Gettin It Done: A Look at Amtrak Undercutter Ballast Work Crew on Concrete Tie Project

[@danscoolvideos6024]

The concrete ties are about 1,000 pounds each compared to about 200 for wood ties. Amtrak says the concrete ties in this region are expected to last 60 years compared to 25 years for wood ties. This $122 million project is installing 113,000 concrete ties and cleaning/renewing 226,500 feet of gravel ballast on 43 miles of track between Lancaster and Harrisburg, Pa.

[@chuckh.2227]

Very Very interesting! No BS music No stupid AI narrator Big thumbs up!

[@danscoolvideos6024]

thank you!

[@Repairman87]

It's cool how it undercuts then puts back just enough to keep the tie ends lifted up.

[@danscoolvideos6024]

great piece of machinery, along with the workers toiling during some 100 degree days on the tracks

[@davebrock6618]

This is so cool to see in a detailed video. Thanks so much Dan.

[@danscoolvideos6024]

you are welcome!

[@paulmatulavich7321]

Outstanding coverage of this fascinating operation. Filmed as I would have filmed. Excellent descriptions and technical information as well.

[@danscoolvideos6024]

Your comment is much appreciated

[@georgedoolittle7574]

I imagine once these machines start moving keep going...forever..

[@florians.1905]

Plasser & Theurer - of course it is Austrian equipment (Plasser American is just a subsidiary)! We simply know how to do the job when it comes to railways ...

[@jdhinckley1954]

Wonderful series of videos!

[@jtsullivan2]

As info, Amtrak owns and operates several key routes, primarily in the Northeast Corridor (NEC). Here are the main tracks Amtrak owns: Northeast Corridor (NEC): Washington, D.C. to Boston, MA: This is Amtrak's busiest and most significant corridor, spanning about 457 miles. It includes major cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Providence. Keystone Corridor: Philadelphia, PA to Harrisburg, PA: This route is about 104 miles long and serves as a crucial connection between Philadelphia and central Pennsylvania. Empire Corridor: Spuyten Duyvil (Bronx, NYC) to Schenectady, NY: Amtrak owns about 94 miles of this corridor. Michigan Lines: Porter, IN to Kalamazoo, MI: This section covers about 97 miles. Amtrak operates on many other tracks owned by freight railroads and other entities, but these are the primary tracks it owns.

[@Sven_Okas1967]

Uhi, well that's a nice classic car, the RM-80 actually comes from the 80s. Here in Europe, only a few are still in use. The latest generation of track bedding cleaning machines is the PM-1000, which can also renew the grade protection layer at the same time. I'll link you to a video about it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2WWeYawo7SNmM0 But it's nice to see that at least Amtrak is trying to get up to world standard as far as track maintenance is concerned. Thanks for that video. Greetings from Berlin/ Germany. Sven

[@danscoolvideos6024]

Greetings Sven

[@Sven_Okas1967]

@@danscoolvideos6024 Greetings back.

[@eddieafterburner]

4:45 Was that a Slurpee or a Big Gulp?

[@danscoolvideos6024]

I was waiting for someone to say something

[@horstmuller7512]

Fantastic that the machine has at least a hazard warning light, because a siren could probably not be heard because of the noise it makes.

[@davidanalyst671]

what they really need is a way to wash off all the coal. They are trying to make the trackbed drain water, and putting the rocks through a sorting machine like that will definitely get rid of the sand, but not all the coal dust.

[@paulmatulavich7321]

Hey Dan, I am a KZbin newbie. Would you please tell me what SIZE the FONT is on the thumbnail to this video. FONT is measured in points of course. THANK YOU DAN.

[@danscoolvideos6024]

Typically I use from 160-180 point font depending on the length of the word

[@rickpalmer9518]

MMm! Watching this gives me a big question, How is the ballast removed between the ties, Almost looks like air device of some sort as no mechanical device appears in between to scoop the ballast to the side were it is removed!!??

[@danscoolvideos6024]

hopefully someone with experience working with the undercutter can answer your question

[@rickpalmer9518]

@@danscoolvideos6024 I sure hope so as I don't believe in magic

[@raylrodr]

It uses a bucket chain that is running ccw as viewed from the top. The chain has to be broken at road crossings and when starting and stopping for the day.

[@raymondgochenour8725]

That does need to watch

[@mcresq65]

Perhaps I'm missing something here... The under cutter device "saws" the ballast out from under the ties and sends it up a converor, dropping it into a vibrating hopper up by the big RM80 numbers. I get that. The vibrating hopper shakes and sifts at least "something" out of the ballast; dirt, big rocks, bubble gum, I dunno. I get that also. But then the extracted "stuff" is sent down a lower conveyor that by its design looks like it can swing out away from the machinery. HOWEVER, in this case it is dumping that smegma right back in the void left by the undercutting device. I don't get THAT. Isn't this somewhat counterproductive to the overall process????

[@raylrodr]

The salvaged rock (its NOT gravel) falls down through the screens until it reaches the finer screen where it is diverted back to the tie cribs. The fines fall through the last screen where it is conveyed to the discharge conveyor. The final discharge chute can be positioned anywhere you want it. When I worked with the BUC, we dumped the fines in the ditch.

[@shieldsj92]

the ballast spit out of the C belts is our return, we designate how deep and how much return come off the belts depending on the quality of stone we can shake out to reach a track desire for elavation and cross level. surfacing will come behind and reach true track desire. the majority of what the chain grabs is called spoils and has been laying in that track for decades. this machine is to collect all the old ballast and create bedding for clean ballast. this prevents mud spots and manage water drainage.

[@mmi16]

Too many men have to use shovels and lining bars.

[@OnlyTheEd]

To those workers looking towards the camera......flying rock is more dangerous. Pay attention to what you're doing.....not someone 40 or 50 feet away.

[@MarcusBrown-dx7nq]

Or people just don’t want to be recorded

[@OnlyTheEd]

@@MarcusBrown-dx7nq Then they shouldn't go outside.....cameras almost EVERYWHERE!

[@stoddern]

As a train person you surely must know that Amtrak neither owns nor maintains a single mile of track anywhere in the USA. This is a 3rd party company hired by the freight company that owns those tracks. Quit spreading false information and do videos on things you have zero clue about

[@ACEKM]

That's an interesting statement. Because I know 80% of the people in this video and they are amtrak employees..

[@Dingleberry1856]

Shut up. You are the only one who cares about such pedantry.

[@marshallfilliaux744]

Yeah ..... my pay check says amtrak and I run that machine soooo.. Yeah lol no contractors here bud

[@Dingleberry1856]

@@stoddern you got owned you goof.

[@jtsullivan2]

Amtrak owns and operates several key routes, primarily in the Northeast Corridor (NEC). Here are the main tracks Amtrak owns: Northeast Corridor (NEC): Washington, D.C. to Boston, MA: This is Amtrak's busiest and most significant corridor, spanning about 457 miles. It includes major cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Providence. Keystone Corridor: Philadelphia, PA to Harrisburg, PA: This route is about 104 miles long and serves as a crucial connection between Philadelphia and central Pennsylvania. Empire Corridor: Spuyten Duyvil (Bronx, NYC) to Schenectady, NY: Amtrak owns about 94 miles of this corridor. Michigan Lines: Porter, IN to Kalamazoo, MI: This section covers about 97 miles. Amtrak operates on many other tracks owned by freight railroads and other entities, but these are the primary tracks it owns.