Freightliner daily trip questions.

[steve wilson]

Good Morning

Most mornings I have to stop at our local railway crossing to allow a very long, rumbling Freight Train Past. It's operated by Freightliner, using class 66 engines. The set up of the train is very unusual as two engines are used. Instead of a traditional double head (newbie here so please bear with me if I am using the wrong terms) one engine is at the front and the other is at the rear. The train carries a mixed load of ballast and new sections of track. Some of the wagons carry the logo 'Improving Londons Railways'. I see the train most mornings, it is travelling south on the line that links Wrexham to Shrewsbury.

Which rail project is this train and it's load destined for please? And also, what would be the term used for the positioning of the engines? I assume it isnt push me-pull you.

Thanks

Steve

 

[najaB]

And also, what would be the term used for the positioning of the engines? I assume it isnt push me-pull you.

It's called 'top and tail' and it's quite common in the UK. Double-heading (two locos at the front) is more common in the USA.

 

[rebmcr]

It's called 'top and tail' and it's quite common in the UK. Double-heading (two locos at the front) is more common in the USA.

Top & tail makes it much easier to do sucessive reversing movements, which are often required to get engineering trains such as these into the right places.

 

[furnessvale]

Top & tail makes it much easier to do sucessive reversing movements, which are often required to get engineering trains such as these into the right places.

To add to which, often the train in question does not need the power of two locos but needs the flexibility as above.

 

[DarloRich]

Good Morning

Most mornings I have to stop at our local railway crossing to allow a very long, rumbling Freight Train Past. It's operated by Freightliner, using class 66 engines. The set up of the train is very unusual as two engines are used. Instead of a traditional double head (newbie here so please bear with me if I am using the wrong terms) one engine is at the front and the other is at the rear. The train carries a mixed load of ballast and new sections of track. Some of the wagons carry the logo 'Improving Londons Railways'. I see the train most mornings, it is travelling south on the line that links Wrexham to Shrewsbury.

Which rail project is this train and it's load destined for please? And also, what would be the term used for the positioning of the engines? I assume it isnt push me-pull you.

Thanks

Steve

Where, roughly, do you live and what time do you see it?

It sounds like a standard possession engineering train taking materials to/from an overnight work site. That could be anywhere in a wide geographical area based on a number of Network Rail "depots"

The engines at each end make it much easier to move the train around when it gets to site and avoids the need to turn the train around somewhere/ give it a circualr route to and from base.

 

[The Planner]

Sounds like the Dee Marsh to Crewe workings that are in at the moment.

 

[DarloRich]

Sounds like the Dee Marsh to Crewe workings that are in at the moment.

thought so but didn't like to assume without knowing the area.

 

[steve wilson]

Thanks for your replies everyone. I see the train at the Weston Rhyn Crossing, which is on the Chester-Wrexham-Shrewsbury line. It is southbound.