Aside from catching occasional overheated bearings and axles, there are very few friction bearing journals to menace railroads. Are friction bearings outlawed from general train service? Since there aren't too many journal boxes left, maybe hotbox detectors should be known as hot axle detectors. The term will never change just as power continues to be taken to the "roundhouse" which means a lonely track in an empty field. I think the the C&O was one of the first railroads to have a Servo hotbox detector. Anyone know the year it was installed and where? Wouldn't it be a kick if the original location was still being protected by a hot box detector today on the CSX! [ 28 April 2001: Message edited by: Randy C. ] [ 28 April 2001: Message edited by: Randy C. ]
"Plain" a.k.a "friction" bearings were prohibited in interchange service beyond 1984 or 1985. There is no limitation as to what a railroad can use as long as it does not interchange it. There is work equipment with arch bar trucks, which were prohibited from interchange in 1938!
It's really fun going out on the mainline with a steam excursion. The detectors will routinely report "Axle 1,2, 7,8" Yeah, the cylinders and the firebox. You have to stop at the first one to check, and BNSF has let some excursions ignore those reports after the first. Greg--there are still Arch Bar trucks out there? Outside of a museum?
Re: arch bar trucks, not on Class I's, but some short lines are incredible packrats. Even the AN, with its concrete crossties, new in the 1990's car shop and fueling station, has a rail velocipede - which is parked where railfans can't get at it.
BC Rail has alot of old pass. cars and MOW equipement with old friction trucks. They are required to run with a crew of at least 3 other than the engineer I believe to keep an eye on these things. On of the cars caused a problem on the main on the BCR last year, caused 2 passenger trains to be dleyaed more than an hour I belive. (The Cairboo Prospector, Pacific Starlight Dinner Train) Happy Railroading!! Dane N.
