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B'ham X City South Question

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66's are evil

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My query is what are the white 'blocks' on the track (they show up much more in some of the other scenarios but i've forgotten which ones!)

Please see attachment.

Many thanks
Richard
 
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jonnorail

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it is the a sprinkler system used to reduce the noise from the flange of the trains wheels
 

Met Driver

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They're water jets. They were installed a few years back to reduce the amount of flange squeal caused by passing trains (don't ask how :confused:).
 

66's are evil

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Many thanks for the lightning fast replies!

So are the blocks representing water?

Were they installed due to resident complaints over noise?
 

jonnorail

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I would imagine so rsidents are complaining about klaxons (horns) being blown at midnight . It was on the news saying that modern train horns are too loud e.g class 334 EMU Junipers , 460 Gatwick Express and 458 EMUs and other modern passenger trains
 

Met Driver

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66's are evil said:
So are the blocks representing water?

Were they installed due to resident complaints over noise?

They are indeed.

As for the reasoning behind it - you've probably hit the nail on the head there, although I can't confirm that. The area is quite built up IIRC, so I wouldn't be surprised if the locals had something to do with it!
 

Coxster

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When it was a through line avoiding the Licky Incline, residents were apparently always woken up and that was years and years ago! I believe they get turned on once a train enters the section.
 

66's are evil

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Many thanks, gents!

Would there be any info on this, in the real world, a feature on it somewhere on the net maybe?

Or even better, if Mr. Bowden views this forum and could explain!
 

Dennis

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AlexS

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They wet the rails to give better lubrication, with a 15 mph speed limit the traction isn't affected too much, so you get less squeal from the flange on the wheels as you go round the tight radius corner.
 

The Snap

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I thought they were to clean the track! :p
Ah well, you learn something new everyday, and not necessarily at school!
 

66's are evil

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Dennis said:
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/page.cfm?objectid=12124337&method=full&siteid=50002

There used to be a frature about this on the Railtrack site many years ago and it was also covered by some of the railway magazines at the time.

Many thanks for that, Dennis, just what i was after!

This bit from the article made me laugh:

A Railtrack spokeswoman said the company had spent several years trying to find out what the problem was before realising it was a combination of the track layout and train wheels.

Err, what else could it be?! Typical Railtrack brains!
 
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