lines and platform announcements. If you were listening you could hear them for miles away. If you were not, then a sounding of the horn about 100 yards from the station was all you got and you had to step back sharpish!  Then all hell would break loose, An absolute cacophony would assault your eardrums, the ground would shake, and the wind buffeting from dozens of unevenly distributed containers along the train was far worse than any 100mph passenger train! everybody, but everybody were taking steps back by that point!!!!

 

Something like this in fact albeit in the opposite direction!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/justindperkins/4554740583/

[Wheatley]

All the through platform lines at York are restricted to 30mph for all traffic. Throttling up halfway through the platform sounds like he's waited until he can see what aspect/route he's got at the south end of the platforms, that happens quite frequently and the tail end of the train can be going at quite a lick when it passes. 

[big jim]

ive been through plat 6 at crewe at 60mph with the logs a couple of times, its a bit disconcerting though, doesnt feel right!

 

it also used to be fun going through warrington bank quay at 75 with an intermodal but i dont work them anymore

[Titan]

And the more modern equivalent!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A9-1yzHCjU#t=270

 

 Edit: Actually I am getting a bit distracted now. Type 'Freightliner Witham' into google videos and there is an awful lot of high speed freight action!!

[Glorious NSE]

Freight speeds are restricted through Stratford. Most freights take the North London line, which involves a tight curve to the South-West of the station, but additionally all freights need to negotiate facing cross-overs in both directions.

In addition, most westbound ones get checked by the approach controlled signal, and most eastbound waiting for a path on the GEML

[dp123]

Winchester on the down, the 'liners go through there at full whack. Used to be disconcerting, as country end of the station, there used to be a big voiding wet bed under the S&C. This pushed a cyclic top defect between there and the platform end, and the wagons used to seriously bounce and throw themselves around on it at 75mph.

 

The GBRf gypsum to Soton (does it still run?) used to get pathed through the down main at Eastleigh, and frequently got greens all the way through, again full speed at 75.

 

There's no blanket instruction that freights should slow at stations. Stations prove to be bottlenecks that slow trains like that down naturally, however.

[The Pilotman]

In the case of Didcot it would most likely be running on restrictive aspects and braking for Foxhall or even braking for the junctions at Foxhall; in teh case of York it might be restrictive aspects but also if southbound it would be coming off a speed restriction.  Dunno about Stratford.

 

Round our way (GWML) the only reasons any freights slow down near stations is usually for restrictive aspects following passenger trains or possibly (in the case of Twyford) if they are crossing Down Main to Down Relief at Lands End (Twyford West to the younger generation) - the last one I saw doing that was probably doing about 45mph when the loco passed Twyford station and about 5-10mph when the rear wagon passed, but it was a 100SLU train so not far short of a quarter mile long.  In the past we used to try and get the stone empties down the Main if we could as that way they could overtake the stopping passenger trains and avoid delay.

Don't you mean Down Relief to Down Main? Or have they reversed the layout since I worked in Reading PSB?

[garethashenden]

There's no blanket instruction that freights should slow at stations. Stations prove to be bottlenecks that slow trains like that down naturally, however.

 

Ok thanks. It seemed akin to the 5mph speed limit the LUL has through closed stations, I guess I just haven't traveled around the country enough yet.

[garethashenden]

Don't you mean Down Relief to Down Main? Or have they reversed the layout since I worked in Reading PSB?

I was on platform 3 waiting for a train to Oxford. I think that would be the down relief but I'm not sure.

[Fat Controller]

I was on platform 3 waiting for a train to Oxford. I think that would be the down relief but I'm not sure.

It is the Down Relief, at least according to Quail.

[bike2steam]

Brings back memories of standing on Witham Station waiting for trains. Two class 37's flat out at 75mph on 25 Freightliner wagons, as they prepared to rush the grade up to Hatfield Peveral. This was in the days before all the yellow lines and platform announcements. If you were listening you could hear them for miles away. If you were not, then a sounding of the horn about 100 yards from the station was all you got and you had to step back sharpish!  Then all hell would break loose, An absolute cacophony would assault your eardrums, the ground would shake, and the wind buffeting from dozens of unevenly distributed containers along the train was far worse than any 100mph passenger train! everybody, but everybody were taking steps back by that point!!!!

In the 1960/70's when I lived in Fyfield, Essex ( north of Ongar), on a still,cold, and  frosty night you could hear the English Electric type 3's ( yes that ages me!) climbing Ingatestone Bank.

[The Stationmaster]

Don't you mean Down Relief to Down Main? Or have they reversed the layout since I worked in Reading PSB?

It's an age thing - sorry (well the running junction has only been there for just over 50 years!)

[Oldddudders]

In the 1960/70's when I lived in Fyfield, Essex ( north of Ongar), on a still,cold, and  frosty night you could hear the English Electric type 3's ( yes that ages me!) climbing Ingatestone Bank.

Paul - they are still English Electric Type 3s. This modern 37 etc nonsense will never catch on.

[Mallard60022]

36E. If it's green on the main then the FLs/steel/sand go through the upper at top speed (75 max I should think).

Coal on the lower is slower of course but can still be impressive. Not sure of the SR through the lower.

36A is great for watching freight (most week days).

Barnetby has the oil but Donny has the FLs.

P