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Posted by Nick on Monday, May 04, 2009 at 00:44:52 :
In Reply to: OT - Cracked Wheel posted by Todd Wilson on Monday, May 04, 2009 at 00:31:58 :
When I lived in Riverside, Ca, I was coming home from school one day and saw a lone engine sitting on the side rail. A few hours later it was still there, which was unusual for that area.
I saw the conductor out kicking rocks and kinda searching the area around the tracks. Being the curious, mechanical kid I was, I went to him and asked why he had been there for so long.
His reply was "got a flat tire". Now I was young, in 5th or 6th grade, but I wasnt totally dumb.
I said "no trains have metal wheels they can't get flat tires".
He claeed me over to the engine and told me to get on my belly and run my hand over the wheel surface. Sure enough there was a DENT in the wheel.
He told me that when that happens, the engine can actually bounce and possibly come off the rail. Usually they just hit the flat spot and stop rolling and squeel until the engine stops.
He said the flats usually occur from people putting stuff on the tracks....Needless to say I never put anything on the tracks again.
Never seen a crack though. Was it from heat?
Nick
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