Education - Part 3
Railroad Infrastructure
Railroad infrastructure refers to the path or roadway over which rolling stock (locomotives, railroad cars and other equipment) travel as well as the rolling stock themselves. But it also includes buildings (terminals, maintenance facilities, offices, storage facilities), rail yards, bridges, tunnels and other things needed for successful operation.
Interestingly, many of these things must also be addressed by model railroad enthusiasts. We shall touch on these matters throughout this section.
Interestingly, many of these things must also be addressed by model railroad enthusiasts. We shall touch on these matters throughout this section.
What is a Train?
A train, for our purposes, is a set of one or more railroad cars (locomotives, goods cars, passenger cars, etc.) coupled together so as to move as a unit over the railroad tracks.
Trains can be categorized in various ways. For example, unit trains carry a single good (e.g., coal, crude oil, iron ore, wheat, cattle, gravel) to a single destination, whereas a wagonload train carries a variety of goods bound for a variety of destinations.
Motive power can also be used to categorize trains. We will discuss steam, diesel-electric and electric trains. There are also funiculars, rack, maglev and monorail trains, as well as passenger, freight and specialized trains. Of course, there are revenue-producing trains and non-revenue trains (e.g., maintenance-of-way trains). We will discuss some of these in due course.
Territory and Routes
Before a train can be seen operating along a rail line, a great deal of work must be done. For instance, a railroad organization must establish the territory within which it plans to operate. Country or countries would be the first level of operating territory. The amount of work required to establish an international railroad operation is substantial. What is the home base of the organization? What legal hurdles must be overcome? How would standards, rules and regulations affect operations. Are there time zone issues? How about taxation? You get the idea.
Perhaps it would be better (initially) to establish a territory such as the Mississippi River Valley. Or a territory that links two major cities. Railroad organizations have carved out territories similar to these. But in many cases, a much more limited territory can be established that makes economic sense. Consider the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road (P&R). This railroad founded in 1843 began with a route from Pottsville, PA through Reading and onward to Philadelphia following closely the Schuylkill River valley for roughly 93 miles (150 km). This was a double track route over which anthracite coal was hauled to the P&R port facility in the Port Richmond area of Philadelphia, PA. From this relatively modest beginning, the P&R developed into one of the world's largest corporations (see Railroad History for more about Reading Lines).
Routes
Once a territory has been defined, routes may be planned. For example, the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company (later, LVRR) was incorporated in 1847, having received authorization to operate in the state of Pennsylvania. From the name of the company you can imagine the thinking that underlay its business plan. In 1853 its name changed to Lehigh Valley Railroad (LVRR). Its initial operation (excluding passenger service) was the transport of anthracite coal from the area around today's Jim Thorpe, PA to terminals on the Delaware River where it would be transported by boat to various destinations (the distance from Easton to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania is some 40 miles following the Lehigh River). Eventually, LVRR expanded to operate a rail network that ran from Buffalo, NY to New York City through Ithaca, NY, Scranton, PA, Easton, PA and Jersey City, NJ across the Hudson River from NYC. For a variety of reasons, LVRR ceased operations in 1976 through merger (see Railroad History).
Layout
Once a territory is established, the layout of the railroad must be designed and built. This involves both the planned routes as well as various buildings and other facilities that will be needed for effective operation.
First, we need to discuss trackage.
A train, for our purposes, is a set of one or more railroad cars (locomotives, goods cars, passenger cars, etc.) coupled together so as to move as a unit over the railroad tracks.
Trains can be categorized in various ways. For example, unit trains carry a single good (e.g., coal, crude oil, iron ore, wheat, cattle, gravel) to a single destination, whereas a wagonload train carries a variety of goods bound for a variety of destinations.
Motive power can also be used to categorize trains. We will discuss steam, diesel-electric and electric trains. There are also funiculars, rack, maglev and monorail trains, as well as passenger, freight and specialized trains. Of course, there are revenue-producing trains and non-revenue trains (e.g., maintenance-of-way trains). We will discuss some of these in due course.
Territory and Routes
Before a train can be seen operating along a rail line, a great deal of work must be done. For instance, a railroad organization must establish the territory within which it plans to operate. Country or countries would be the first level of operating territory. The amount of work required to establish an international railroad operation is substantial. What is the home base of the organization? What legal hurdles must be overcome? How would standards, rules and regulations affect operations. Are there time zone issues? How about taxation? You get the idea.
Perhaps it would be better (initially) to establish a territory such as the Mississippi River Valley. Or a territory that links two major cities. Railroad organizations have carved out territories similar to these. But in many cases, a much more limited territory can be established that makes economic sense. Consider the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road (P&R). This railroad founded in 1843 began with a route from Pottsville, PA through Reading and onward to Philadelphia following closely the Schuylkill River valley for roughly 93 miles (150 km). This was a double track route over which anthracite coal was hauled to the P&R port facility in the Port Richmond area of Philadelphia, PA. From this relatively modest beginning, the P&R developed into one of the world's largest corporations (see Railroad History for more about Reading Lines).
Routes
Once a territory has been defined, routes may be planned. For example, the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company (later, LVRR) was incorporated in 1847, having received authorization to operate in the state of Pennsylvania. From the name of the company you can imagine the thinking that underlay its business plan. In 1853 its name changed to Lehigh Valley Railroad (LVRR). Its initial operation (excluding passenger service) was the transport of anthracite coal from the area around today's Jim Thorpe, PA to terminals on the Delaware River where it would be transported by boat to various destinations (the distance from Easton to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania is some 40 miles following the Lehigh River). Eventually, LVRR expanded to operate a rail network that ran from Buffalo, NY to New York City through Ithaca, NY, Scranton, PA, Easton, PA and Jersey City, NJ across the Hudson River from NYC. For a variety of reasons, LVRR ceased operations in 1976 through merger (see Railroad History).
Layout
Once a territory is established, the layout of the railroad must be designed and built. This involves both the planned routes as well as various buildings and other facilities that will be needed for effective operation.
First, we need to discuss trackage.