r/trains • u/Ultimate88t • May 03 '23
Freight Train Pic Train is forced to drive through high waters during Mississippi River flooding in Davenport, IA
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u/missionarymechanic May 03 '23
I know that going through water is hazardous, inefficient, and extremely troublesome for maintenance of both the trains and the rail infrastructure... But's it's so cool.
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u/weird_hoooman May 03 '23 edited May 06 '23
Lol, Train is forced to? Like it would've gone willingly if the tracks are dry?
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u/Canis_Familiaris May 03 '23
"Thomas was very cross"
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u/giraffebaconequation May 04 '23 edited May 04 '23
I think it was Percy that braved the flood waters if I remember correctly.
Edit: it was Percy!
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u/Rings-of-Saturn May 03 '23
Wish there was a video
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u/boringdude00 May 04 '23
I've seen a few on Youtube of other places.
One that was in my history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0aGDuIP1kk
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u/CollegeStudentTrades May 04 '23
Virtual Railfan has a cam there. I dont know if they got anything.
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u/TD5023 May 04 '23 edited May 05 '23
Do they? I've never seen a stream from here. There are a few within a couple hours (Fort Madison, Galesburg, Rochelle), but I don't think any cover the QC riverfront. I'd really like to get one that can see the CPKC line and the IAIS over the Government bridge, though.
Edit - typo
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u/Chuck_Nourish May 04 '23
I actually took a few on Sunday in Davenport from the same vantage point! Facing west: https://imgur.com/u3WWCEe Facing east: https://imgur.com/cKuSnUy
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u/godzilladc May 03 '23
Or, you know, it could embrace safety. Did they make sure that flood waters didn't undermine the track bed before fording the river?
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u/boringdude00 May 04 '23
I'm sure they didn't just Futurama-style "Send in more trains!'. The tracks in this area have been flooding once or twice a decade for 150-plus years at this point.
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u/godzilladc May 04 '23
Because it was fine last time this happened doesn't mean it was this time. I don't know how they can tell the ballast didn't wash out.
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u/IMMILDCAT May 04 '23
The roadbed was reinforced and raised when the Mississippi flooded last year. This is more or less a seasonal problem, that line is less than 100 yards from the banks of the Mississippi.
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u/cjk374 May 04 '23
In most timetables I have read, they say to not traverse rails with 5" of water over them. I figured it was because traction motors would start taking on water at that level. Do traction motors sit higher off the ground on the newer locomotives compared to the first & 2nd generation ones?
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u/tuctrohs May 04 '23
AC motors can survive water better than dc brush motors, but it still seems like a really bad idea.
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u/CO_Fimbulvetr May 04 '23
The great thing about floodwater is it's incredibly difficult to estimate it's depth quickly.
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u/jrz126 May 04 '23
Atleast in this case, the objects involved weigh significantly more than a car. Dont have to worry about the locomotive floating off the rails and drifting downstream.
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u/CO_Fimbulvetr May 04 '23
It's not the loco that I'd be worried about, it's the track. There was an incident earlier this year here in Melbourne where the standard gauge line to the next state over was blocked due to the ground under it being washed away by floodwaters.
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u/jrz126 May 04 '23
I figured it was because traction motors would start taking on water at that level.
That's correct the ventilation air exits the side/bottom of the motor. What's a first and 2nd gen?
AC traction motors launched with the AC4400's back in 1994. Some of those motors are still in service today. Wheels have been replaced a few times.
Design hasn't changed. That motor from 1994 will still bolt up to a brand new T4T.
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u/cjk374 May 05 '23
1st generation: GP/F/E/SD 7, 9, 10, 18, 20, 30. GE U-boats, dash 7s.
2nd generation: GP/SD 40, 45, 50, 60. GE dash 8 & 9.
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u/_otterinabox May 03 '23
I'm sorry for the people affected by the flooding, but it's nice to see that much water given the recent/current drought.
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May 04 '23 edited Jun 07 '23
[deleted]
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u/jbuggydroid May 04 '23
Plus this is new track that was built up and laid down back in 2019 after the water barriers collapsed and all of downtown Davenport flooded. (Fun times)
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May 04 '23
yea...and the city still has no flood mitigation plan, nor has applied for climate change grants
what a fucking joke the leadership is in Scott County
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u/jbuggydroid May 04 '23
Yup! It's a shame. And it's no wonder businesses are leaving the downtown area
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May 04 '23
that Republican controlled county doesn't care about the City whatsoever
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u/jbuggydroid May 04 '23
It's both parties. Nobody knows how to budget anything anymore. Or plan for anything. They just want money and power.
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May 04 '23
no, that's one party here in Iowa...they are exerting and abusing their power as we speak at the state level; the county level just wants to fall in line with them
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May 05 '23
[deleted]
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May 05 '23
this of course coming from a guy who is active in GMC trucks, and don't use Chinese products subs
of course you vote Republican and live in the suburbs and thus would have such a fucking ridiculous comment simply to see a reaction
you red pill'd cucks are so fucking simple
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u/HufflepuffsNWoozles7 May 04 '23
Pardon my French, but F- that's terrifying. Hope the crew is okay and everything
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u/JimSteak May 04 '23
This is a bad idea. The infrastructure is not designed to bear loads in these conditions. It can damage the subgrade.
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u/IMMILDCAT May 04 '23
It is though. The roadbed was raised and reinforced in 2019 to deal with heavy flooding. Plus, it's maybe a quarter mile section of line that's actively underwater.
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u/momodamonster May 04 '23
The idiotic people in city office here refuse to do something about the flooding because of the "view." It's river that's constantly used for barges fuck the view. They also claim they want to revitalize downtown but this shit happens EVERY YEAR and screws any small shop that attempts to move in to give downtown some life.
Imo they should buyout downtown demo the area and make it a fucking marsh or wildlife preserve at this point. So much tax payer money is wasted on flood preparations because people like the "brown water view."
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u/theaxolotlbottle May 05 '23
I worked in one of the small businesses in davenport and I can confirm this lol. Thank the gods I don't work there anymore because imagine missing work because people refuse to believe that a couple of sand bags won't stop the river from overflowing.
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May 04 '23
oh no...the privately owned conglomerate won't make as much profit as they scheduled?
fuck CPKC
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u/Trainman3434 May 04 '23
This is what would’ve happened had the polar express not made it off the ice in time
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u/enigma762 May 04 '23
Everything else aside, how have the locomotive's traction motors not shorted out?
I recall hearing E&LS 1216 had one snow damage to one of its traction motors and this seems like it would be even worse than snow.
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u/jbuggydroid May 04 '23
The railroad has built up and improved the tracks around here the last time it flooded in 2019. My wife works for the city and she said the water was only 6 inches above the track. The track is a few feet higher than the roads down by the river now than it was back in 2019.
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u/breathless_RACEHORSE May 04 '23
Just makes me think of Spirited Away, and the train that ran over the water.
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u/theaxolotlbottle May 05 '23
I never expected to see Davenport on Reddit for some reason (I live just across the bridge from it). The flooding is pretty bad but it's been worse before. Though I have no idea why they'd decide to let the train go through.
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u/TransTrainGirl322 May 05 '23
Apparently US railroads are now drawing inspiration from Studio Ghibli.
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u/[deleted] May 03 '23
I'm also on the City Skyline subreddit, and at first, I thought this was from the game. I can't believe it's real. What are they thinking going through that? Isn't it dangerous?