Re: Suburban densities and rail service (was Re: Putting light rail in subway)

["Rod Young" <freight_man@hotmail.com>]

I have only operated on a really old (original) railroad for a short time
until it was closed in about 1979. This line in Victorias North-East was
built about the turn of the Century (the one before our new one ;o) and one
of the original sections, which had very short curves and was very
undulating, was laid in very light track and each section of track was very
short, perhaps 12 feet long. the curves were actually straight  sections of
this rail joined end to end but pulled around slightly in the direction of
the curve! So that the finished curve consisted of multiple short straight
sections of track..
;o)

Rod Young
http://hobsonmodelrail.rrdepot.com/
Foundation President and Co-Founder
Hobsons Bay Model Railway Club Inc.
Operators of Australia's only 'Australian' Model Railway Show
Every Easter in Melbourne.
and my page
http://hobsonmodelrail.rrdepot.com/rods


Mark Gibson <gibson@bluestem.prairienet.org> wrote in message
y_9N4.121$p92.115@firefly">news:y_9N4.121$p92.115@firefly...
> In alt.planning.urban David Barts <n5jrn@ricochet.net> wrote:
>
> >Many railroads in the Western US used narrow gauges so as to allow
> >for sharper turn radii (a big plus in mountainous areas).  I believe
> >significant amounts of narrow gauge lasted until 1960 or so (such
> >as the Denver and Rio Grande Western).  Two segments of the latter's
> >narrow-gauge trackage survive as tourist railroads.
>
> How are the rails on turns made to curve properly?  I realize it isn't
> a tough technical problem today, but how about 150 years ago?
>
>
> --
>  "This country is a one-party country.  Half of it is called Republican
>   and half is called Democrat.  It doesn't make any difference.  All the
>   really good ideas belong to the Libertarians." -- Hugh Downs (1997)
>
>  "The welfare state is the oldest con game in the world. First you
>   take the people's money quietly and then you give some of it back
>   to them flamboyantly." -- Thomas Sowell (1998)