I was riding to a nearby town northwest of my destination, taking a north road then a west road, when I looked down between the tracks of a rarely-used railroad spur that's a diagonal hypotonuse to these roads. The gravel is piled up even with the ties, so I considered riding between the RR tracks to my destination.
In spite of the 30% difference in distance, I decided against it because I'm a weenie when it comes to trespassing. But it got me thinking, does anybody do this? I'm not talking about rail-biking, but riding between the rails over the RR ties. What are the practical considerations of doing this?
Trains are quiter than you think. Easy to get hit from behind without hearing the trail. And they only blow the whistle for intersections, by the time they see you and blow the wistle you time is pretty limited. If you are on a narrow trestle when one comes by, you may have to jump. Gravel may be slowere even with the reduced distance.
Fritz M said:
I was riding to a nearby town northwest of my destination, taking a north road then a west road, when I looked down between the tracks of a rarely-used railroad spur that's a diagonal hypotonuse to these roads. The gravel is piled up even with the ties, so I considered riding between the RR tracks to my destination.
In spite of the 30% difference in distance, I decided against it because I'm a weenie when it comes to trespassing. But it got me thinking, does anybody do this? I'm not talking about rail-biking, but riding between the rails over the RR ties. What are the practical considerations of doing this?
On Wed, 01 Sep 2004 16:30:43 -0500, Mike Schwab <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
Trains are quiter than you think. Easy to get hit from behind without hearing the trail. And they only blow the whistle for intersections, by the time they see you and blow the wistle you time is pretty limited. If you are on a narrow trestle when one comes by, you may have to jump. Gravel may be slowere even with the reduced distance.
Fritz M said:
I was riding to a nearby town northwest of my destination, taking a north road then a west road, when I looked down between the tracks of a rarely-used railroad spur that's a diagonal hypotonuse to these roads. The gravel is piled up even with the ties, so I considered riding between the RR tracks to my destination.
In spite of the 30% difference in distance, I decided against it because I'm a weenie when it comes to trespassing. But it got me thinking, does anybody do this? I'm not talking about rail-biking, but riding between the rails over the RR ties. What are the practical considerations of doing this?
RFM
I tried riding the tracks this spring and the ties were a bumpy pain in the butt and a train that was coasting got pretty close to me and then blew his horn full blast. That got my attention pretty good and I decided that was not a good idea. Bill Baka
"Fritz M" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I was riding to a nearby town northwest of my destination, taking a north road then a west road, when I looked down between the tracks of a rarely-used railroad spur that's a diagonal hypotonuse to these roads. The gravel is piled up even with the ties, so I considered riding between the RR tracks to my destination.
In spite of the 30% difference in distance, I decided against it because I'm a weenie when it comes to trespassing. But it got me thinking, does anybody do this? I'm not talking about rail-biking, but riding between the rails over the RR ties. What are the practical considerations of doing this?
RFM
I was walking along the tracks with my dog a few years back, and I was looking over my shoulder every so often to check for trains. Even so, one managed to get too close and I had to leap down the gravel side, dragging the dog with me. Exciting, oh yeah! You would have thought the dog would have heard it first, but no.
I tried riding the tracks this spring and the ties were a bumpy pain in the butt and a train that was coasting got pretty close to me and then blew his horn full blast.
I know there's a serious safety issue here, but there's something inherently funny about a train "coasting" up behind you... almost as if it's sneaking up so it can draft you?
"Bill Baka" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
On Wed, 01 Sep 2004 16:30:43 -0500, Mike Schwab <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
Trains are quiter than you think. Easy to get hit from behind without hearing the trail. And they only blow the whistle for intersections, by the time they see you and blow the wistle you time is pretty limited. If you are on a narrow trestle when one comes by, you may have to jump. Gravel may be slowere even with the reduced distance.
Fritz M said:
I was riding to a nearby town northwest of my destination, taking a north road then a west road, when I looked down between the tracks of a rarely-used railroad spur that's a diagonal hypotonuse to these roads. The gravel is piled up even with the ties, so I considered riding between the RR tracks to my destination.
In spite of the 30% difference in distance, I decided against it because I'm a weenie when it comes to trespassing. But it got me thinking, does anybody do this? I'm not talking about rail-biking, but riding between the rails over the RR ties. What are the practical considerations of doing this?
RFM
I tried riding the tracks this spring and the ties were a bumpy pain in the butt and a train that was coasting got pretty close to me and then blew his horn full blast. That got my attention pretty good and I decided that was not a good idea. Bill Baka
I tried riding the tracks this spring and the ties were a bumpy pain in the butt and a train that was coasting got pretty close to me and then blew his horn full blast.
I know there's a serious safety issue here, but there's something inherently funny about a train "coasting" up behind you... almost as if it's sneaking up so it can draft you?
(clip) a train that was coasting got pretty close to me and then blew his horn full blast. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I know there's a serious safety issue here, but there's something inherently funny about a train "coasting" up behind you... almost as if it's sneaking up so it can draft you? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I don't mean to offend, but, if this had happened to "Black Rose," I'll bet she would have been REALLY [censored]. The difference is, a train can't change lanes to pass. <BG>
(clip) a train that was coasting got pretty close to me and then blew his horn full blast. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I know there's a serious safety issue here, but there's something inherently funny about a train "coasting" up behind you... almost as if it's sneaking up so it can draft you? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I don't mean to offend, but, if this had happened to "Black Rose," I'll bet she would have been REALLY [censored]. The difference is, a train can't change lanes to pass. <BG>
"I don't mean to offend, but ..." I've always wondered why people say that right before doing something they have a good idea will do just that.
I don't see what this has to do with a coal truck driver blaring his horn at me because it gave him jollies to see me startle the first time. Just to clarify, there was NO oncoming traffic, there was plenty of room to pass, and I wasn't in his way. I was just being too stubborn to give him the satisfaction of seeing me pull over.
I was walking along the tracks with my dog a few years back, and I was looking over my shoulder every so often to check for trains. Even so, one managed to get too close and I had to leap down the gravel side, dragging the dog with me. Exciting, oh yeah! You would have thought the dog would have heard it first, but no.
Electrified line or diesel-electric? I suppose even the diesel-electric can be pretty darned quiet when the generators aren't running hard. But steam engines... let's hear a story from somebody about a steam engine sneaking up on them!
--Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
(clip) a train that was coasting got pretty close to me and then blew his horn full blast. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I know there's a serious safety issue here, but there's something inherently funny about a train "coasting" up behind you... almost as if it's sneaking up so it can draft you? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I don't mean to offend, but, if this had happened to "Black Rose," I'll bet she would have been REALLY [censored]. The difference is, a train can't change lanes to pass. <BG>
"I don't mean to offend, but ..." I've always wondered why people say that right before doing something they have a good idea will do just that.
I don't see what this has to do with a coal truck driver blaring his horn at me because it gave him jollies to see me startle the first time. Just to clarify, there was NO oncoming traffic, there was plenty of room to pass, and I wasn't in his way. I was just being too stubborn to give him the satisfaction of seeing me pull over.
-km
It's hard to know who originally said this, but just ignore them. You don't have any reason to have to justify yourself - we bikers are a stubborn lot - it gets us up the hill when the hill would rather defeat us - it gets us out to ride in the rain when the weather would rather defeat us - it gets us out riding even if we're not feeling that great b/c we need to get that mileage! Ya can't let anyone or anything stop you, dammit! ;-D
Keep up the good riding and your interesting and fun posting.
"the black rose" wrote: "I don't mean to offend, but ..." I've always wondered why people say that right before doing something they have a good idea will do just that. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I said that because I wanted it to come across as a good natured wisecrack. I'm sorry--evidently it didn't work.
"the black rose" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Leo Lichtman said:
(clip) a train that was coasting got pretty close to me and then blew
his
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
horn full blast. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I know there's a serious safety issue here, but there's something inherently funny about a train "coasting" up behind you... almost as if it's sneaking up so it can draft you? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I don't mean to offend, but, if this had happened to "Black Rose," I'll
bet
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
she would have been REALLY [censored]. The difference is, a train can't
change
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
lanes to pass. <BG>
"I don't mean to offend, but ..." I've always wondered why people say
that right before doing something they have a good idea will do just that.(clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I was walking along the tracks with my dog a few years back, and I was looking over my shoulder every so often to check for trains. Even so,
one
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
managed to get too close and I had to leap down the gravel side,
dragging
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
the dog with me. Exciting, oh yeah! You would have thought the dog
would
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
have heard it first, but no.
Electrified line or diesel-electric? I suppose even the diesel-electric
can
Quoted message said:
be pretty darned quiet when the generators aren't running hard. But steam engines... let's hear a story from somebody about a steam engine sneaking
up
Quoted message said:
on them!
I saw plenty of trains (mostly passenger) when I lived in the Boston area where the engines were positioned on one end of the train, and the train shuttled back and forth all day. In other words, half the time, the engine was in the back of the train pushing it. Even a steam locomotive would be fairly quiet when at the other end of a 1/4 mile long train (though I'm not sure any engineer would run one in reverse).
Austin -- I'm pedaling as fast as I durn well please! There are no X characters in my address
"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I was walking along the tracks with my dog a few years back, and I was looking over my shoulder every so often to check for trains. Even so,
one
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
managed to get too close and I had to leap down the gravel side,
dragging
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
the dog with me. Exciting, oh yeah! You would have thought the dog
would
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
have heard it first, but no.
Electrified line or diesel-electric? I suppose even the diesel-electric
can
Quoted message said:
be pretty darned quiet when the generators aren't running hard. But steam engines... let's hear a story from somebody about a steam engine sneaking
up
Quoted message said:
on them!
--Mike Jacoubowsky
It was a diesel engine and I was out in the countryside of Oklahoma. I can still remember that day---and shudder! You would have thought the dog would have heard it first.
"the black rose" wrote: "I don't mean to offend, but ..." I've always wondered why people say that right before doing something they have a good idea will do just that. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I said that because I wanted it to come across as a good natured wisecrack. I'm sorry--evidently it didn't work.
I'm sorry. My sense of humor was on vacation because I've had a headache for going on 3 weeks (or something like that, I'm starting to lose track) and it's making me testy.
we bikers are a stubborn lot - it gets us up the hill when the hill would rather defeat us
A hill recently defeated me. *sigh* Got 2/3 of the way up a really steep local hill -- I have no way of estimating its grade, but definitely much steeper than the rollers around here -- and I just couldn't face going farther. I had my husband in tow, and he'd had to stop and I stopped with him. When we got going again, I couldn't get my momentum back or break 5 mph. It was very difficult to ride in a straight line, which was a necessity due to traffic. So I turned and fled.
At least the descent was fun. No curves, just a straight downhill, no stop signs. It was safer to take the lane, and I was exceeding the speed limit by a few mph anyway. *grin*
"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I was walking along the tracks with my dog a few years back, and I was looking over my shoulder every so often to check for trains. Even so,
one
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
managed to get too close and I had to leap down the gravel side,
dragging
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
the dog with me. Exciting, oh yeah! You would have thought the dog
would
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
have heard it first, but no.
Electrified line or diesel-electric? I suppose even the diesel-electric
can
Quoted message said:
be pretty darned quiet when the generators aren't running hard. But steam engines... let's hear a story from somebody about a steam engine sneaking
up
Quoted message said:
on them!
--Mike Jacoubowsky
It was a diesel engine and I was out in the countryside of Oklahoma. I can still remember that day---and shudder! You would have thought the dog would have heard it first.
Maybe he did, but he was watching your (non-alarmed) body language and relaxed accordingly? I know my dog watches me closely for cues.
"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I was walking along the tracks with my dog a few years back, and I was looking over my shoulder every so often to check for trains. Even so,
one
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
managed to get too close and I had to leap down the gravel side,
dragging
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
the dog with me. Exciting, oh yeah! You would have thought the dog
would
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
have heard it first, but no.
Electrified line or diesel-electric? I suppose even the diesel-electric
can
Quoted message said:
be pretty darned quiet when the generators aren't running hard. But steam engines... let's hear a story from somebody about a steam engine sneaking
up
Quoted message said:
on them!
For those too young to have been around working steam engines....
Actually, when coasting a steam engine can be quieter than a diesel, especially if the draft blowers are shut down. The real issue here is the distance required to stop a train, even in a full-panic, grind the wheels flat mode.
Playing Russian roulette has odds about as good.....
