[BJ7898]

What vibration level is the most realistic or does it depend on the route? I assume that CR Indy's vibration will be higher than Cajon Pass due to how BNSF might maintain their tracks better than CSX (no offense to any CSX guys).

[dcarleton]

BJ7898, on 28 June 2013 - 03:22 PM, said:

What vibration level is the most realistic or does it depend on the route? I assume that CR Indy's vibration will be higher than Cajon Pass due to how BNSF might maintain their tracks better than CSX (no offense to any CSX guys).

Bad assumption. In this day and age out on the class 1s the track is in good condition, and even vibration level 1 is too much. On the other hand, go back 30 years and what you're saying was true. Then again, freight cars are a lot heavier now and won't tolerate poorly maintained track. Also the locomotives wouldn't tolerate even the amount of rolling and pitching of vibration level 1. You should feel some lateral motion and significant mechanical vibration that's going to be impossible to simulate, but that's about it except for at turnouts and other special situations.

To answer your question directly, it would be a mistake to call out any current class 1 as a "bad track railroad". They'd already be out of business!