A newer development is the Flange Diamond that allows track speed in both direction. Jay Junction between (UP+CSX)/C&EI and CN/EJ&E now has one.
I assume the Chesapeake & Indiana Railroad is a Class III railroad. It crosses the Class I railroad Norfolk Southern/Nickel Plate Road in Thomaston, IN. This view is looking east down the NS/NKP track. At first, I thought it was just an "artsy" photo. Then I learned that the purpose of the photo is to show that the NS rails are intact across the diamond.
A picture of the 21st Street Crossing illustrates that normally a diamond has gaps in both pairs of rails. There is a reason why railfans use the phrase "pounding the diamonds" when a train crosses a normal diamond --- they make a lot of noise when each wheel falls into each gap. For example, watch at 0:30 in a Brighton Park Crossing video. Even though the trains slow down for the crossing, that pounding causes a track maintenance nightmare.
Another example of a traditional diamond is in the Blue Island Crossing between Grand Trunk Western (using the bridge on the right) and Indiana Harbor Belt (using the bridge more in the middle).
Back to the Chesapeake & Indiana Railroad and the crossing between CKIN and NS at Thomaston, the caption for this photo is:
A posting about jump frogs has the comment:
Rick LeggettGroup Admin Flange bearing technology has been in use for quite a while now. I remember over 15 years ago, TTCI in Pueblo testing to see if the flange on rail car wheels would support the weight of 286K loaded cars. Once it was determined that they could, designs for 'leap/jump frogs' and 'OWLS' (One-Way Low Speed) at-grade track crossings (diamonds) came out. I don't know of any railroads that allow a higher speed than 10mph, for the flange bearing route though. The whole purpose of course, is to eliminate the 'gaps' of frogs & diamonds on the higher speed/tonnage side of the application.
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Joe Sichelstiel Gives the heavy used route a smooth ride at full speed and the same ride as a regular diamond on the less used route as long as they do the 10mph speed and the track surface will last longer as will the diamond(they usually last only 5-7 years, but the OWELS is supposed to last longer, we will see)
Randall Hampton Ţed Ģregory It might work well for VERY low cross traffic, like maybe an inactive line that still gets inspected by maintenance department trucks, keeping it intact for future use.
At 1:53 the video shows a train going over the OWLS. In this post are quite a few comments about how well they will wear. It used to be that a FRA waver was required to install one that documented the secondary line was low usage. But now that the waver requirements have been dropped they are going in everywhere.
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| Photo on CKIN Photos |
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A picture of the 21st Street Crossing illustrates that normally a diamond has gaps in both pairs of rails. There is a reason why railfans use the phrase "pounding the diamonds" when a train crosses a normal diamond --- they make a lot of noise when each wheel falls into each gap. For example, watch at 0:30 in a Brighton Park Crossing video. Even though the trains slow down for the crossing, that pounding causes a track maintenance nightmare.
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| Photo on CKIN Photos |
The diamond at Thomaston is a High Speed / Low Speed type. On the NS side, the rails are normal, there are no breaks in the rail and is considered the high speed side. On the CKIN side, the flanges of the cars ride up and over the NS rails. In this picture, you can see the gap under the wheel of the hopper. This design is popular where high speed railroads cross slow speed railroads. Maintenance costs are much, much cheaper on this setup.Before I used the 21st street crossing photo, I looked at a photo I had taken in Gilman, IL.
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Then I realized this was a different type of asymmetric diamond design. Instead of raising just the flange, the secondary rails replace the web with a ramp to carry the wheels over the primary rail. There is probably also a ramp for the flange to hold the wheel up in the gap. Note that the width of the gap in a regular diamond is just the width of a flange. In these "raised secondary" designs, the gap would be the width of the whole wheel, not just the flange.
But this design is evidently still a maintenance issue. Note how many of the various track segments are bolted in so that it is easy to replace worn segments. CN/IC would use the primary track. So the TP&W would use the secondary track. But, unlike the Class III CKIN, the TP&W is probably a Class II railroad. So this design that lifts the wheel instead of the flange might be a high-speed/medium-speed design.
Update: Mike Snow Flickr Photo has an extensive comment describing the OWLS diamond in Defiance, OH where the ND&W/Wabash (10mph or below) crosses the CSX/B&O (track speed). "The secondary run flange bearing surface uses explosion hardened manganese castings." (The source posting has comments indicating where there are other OWLS diamonds.)
But this design is evidently still a maintenance issue. Note how many of the various track segments are bolted in so that it is easy to replace worn segments. CN/IC would use the primary track. So the TP&W would use the secondary track. But, unlike the Class III CKIN, the TP&W is probably a Class II railroad. So this design that lifts the wheel instead of the flange might be a high-speed/medium-speed design.
Update: Mike Snow Flickr Photo has an extensive comment describing the OWLS diamond in Defiance, OH where the ND&W/Wabash (10mph or below) crosses the CSX/B&O (track speed). "The secondary run flange bearing surface uses explosion hardened manganese castings." (The source posting has comments indicating where there are other OWLS diamonds.)
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| John C Butler posted via Dennis DeBruler |
September 2024:
Dan Tracy posted four photos with the comment: "Looks like Metra, BNSF, and UP are going to replace the diamonds at UD Tower in Joliet IL. I took these shots on 9-7-24. What are these types of diamonds called? and what are the pieces of rail in the last shot and their purpose. TIA."
Steve Miskowitz: Lift crossing, low priority line raises the wheel up and the cars ride on the flange across the high speed side. Removes the impact on the tracks from the high speed train, last pic is expansion joint, prevents track from shifting the crossing out of alignment as sun heats/expands the rail
Eric L. Roe: Flange Bearing Diamond, where the slow speed track the wheels ride over the main track. It allows for no cut in the main track.
The last photo is of an expansion joint.
Michael Robinson: I don’t know who agreed to install a 0WL diamond, but that diamond must be for some smaller class railroad because none of the class ones would ever consent to an OWL diamond.
Michael Robinson: I don’t know who agreed to install a 0WL diamond, but that diamond must be for some smaller class railroad because none of the class ones would ever consent to an OWL diamond.
Eric L. Roe: Michael Robinson all depends on what the tracks are for. If it’s an industrial spur over a main line, sure, why not.
Michael Robinson: Eric L. Roe again that scenario could possibly be of existence I’ve seen a couple of them in Chicago where like over in the old lumber district there they had one that they used, but that was BNSF to BNSF yard but I go back to this if that diamond is being used, it’s probably as you were saying mainline where a industrial track or something like that was crossing over. Yes I agree but in all my times my 43 years of railroad never seen class one or class one using an old WL diamond. The reason being is, you’re actually putting a speed restriction on the one of the OL that has no flange and as you said, unless it pours and industrial track, but main track to track no I’ve never seen it. I’ve never seen two high-speed Means or one of them used OWL.
Dennis DeBruler: Metra quit using this diamond after the new commuter station was built. IAIS is not Class I. CSX essentially uses this former-Rock Island route as a long industrial spur.
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Rick LeggettGroup Admin Flange bearing technology has been in use for quite a while now. I remember over 15 years ago, TTCI in Pueblo testing to see if the flange on rail car wheels would support the weight of 286K loaded cars. Once it was determined that they could, designs for 'leap/jump frogs' and 'OWLS' (One-Way Low Speed) at-grade track crossings (diamonds) came out. I don't know of any railroads that allow a higher speed than 10mph, for the flange bearing route though. The whole purpose of course, is to eliminate the 'gaps' of frogs & diamonds on the higher speed/tonnage side of the application.
(new window) (source)
Joe Sichelstiel Gives the heavy used route a smooth ride at full speed and the same ride as a regular diamond on the less used route as long as they do the 10mph speed and the track surface will last longer as will the diamond(they usually last only 5-7 years, but the OWELS is supposed to last longer, we will see)
Randall Hampton Ţed Ģregory It might work well for VERY low cross traffic, like maybe an inactive line that still gets inspected by maintenance department trucks, keeping it intact for future use.
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| Screenshot [I think it is going up and over. It is kinda hard to tell.] |
At 1:53 the video shows a train going over the OWLS. In this post are quite a few comments about how well they will wear. It used to be that a FRA waver was required to install one that documented the secondary line was low usage. But now that the waver requirements have been dropped they are going in everywhere.
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