Gauntlet Track

[cidchase]

shaygetz' post:

From the Railway Standards Association of America handbook...

GAUNTLET TRACK:

2. An offset track...in which a second track goes through a bridge designed for one track. A turnout frog with no switch points is used outside each end of the bridge. If original track having no turnouts is used outside each end of bridge, gauntlet track will have less side clearance ( on one side ) than original track. Because centerline of gauntlet track is offset from centerline of bridge ( or when both tracks are equally off-centered ) care must be exercised when evaluating the effects of a heavily loaded car on the bridge structure when such a car is using off-centered track.

Pics will follow...uh...sometime this summer?
__________________
Bob
QUOTE]

This is an idea I never heard of and worth putting on a layout
just for the interest factor!!! I just didn't want anyone to miss this as
it applies to all scales and layouts, not just modular. Good opportunity
for handlaying, also, without having to fuss with points
Thanx, Bob!!

 

[Freelancer]

Thanks for the info chidcahse, you peaked my curiosity so I had to do a quick search for an image of some sort. (Due to my lack of imagination, I just couldn't quite visualize what it was supposed to look like) It is a great idea, and would definitely add to an interesting operation. I couldn't find any real prototype pictures, but I did find this.

Freelancer

 

[DWP]

Here's a Photo
http://www.lnps.info/m16_1.htm
DWP

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Nice photos!

 

[Doc Holliday]

I agree, nice photos, very interesting to model. My question is why is it done in the real world? Why not just run a single track? It's not like two trains can use it at the same time anyway.
Doc

 

[shaygetz]

Just doin' my part to ensure ornary but funfilled and prototypical track work.

Doc, it's a question of economics---one can dual track a main while retaining expensive long single track bridges with little modification. It takes the fuss and danger of misaligned turnout points out of any safety equation. Add some signaling and be careful with the tonnage and you're up and running in no time. While not limited to it, it's seen alot in metro rail situations that reuse old mainlines. I know of several clubs that have installed it. Those who are into ops love it, those who just want to run trains generally don't.

 

[Matthyro]

There is a real bottleneck on the CN double track main line through Georgetown where I live as there is an old bridge over the Credit River that was built in the 1820s. It is single track so there are switches at both ends. It seems that it must be a maintenance problem as I keep seeing CN crews doing work on the switches. Trains have to stop waiting for track to clear far too often. This would be an ideal location for gauntlet trackage as it would be cost prohibitive to rebuild the bridge for double track use.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Bob,
Thanks for the info. I understand the benefit of not having to widen a bridge, I was confused by the over-lapping douple set of tracks. I went back and read the accompanying text (having previously only looked at the pictures, I do that a lot) and saw that one set was upgraded for heavy loads.
Doc

 

[shaygetz]

You're welcome, Doc. I've got thre Campbell bridge kits, 2 plate girder and a thru deck, that are screaming to be used. My economics (and my Calvin side ) has me building one in the near future---for no other reason then to twist the gourds of my fellow clubbers. Sooner or later, a module is gonna come up "missing" and I'll "just happen to have" this one in my car :thumb:

 

[60103]

On CN's Toronto bypass that they built in the 60s there a modern bridge (well, 40 years old now) that has gauntlet track. It's on the Halton sub where it crosses the Humber (at Islington Ave.) I've been over it a couple of times on diverted GO trains.
Seems CN doesn't like building double track bridges where they have to pay for them themselves. They have double track when someone pays for a grade separation, but they can't con Ma Nature into paying for it.

 

[fifer]

Wow , modeling this and having DCC could cause quite the cornfield meet (or stick bridge meet) , if you drive your layout like I do and BS instead of watching trains! :thumb:

Mike

 

[MCL_RDG]

Of another...

...subject- Why do I recall reading that the term is "Gantlet"? I did a little surfing and many of the sites refer to the "guantlet" yet I remember reading- stated definitively, (train magazine, somewhere) that the proper word is gantlet.

Oh well- other things to ponder.

Mark

 

[cidchase]

Another type:
Gauntlet A third set of rails placed in between two other sets of rails to carry wide loads through tunnels.
http://www.icrr.net/terms.htm

Like they say, there's a prototype for everything!!

It seems that gantlet can be spelled either way, gauntlet just kind of won out.
For this special definition, tho, Mark might be on track. The railroad and the Navy
each have their own special way of using words, just like Humpty Dumpty!!
Can you imagine trying to learn English as a second language?? Jeetyet? Awite!
Now then!

 

[60103]

M Webster gives Gantlet a preference for this usage, but gives Gauntlet as a second.
But the entry above gives Gantlet as a variant of Gauntlet. Check the entry about "running the gauntlet".