Railroad Track Structures. Switches, Frogs and Turnouts.

Today we look at rail gage, rail road track condition, and the important components of the last mile of railroading.

[@billmoran3812]

As an engineer or conductor, you watch all switches to see if the points are lined correctly as you move down the line. Both crew members call out “good iron” if the switch is lined correctly or “bad iron” if the switch is lined incorrectly.

[@alexmodern6667]

I never heard these call out words? Excellent training for me today

[@davesmith4957]

Interesting, well presented and educational content for us armchair rail fans, thank you!

[@davefuelling7955]

I think the safety commitee might have something to say about you loading the switch stand by yourself when it was obviously to heavy to be lifted that far by one person.

[@petercruikshank2618]

The Safety Committee was off at a briefing about the safe and proper procedures for moving heavy objects around the railyard.....we are very distressed by this cringe-worthy event.

[@andrewpalm2103]

This video has earned you a new title: The Mr. Rogers of Rail Infrastructure. Well done, sir, very well done. And I for one enjoy your choice of background music, especially the klezmer music played while you wrestled with that switch stand. Cheers from Wisconsin. PS: If you are ever in a city with a streetcar system, check out a single point switch. It has even more flange guiding fun.

[@jeroldblunk8861]

I have learned so much by watching ETR. Railroads have always interested me and now you guys have shown me how it's done. Thank you.

[@garysprandel1817]

Well I know sometimes the job needs to get done but dang Brian careful on that lifting. Us old dudes got to watch out. Mention self guarding frogs to some of the few remaining old timers out at Illinois Railway Museum and they'll tell you about moving the museum's Frisco Decapod to the museum back in the 60s. The decapod was initially to be exported to Russia but the communists had their revolution and the export was kaboshed and it was sold to the Frisco but they had to put some wider tires on the drivers to account for the gauge change so this meant self guarding frogs were a big no no. The museum stresses to the CNW that the train cannot be routed through those particular frogs. The decapod is placed at the back of a St.Louis to Chicago freight with a couple of museum personnel with rail experience riding in the caboose coupled on to the tender of the decapod and the trip goes fine until IIRC the freight reaches the yard in West Chicago Illinois when there's this horrendous bang and everyone in the caboose is thrown to the floor, they just pick themselves up again and bang it happens again. They pick themselves up again and one of the museum guys has figured out what's happening and grabs for the brake valve and dumps the train into emergency. They all unload from the caboose go to check the decapod and there she sits with her drivers sitting atop one of those self guarding frogs they were assured would not be a problem. The conductor is kind of hot the " amateur " dumped the air on his train, the museum guys are kind of hot the railroad had missed the whole self guarding frogs warning and after a bit of heated discussion at some point it gets to one of the museum guys pointing at the offending frog and asking how many of those GD things are there and someone says oh those things are all over this yard.

[@alcopower5710]

Great story 👍

[@missyd0g2]

I very much enjoy the detailed nuts and bolts of a railroad track. Drives home the importance of track maintenance and tie replacement.

[@johnwinden8511]

You say you don’t know everything Brian, but you do an excellent job of teaching what you do know. Where were you when I was struggling in school!? 🙂

[@sturnie1]

Todays episode was brought to you by the letter H for Hernia! Way to keep at that switch throw!

[@mshum538]

GO ONE!

[@mshum538]

Good one!!!!

[@craigzahniser4702]

If you had not been such a good railroad guy, you would have been an excellent teacher! You should feel good about that.

[@danmathers141]

That bird is congratulating you on a great lesson. Well thought out and presented. Thank you!!!

[@buddyhenson2559]

Brilliant way to demonstrate how a wheel set interacts with various track components. Great job!!

[@victorv2066]

Frogs switching, birds chirping, and flanges twerking wheels back onto the rail. A hip-hop railroader's dream.

[@CNder77]

Absolutely loved this video. Very fun learning how you visually teach in detail. Good humor too. Thank you for sharing. I’m gonna check out your other videos.

[@richardmassoth8237]

I'm concerned about the weight of that switch stand!!! Do we need another safety meeting? And, I would encourage putting an A-frame hoist on the side of the truck to use for tasks like this. If you are lifting too much and have no spotter than us (after the fact), then that's dangerous... Also, in the name of a safety meeting, you should explain that the axle (with a sprocket) you are using would have been on a speeder (put-put car) or an old hand car or one of the same size flat cars used for Maintenance-of-Way (MOW) projects. It's MUCH smaller and lighter than a "regular" freight car (boxcar, tank car, or any of the old-school heavy-weight cars, or other railroad rolling stock). A derailment with your axle is much easier to handle than anything like your "regular" work in handling derailments that you've shown us... Yet, this entire video is extremely educational and useful... Please keep it up. Just don't hurt yourself!

[@mshum538]

Yup, ask him how his back is feeling in the morning….and maybe next time back the back of the flatbed up to the switch stand also the switch “target” can be straightened and you can paint it after its reinstalled although they are removable…….today gets a 👍

[@petercruikshank2618]

A strongly worded finger wagging warning has been crafted to be sent from the Safety Committee to the Director of Rail Operations for the ETR. We are just pouring through the ETR corporate phone directory looking for the director's contact information.....

[@additudeobx]

Great job on that "show and tell" bro. I'll say, it doesn't get much simpler than what you just 'splained it. Thanks for that. The bird wasn't laughing at ya.... that was a mating call, the birdie thinks yer cute!!!

[@mysterion4301]

Be safe out there my friend; I'm awaiting surgery to fuse L4, L5 and S1 over just such antics as that one-man loading you performed. I thought I was 17 and it turns out my back is now 67. Loved the video.

[@eugenetswong]

Brian, thanks for this closer look. I'm not surprised by any of this, but it is very educational to look at it from a closer point of view.

[@rearspeaker6364]

I see you found Alvin!!! He's fouling the rail again!!

[@johnclements8549]

Very helpful for me as I plan out my HO Model track work and switches!

[@GPz84]

When I grew up back home in Sydney, Nova Scotia, the rail making mill was in full swing. Always see trains of rail leaving the city. Now the big steel mill is long gone, turned into a business park. Iron ore came from Newfoundland, local coal was turned into coke on site for the steel making process. The coal mines, like the mill, also long gone.

[@jasonlaw2641]

Bethlehem Steel made frogs in PA. There is a really neat museum there that shows how they were made and there is also a narrow gage railroad too. If you strike up a conversation with the old timers at the museum you might get a tour where the bottle cars are still in the old plant! Also an active NS line is right there too.

[@MatthewBerginGarage]

That older light weight rail equipment is so nice to deal with. 👍😉

[@stevearcher3921]

Not a pro railroader at all but even an uneducated person can understand your teaching. Great presentation that made the subject easy to listen to and follow and definitely taught me a lot. Keep on keepin’ on!

[@highlandhuskymoochsquad1599]

Your rail being made here on Cape Breton island in 75 was good rail. Anything later in the 90's was rejected by few railroads.

[@christopherescott6787]

I spent a decade at the Alberta Railway Museum here in Edmonton Canada. To have a tie puller will save alot of grunt work. That said, the spike maul will become your friend soon enough. That's where young backs become the order of the day.I absolutely love the layout and your enthusiasm for this project. I hope to see this in person at some point. Coffee in hand. Well done sir.

[@trainmaster0217]

Great lesson I learned on FROGS. Thanks for the video.

[@rogerjordan3774]

Brian to avoid confusion the frog is not made of manganese but an alloy of steel and manganese. Interesting video

[@LouT1501]

UP has installed jump frogs on lightly used spurs in our area.

[@eddiane]

Pete the safety dude wants you in the office to talk about your crane like abilities lifting that switch control. I like your persistence. I would have done it the same way. Another great video. I can honestly say I look forward to seeing these new videos come up.

[@mshum538]

Tell “ Pete the Safety Dude “ I just bought a 12 pack of ETR leather safety gloves from Harbor Freight I’m going to give to all of my yard employees…….👍

[@jackseamon7064]

Why not put a small crane lift on the 550? Costly maybe but cheaper than a busted back.

[@petercruikshank2618]

I KNOW who would win an arm wrestling match! For us older types it's all good until you hear something pop.....

[@dmorgan28]

Great video. You did an excellent job of teaching us about frogs etc. 👍👍👍❤️

[@jcip1]

Really enjoy your videos. With all the work that needs to be done on the ETR, it makes these all the more special. Thanks and take care

[@tomroise9426]

You never disappoint. Thank you tor taking the time to film and post !!

[@bobainsworth5057]

Well done.no question here ,teacher.

[@petermagoun7457]

Excellent demo of wheel/rail/switch interaction. Very educational, good video, Brian!

[@RodUding]

Educational and informative on how stuff works to keep stuff on the tracks so the trains keep rolling!

[@jimthannum7151]

Great video and excellent explanation of switch operation and frogs. Really enjoyed this, and better educated, much appreciated!

[@tombrandt4703]

Thank you! Great content.

[@davebrock6618]

best online training video I have seen this week..

[@StephenCarlBaldwin]

Great class!

[@alcopower5710]

Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge ⭐️

[@royreynolds108]

The solid manganese frog at 11:37 is called a self-guarded frog and does not need guard rails. Wear on manganese castings can and may be welded up to get the parts back to their original dimension if not too far out or broken. The swing-nosed frog you showed is for frogs of No 24 and over for high speed track. The ETR will probably only need bolted-rigid made of all rail pieces bolted together, solid manganese self-guarded, solid manganese, and manganese insert frogs(like @ 2:55). I really wish you would call or e-mail me so I could help you with some of your problems.

[@truckladders4104]

Great video well done

[@paulpietrowski1940]

Very well done , keep up the good work!

[@xxzz9789]

Thank you for checking dates on the rail. It's newer then I thought it would be.

[@vmiley1]

We were all grunting with you, as you lifted the switch upon the truck. :)

[@mr7badass]

I don't usually comment on your videos but this video was very interesting and informative. Been a subscriber since your 2nd or 3rd vid.

[@joer9946]

Very informative!

[@RobTuck1475]

Thank you Brian for sharing another great video and lesson in railroad technology, as a one of the worst brakeman in the history of brakeman (trainmaster disagrees however) I need all the knowledge I can get. Yourself, Graham and the Misses stay safe.

[@twkolejofil]

Hearing the music in your videos, it reminds me the great film "Life is a miracle" (Život je čudo) made by Emir Kusturica. And it also has its place on the beauuuuutiful railway!

[@garymessina1609]

Great job taught me more than I would knew

[@randyclyde4939]

Brian, thanks so much! Another great learning experience for me. I wait for each new video with great anticipation! Too bad... no frog legs!

[@Eddy63]

Good little vid ... Thx for sharing ...

[@downthegaragelayout.7465]

Another great video on how points work and what all the parts are thank you 👍

[@ernestpassaro9663]

Very educational good luck with your railroad

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Self guarding frog is pretty neat.

[@chazco]

I already new the names of the pieces, but seeing them in action was great

[@1Nanerz]

On CN we call the bars holding the points spaced apart “the #1 and #2 rods” and the rails between the heel castings and the frog, we call them the closure rails. Curved closure and straight closure rails.

[@robertlamoureaux6858]

Brian, all your videos are great. If you were a shop teacher at a trade school there would be a waiting list for your class. I'm married to a teacher and you do an absolutely wonderful job. The info and language you use is not broken down too much that is seems foolish. Thank you for the exposure of this business through your eyes. I think it was a mockingbird, LOL. Waiting for the next class.

[@levinef]

Love the Klezmer music

[@danielkelly6410]

One thing to be aware of with self guarding frogs is that you have to be very careful with hi-rail and other on track equipment with non AAR standard wheels. Where I work, we are strictly limited to 5 mph over them. Fortunately, we only have a few which are rarely encountered.

[@Daddymouse-ny9cz]

OUCH......I felt another hernia coming on as I watched you load up that switch stand!

[@klsc8510]

Brian, you get a demerit and counselling for lifting the switch stand by yourself! Back in the days of the KLS&C in Michigan, we had a south bound CSX train derail just north of our interchange switch. One of the derailed cars slammed into the switch frog and bent the frog about 10 degrees in the vertical. That took a lot of force to do that.

[@lauraandedwardcannon8861]

Super helpful explanation.

[@twocvbloke]

Having slipped a disc in my spine this morning, I don't envy you lifting that switch thing onto the truck!!! Ouchie... :S

[@Real_Tim_S]

There are moving/swing frog crossings - better for high-speed switching, less impact/noise, also migth avoid the need for a guide/check-rail (which are required due to the large unrestricted opening for the flange).

[@JanicefromKansas]

Hello from Kansas 🇺🇸

[@josephbrandtner7713]

One thing that you haven't mentioned is the frog numbers, i.e., #4, #5. #6. #8 etc. Your turnouts and frog numbers look to be about #6 meaning that one would have to travel 6 feet to diverge one foot.

[@ThePaulv12]

Well that's actually good to know. Thanks Joseph!

[@royreynolds108]

You are close. The line to determine the number is the split between the frog point and the middle of the frog heel. Along this line find a place that will give a full division of the units being used(inches or CM), say 2 inches or 2 cm and make a mark on the line, go along the split line until 3 inches or 3 cm is read from side to side then make a mark on the line, measure the distance between those marks and that will be the frog number. If you are fortunate, the frog information will be cast into it or on a tag affixed to the frog. This info will be frog number, rail weight and section, who made it and when. For design purposes and layout in the field, the angle the flangeways make with each other is the information that is most needed. There are tables that give the angles of each frog number and they are very accurate. For most turnout construction or layout, the angle to the nearest minute will be close enough to build the turnout and have it operate very satisfactorily for a railroad like the ETR. A frog and switch points are straight throughout their length. The diverging stock rail needs to have the switch angle bent in it about 6 to 8 inches in front of the switch point to continue the gauge line of the straight track.

[@handlaidtrack]

Great video. I make turnouts in HO scale 1:87 for model railroaders.

[@pjasyl]

Excellent explanation of different types of frogs, and how they differ in operation! Interesting to view condition of switch upon disassembly? Noticed your lifting of switch onto blocks for truck loading. NOT the best thing for the back at our age!! One person tall switch NO WAY!! When you resume brush ,and tree cutting how far back will you go for good clearance safety, and visibility? Yes that rail was made at the now gone Sydney Nova Scotia steel mill.

[@brucelees7406]

Oh No was that the first Derailment at the ETR ? Great video, Fun and Educational Thank You .

[@davidkoehler136]

up north we call that picking the point.

[@billmoran3812]

1975 rail is pretty new. A lot of the main line rail on Cape Cod is 1920’s vintage. Yard rail in Hyannis yard was 1890’s until a couple years ago when the yard was rebuilt. Most of the rail in southeast Massachusetts is welded rail and 1980’s.

[@wilfred8326]

Bill that Welded Rail + 1920's Stick Rail you speak of on Cape Cod was spiked by my dad Wilfred R. Roberge (1935-90) in the 1980's when he operated a Spiking Machine for Perini Corp. in the 1980's state sponsored Rail Rehab.

[@mshum538]

@@wilfred8326 Thats interesting ( or cool as they say now a days,) thanks for sharing.

[@cybertrk]

Your thumbnail makes me wish you had a formal survey DWG file to purchase. Would love to have a copy for reference!

[@RussellNelson]

The problem with self-guarded frogs is that railcars can end up picking the switch.

[@VickyGeagan]

Brian, I need to share a secret with you. Mac' Donald's coffee is from Vermont. It is Newman's own organic coffee. It comes from Paul Newman's daughter's company. You can also purchase it at Cumberland farms for a buck. Their a New England based dairy farm. With their own chain of convenience stores. With fuel, and food service. Their stores are not as larges as Texan based mega convenience stores Bucky Beaver's.

[@billmorris2613]

Down in SE Louisiana, in my opinion, McDonalds has the best of any of the fast food or coffee shops pure coffee. I drink it black with nothing in it.

[@tehpw7574]

a tommy gate would be useful here...

[@VickyGeagan]

This is dispatch ETR one you are cleared south bound on track number 1. Brian you need to get your conductors uniform out, and get Graham an old engineers uniform with the hat and overalls. You may even want to purchase an old passenger car. You could open up the Central ETR for occasional tours on Sunday's and holidays when you are not to busy. I am sure Mrs. ETR would not mins. Tell her I said hi. Also I am sorry for keeping you away from her at that conference were we first met. With our very long conversation. My group just went off and did their own thing. Wish I was able to go to this years spring convention, at the Santa Fe railroad museum.

[@wilfred8326]

That means extra insurance !

[@tex-hogger4974]

"The gap is the map".

[@truckladders4104]

I have a suggestion for the business side On your sales presentation a great confidence builder is to rehearse your presentation., You could even involve the ETR nation Also Mack a list of bulk transfer potential customers in your area Do a presentation and put it online Youget coverage(never know who’s watching your channel and your followers will help you hone the pitch

[@alexbeall2985]

Class 1 rail requires 5 good ties in a 38ft segment.

[@HMSSfrigate12]

If you had a pair of wheels on an axel (car or pushcart) you could really demonstrate how the wheels work.

[@macjim]

We gotta runaway!

[@gregbrown4962]

Don't know if you saw Jawtooth's video from TN. (when he was returning from Florida) there was one area on the CSX line where they changed out a lot of concrete ties. Would this be an ideal solution for the ETR?

[@mrbakerjjim]

bright line here in florida is using all concrete ties

[@wilfred8326]

A # of Commuter RR'S and the Northeast Corridor went for Concrete Ties in the 90's but discovered that it was a mistake for the heavyily trafficked lines as the supposed waterproof/indescribable ties got premature cracks! These were supposed to last 2× as long as wood ties but started cracking in less than half the estimated life of a wood tie. This meant that the trains needed to go slower until replaced with wood. However, an Industrial RR( Common Carrier Shortline) The Branford Steam RR bought them as replacement ties.

[@gregbrown4962]

@@wilfred8326 Since the business plan for the ETR is primarily storage of rail cars it seemed like the perfect solution.

[@wilfred8326]

@@gregbrown4962 low speed as needed traffic such as the ETR is perfect for relay ties. However concrete ties use clips vs spikes. I am pretty sure that switch timbers aren't offered in concrete.

[@macjim]

Back straight, bend the knees… lift with the legs

[@SimonTekConley]

I remember buying a little axle like that in ohio, and had no way to move ot. And gave it to a railroad. I wonder if it's the same one.

[@Jim-hw1xr]

I can't decide whether the music during the switch lifting was Greek or Jewish. Different and enjoyable.

[@allanegleston4931]

is there a history of this ? what line was this b4 conrail got them ? lots of luck and thanks for the track refresh. :)

[@briquetaverne]

I noticed that the last minute or two of this episode while talking about the 9 1/2 foot frog's function, certain rails in the background had been painted yellow, The yellow is faded but visible. What was the significance of a painting a Rail yellow or for that matter any color??

[@buddyhenson2559]

Clearance point for the track meaning cars have to be behind that mark to safely allow other cars to pass on the adjacent track.

[@richardmead9225]

All you need is a spring switch.

[@DrGerryD]

No Guide rails at the frog for "bakery switch"?

[@gsigs]

I think I got a hernia just watching you. At the end of the video why was the inside of the stock rail painted yellow?

[@maryfrost7900]

Etr when we get our miny train up and running you need to come up and see it

[@maryfrost7900]

We have to clear and cut trees down lay balest then the track there was never a train on the property we want to put 1/2 mile of track down

[@danielunger9340]

How did the frogs got it's name? How good or bad is the switches n how many needs ta b replaced ?

[@tabranch3165]

🙋🏼‍♂️. 9:20. Jypsy railroaders music………..switching it up 🐸 🐸 🚥

[@blitz0_rsps]

I might be wrong on this, but for replacing the switch ties would it benefit you to cut the tie into two pieces? It's unusable so saving the entire length probably isn't a priority. All depends on if it is feasible to remove both pieces, most likely one from the left and one from the right.

[@mikerubynfs]

or pull it part way out, then cut it and then pull the rest out. Would be easier to cut when part pulled out.

[@dvone4124]

Then what do you do to slide the full length replacement switch tie into place? One needs to replace ties in one piece. Removing the old one is training for replacing it in the next step.

[@mikerubynfs]

@@dvone4124 Good point, can the track be lifted a few inches? That would probably allow enough height to clear the other track.

[@nathanphillips2889]

Are you riding the train to California? If so will you be in Albuquerque on the 18th?

[@stevesmith-wc2gb]

It was Alvin

[@garykuipers2696]

Did that wheeled axle come off an old rail speeder?