What's the 1am train shenanigans about then?
June 15, 2010 9:51 AM Subscribe
My bedroom balcony is right next to a train line. Often late at night after the trains stop running, what appears to be maintainence workers alite on and around the tracks, and bang about. What sort of maintainence are they likely to be doing that needs to be done so regularly?
My bedroom balcony is right next to a train line. Often late at night after the trains stop running, what appear to be maintenance workers alight on and around the tracks, and bang about. What sort of maintenance are they likely to be doing that needs to be done so regularly?
My balcony is right next to a train line. Often late at night, 1amish, a gang of what appear to be maintenance workers alight on the tracks and do things to the tracks themselves and the hanging wires of (what I assume to be) the signaling system surrounding them. It seems to happen fairly frequently, at the very least fortnightly.
I have only gone out to have a look once or twice because I don't want to creep the workers out, so I'm not sure what it is that they're doing. Usually though it seems to require a lot of banging, and hefting of heavy equipment and can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to hours. Recently, I went out to look at what they were doing. They seemed have a large blue metallic object with them. One of the workers seemed to be concerned that I had seen what they were doing. The other worker told him that it didn't matter that I had seen. Tonight, one man seems to be attached to a wire and is pulling himself along them with an errr pulley while four other men look on...hive I want to know:
What sort of maintenance needs to be done on tracks on this regular a basis? Are there any aspects of track maintenance that are considered not good for outsiders to see?
My bedroom balcony is right next to a train line. Often late at night after the trains stop running, what appear to be maintenance workers alight on and around the tracks, and bang about. What sort of maintenance are they likely to be doing that needs to be done so regularly?
My balcony is right next to a train line. Often late at night, 1amish, a gang of what appear to be maintenance workers alight on the tracks and do things to the tracks themselves and the hanging wires of (what I assume to be) the signaling system surrounding them. It seems to happen fairly frequently, at the very least fortnightly.
I have only gone out to have a look once or twice because I don't want to creep the workers out, so I'm not sure what it is that they're doing. Usually though it seems to require a lot of banging, and hefting of heavy equipment and can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to hours. Recently, I went out to look at what they were doing. They seemed have a large blue metallic object with them. One of the workers seemed to be concerned that I had seen what they were doing. The other worker told him that it didn't matter that I had seen. Tonight, one man seems to be attached to a wire and is pulling himself along them with an errr pulley while four other men look on...hive I want to know:
What sort of maintenance needs to be done on tracks on this regular a basis? Are there any aspects of track maintenance that are considered not good for outsiders to see?
Best answer: I'm no expert, but I watched a show on roller coasters once, and they inspect the tracks for misalignments and loose bolts and whatnot on a daily basis. Considering the ramifications of an urban train derailment, I'm betting that's what you're witnessing.
posted by crunchland at 10:00 AM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by crunchland at 10:00 AM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: The line is in Japan and it's public transit.
posted by ultrabuff at 10:01 AM on June 15, 2010
posted by ultrabuff at 10:01 AM on June 15, 2010
Best answer: They're probably doing rail inspection and maintenance.
posted by IanMorr at 10:27 AM on June 15, 2010
posted by IanMorr at 10:27 AM on June 15, 2010
Best answer: Train tracks do require regular maintenance, especially if noise is a concern. (For those of you in the SF East Bay who hear BART squealing all the time, it's because BART totally cheaps out on track maintenance so the trains make a lot more noise going around curves.) Eventually it does become a safety issue but given that you are in a residential area, the likely motivation is to mitigate noise, at least with regards to the rails themselves. They may also be inspecting signaling equipment to keep everything in good running order. Considering that it's Japan and it's public transit, they are likely pretty diligent about maintenance.
posted by ambrosia at 10:28 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by ambrosia at 10:28 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Just saw your last question. I don't know of anything that they wouldn't want you to see, but if they were x-raying the tracks the worker showing concern may have been worried that you were the only person around not wearing lead underpants.
posted by IanMorr at 10:31 AM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by IanMorr at 10:31 AM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I'm a curious person by nature and I'd just ask them. I've seen people doing stuff that didn't make sense, so I just walked over and asked what's up. I just told them that I'm interested and curious and I've always gotten a simple reply.
Next time you see the crew why don't you just walk out on your balcony and ask what's up. You could also ask if it's a regular thing so you can be prepared for the time after that with some earplugs and a white noise machine. Be polite and non-confrontational and you might just get your answer.
posted by TooFewShoes at 12:11 PM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
Next time you see the crew why don't you just walk out on your balcony and ask what's up. You could also ask if it's a regular thing so you can be prepared for the time after that with some earplugs and a white noise machine. Be polite and non-confrontational and you might just get your answer.
posted by TooFewShoes at 12:11 PM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: thanks ambrosia and crunchland- that's the sort of thing I'm interested in. So sounds like the banging is associated with alighning the tracks for noise prevention and banging in new nails. Hence the fortnightly maintainence.
I assume they either were concerned that I was up watching them meant I might call the rail company and complain about the noise or some such. But, I wondered if it might have been because of safety protocol of some kind, or be using equipment that may be dangerous, or not want general public to know where things are installed to prevent theft?
posted by ultrabuff at 5:09 PM on June 15, 2010
I assume they either were concerned that I was up watching them meant I might call the rail company and complain about the noise or some such. But, I wondered if it might have been because of safety protocol of some kind, or be using equipment that may be dangerous, or not want general public to know where things are installed to prevent theft?
posted by ultrabuff at 5:09 PM on June 15, 2010
Response by poster: IanMorr: Yeah maybe there were xraying the track for faults or otherwise doing something else that may have posed a safety risk to others.
Also as an update, I received a flyer from the company today and it looks like they were doing scheduled maintenence focused on increasing load capacity and as a safety precaution, probably of the kind crunchland, IanMorr and ambrosia mentioned. Thanks guys!
posted by ultrabuff at 6:40 AM on June 16, 2010
Also as an update, I received a flyer from the company today and it looks like they were doing scheduled maintenence focused on increasing load capacity and as a safety precaution, probably of the kind crunchland, IanMorr and ambrosia mentioned. Thanks guys!
posted by ultrabuff at 6:40 AM on June 16, 2010
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posted by shakespeherian at 9:59 AM on June 15, 2010