Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
I?m in a country that has a busy, multi-track, 5? gauge, third-rail
electrified railway system.
More clues if you need them, but I suspect at least one person in this >>>> group has personal experience of this railway.
Panama Canal locks? Mule track each side, third rail in conduit.
I?ve belatedly uploaded some pics from the Canal. Needless to say, I paid
more attention to the locos and rack railway than most Canal travellers do. >>
https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/albums/72177720332406239
In railway terms, it?s certainly an oddity:
- Between four and eight locos are attached to one vehicle, rather than one >> loco hauling multiple vehicles.
- The locos steer and stop the consist, but don?t haul it.
- It?s possibly the world?s slowest railway.
- In some cases, small two-man rowing boats are used to help couple the
locos to the consist.
- Coupling the loco involves some expert rope-throwing and a lot of
workers. No auto-coupling on this railway!
- The locos run on the world?s steepest rack railway, while the consist
runs strictly on the level.
- The locos are under the control of the pilot on the ship, not railway
signallers.
- The locos are powered by three-phase AC, with no visible power
connections (ie, no OHLE or visible contact rails). Most people therefore
assume they?re diesels.
- The railway was one of the first to be powered by three-phase AC, back in >> 1915.
- It uses modern Japanese-built, but originally American, 5? gauge locos.
They?re only on their third generation in over 110 years.
- The locos are asymmetrical, and their drivers sit sideways.
- The locos have an external passenger seat on a balcony.
- The loco buffers are vertical ellipses, presumably to allow for the vertical curvature of the inclined sections. Most railway buffers are circular or are horizontally oriented ellipses or rectangles.
Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
I?m in a country that has a busy, multi-track, 5? gauge, third-rail
electrified railway system.
More clues if you need them, but I suspect at least one person in this
group has personal experience of this railway.
Panama Canal locks? Mule track each side, third rail in conduit.
I?ve belatedly uploaded some pics from the Canal. Needless to say, I paid more attention to the locos and rack railway than most Canal travellers do.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/albums/72177720332406239
In railway terms, it?s certainly an oddity:
- Between four and eight locos are attached to one vehicle, rather than one loco hauling multiple vehicles.
- The locos steer and stop the consist, but don?t haul it.
- It?s possibly the world?s slowest railway.
- In some cases, small two-man rowing boats are used to help couple the
locos to the consist.
- Coupling the loco involves some expert rope-throwing and a lot of
workers. No auto-coupling on this railway!
- The locos run on the world?s steepest rack railway, while the consist
runs strictly on the level.
- The locos are under the control of the pilot on the ship, not railway signallers.
- The locos are powered by three-phase AC, with no visible power
connections (ie, no OHLE or visible contact rails). Most people therefore assume they?re diesels.
- The railway was one of the first to be powered by three-phase AC, back in 1915.
- It uses modern Japanese-built, but originally American, 5? gauge locos. They?re only on their third generation in over 110 years.
- The locos are asymmetrical, and their drivers sit sideways.
- The locos have an external passenger seat on a balcony.
On 06/03/2026 23:38, Recliner wrote:
Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
I?m in a country that has a busy, multi-track, 5? gauge, third-rail
electrified railway system.
More clues if you need them, but I suspect at least one person in this >>>> group has personal experience of this railway.
Panama Canal locks? Mule track each side, third rail in conduit.
I?ve belatedly uploaded some pics from the Canal. Needless to say, I paid
more attention to the locos and rack railway than most Canal travellers do. >>
https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/albums/72177720332406239
In railway terms, it?s certainly an oddity:
- Between four and eight locos are attached to one vehicle, rather than one >> loco hauling multiple vehicles.
- The locos steer and stop the consist, but don?t haul it.
- It?s possibly the world?s slowest railway.
- In some cases, small two-man rowing boats are used to help couple the
locos to the consist.
- Coupling the loco involves some expert rope-throwing and a lot of
workers. No auto-coupling on this railway!
- The locos run on the world?s steepest rack railway, while the consist
runs strictly on the level.
- The locos are under the control of the pilot on the ship, not railway
signallers.
- The locos are powered by three-phase AC, with no visible power
connections (ie, no OHLE or visible contact rails). Most people therefore
assume they?re diesels.
- The railway was one of the first to be powered by three-phase AC, back in >> 1915.
- It uses modern Japanese-built, but originally American, 5? gauge locos.
They?re only on their third generation in over 110 years.
- The locos are asymmetrical, and their drivers sit sideways.
- The locos have an external passenger seat on a balcony.
Good set of photos bringing back memories of multiple transits, albeit
with the previous generation of mules. Must admit I cannot recall so
many Canal staff as your pictures show, and on larger ships than yours.
ColinR <rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk> wrote:
On 06/03/2026 23:38, Recliner wrote:
Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
I?m in a country that has a busy, multi-track, 5? gauge, third-rail
electrified railway system.
More clues if you need them, but I suspect at least one person in this >>>>> group has personal experience of this railway.
Panama Canal locks? Mule track each side, third rail in conduit.
I?ve belatedly uploaded some pics from the Canal. Needless to say, I paid >>> more attention to the locos and rack railway than most Canal travellers do. >>>
https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/albums/72177720332406239
In railway terms, it?s certainly an oddity:
- Between four and eight locos are attached to one vehicle, rather than one >>> loco hauling multiple vehicles.
- The locos steer and stop the consist, but don?t haul it.
- It?s possibly the world?s slowest railway.
- In some cases, small two-man rowing boats are used to help couple the
locos to the consist.
- Coupling the loco involves some expert rope-throwing and a lot of
workers. No auto-coupling on this railway!
- The locos run on the world?s steepest rack railway, while the consist
runs strictly on the level.
- The locos are under the control of the pilot on the ship, not railway
signallers.
- The locos are powered by three-phase AC, with no visible power
connections (ie, no OHLE or visible contact rails). Most people therefore >>> assume they?re diesels.
- The railway was one of the first to be powered by three-phase AC, back in >>> 1915.
- It uses modern Japanese-built, but originally American, 5? gauge locos. >>> They?re only on their third generation in over 110 years.
- The locos are asymmetrical, and their drivers sit sideways.
- The locos have an external passenger seat on a balcony.
Good set of photos bringing back memories of multiple transits, albeit
with the previous generation of mules. Must admit I cannot recall so
many Canal staff as your pictures show, and on larger ships than yours.
You really get an idea of the large number of ropemen on each ship in this image (I think the ship?s crew are in orange, and Canal staff in pale blue shirts):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/55132208463/in/album-72177720332406239
This was just on the bow; I?m assuming there would be at least another half dozen on the stern.
On 07/03/2026 13:19, Recliner wrote:
ColinR <rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk> wrote:
On 06/03/2026 23:38, Recliner wrote:
Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
I?m in a country that has a busy, multi-track, 5? gauge, third-rail >>>>>> electrified railway system.
More clues if you need them, but I suspect at least one person in this >>>>>> group has personal experience of this railway.
Panama Canal locks? Mule track each side, third rail in conduit.
I?ve belatedly uploaded some pics from the Canal. Needless to say, I paid >>>> more attention to the locos and rack railway than most Canal travellers do.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/albums/72177720332406239
In railway terms, it?s certainly an oddity:
- Between four and eight locos are attached to one vehicle, rather than one
loco hauling multiple vehicles.
- The locos steer and stop the consist, but don?t haul it.
- It?s possibly the world?s slowest railway.
- In some cases, small two-man rowing boats are used to help couple the >>>> locos to the consist.
- Coupling the loco involves some expert rope-throwing and a lot of
workers. No auto-coupling on this railway!
- The locos run on the world?s steepest rack railway, while the consist >>>> runs strictly on the level.
- The locos are under the control of the pilot on the ship, not railway >>>> signallers.
- The locos are powered by three-phase AC, with no visible power
connections (ie, no OHLE or visible contact rails). Most people therefore >>>> assume they?re diesels.
- The railway was one of the first to be powered by three-phase AC, back in
1915.
- It uses modern Japanese-built, but originally American, 5? gauge locos. >>>> They?re only on their third generation in over 110 years.
- The locos are asymmetrical, and their drivers sit sideways.
- The locos have an external passenger seat on a balcony.
Good set of photos bringing back memories of multiple transits, albeit
with the previous generation of mules. Must admit I cannot recall so
many Canal staff as your pictures show, and on larger ships than yours.
You really get an idea of the large number of ropemen on each ship in this >> image (I think the ship?s crew are in orange, and Canal staff in pale blue >> shirts):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/55132208463/in/album-72177720332406239
This was just on the bow; I?m assuming there would be at least another half >> dozen on the stern.
Could some of them just have been travelling back to base?
Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
I?m in a country that has a busy, multi-track, 5? gauge, third-rail
electrified railway system.
More clues if you need them, but I suspect at least one person in this >>>>> group has personal experience of this railway.
Panama Canal locks? Mule track each side, third rail in conduit.
I?ve belatedly uploaded some pics from the Canal. Needless to say, I paid >>> more attention to the locos and rack railway than most Canal travellers do. >>>
https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/albums/72177720332406239
In railway terms, it?s certainly an oddity:
- Between four and eight locos are attached to one vehicle, rather than one >>> loco hauling multiple vehicles.
- The locos steer and stop the consist, but don?t haul it.
- It?s possibly the world?s slowest railway.
- In some cases, small two-man rowing boats are used to help couple the
locos to the consist.
- Coupling the loco involves some expert rope-throwing and a lot of
workers. No auto-coupling on this railway!
- The locos run on the world?s steepest rack railway, while the consist
runs strictly on the level.
- The locos are under the control of the pilot on the ship, not railway
signallers.
- The locos are powered by three-phase AC, with no visible power
connections (ie, no OHLE or visible contact rails). Most people therefore >>> assume they?re diesels.
- The railway was one of the first to be powered by three-phase AC, back in >>> 1915.
- It uses modern Japanese-built, but originally American, 5? gauge locos. >>> They?re only on their third generation in over 110 years.
- The locos are asymmetrical, and their drivers sit sideways.
- The locos have an external passenger seat on a balcony.
- The loco buffers are vertical ellipses, presumably to allow for the
vertical curvature of the inclined sections. Most railway buffers are
circular or are horizontally oriented ellipses or rectangles.
I don?t think that?s the reason. After all, the locos would never normally
be coupled on the inclines. I think the places where they are most likely
to push each other is at the decidedly flat turntables, and the narrow elliptical buffers might be to facilitate oblique connections.
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