Interesting News Piece on Chinese Railroad Building Equipment

[pjm20]

I just saw this morning, forgive me if it is old news: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-41206772

[Dave V]

Laying 700 meters of track in a day?  That's nuthin'.  The Central Pacific laid 10 miles of track in a day--by hand--in 1869!

[svedblen]

The Central Pacific laid 10 miles of track in a day--by hand--in 1869!

That is really fast. Is it even possible? With the reservation that my math might be off:
10 miles is about 16000 meters.
1 piece of rail is 39 ft which is about 12 meters.
Meaning they need to lay 16000/12 = 1333 sections of track per day.

If they work around the clock that means they need to lay 1333/24 = 55 sections of track every hour, or about one section every minute. Not impossible but very tough, considering you need a whole lot of ties to go down as well. Or is the 10 miles figure provided the ties are already in place?

I agree that 700 meters a day is not very impressive, but 10 miles a day seems to be somewhat exagerated. At least as a long itme average. But who am I to tell? I was not there 

[nickelplate759]

That is really fast. Is it even possible? With the reservation that my math might be off:
10 miles is about 16000 meters.
1 piece of rail is 39 ft which is about 12 meters.
Meaning they need to lay 16000/12 = 1333 sections of track per day.

If they work around the clock that means they need to lay 1333/24 = 55 sections of track every hour, or about one section every minute. Not impossible but very tough, considering you need a whole lot of ties to go down as well. Or is the 10 miles figure provided the ties are already in place?

I agree that 700 meters a day is not very impressive, but 10 miles a day seems to be somewhat exagerated. At least as a long itme average. But who am I to tell? I was not there 

It's considered an historical fact.  They only did it for one day.
http://cprr.org/Museum/Southern_Pacific_Bulletin/Ten_Mile_Day.html

Interestingly, the crew that did it was also Chinese.

[DKS]

The Central Pacific laid 10 miles of track in a day--by hand--in 1869!

And I had to walk 10 miles to school every day.

Uphill.

Both ways.

 

[C855B]

It's considered an historical fact.  They only did it for one day.
http://cprr.org/Museum/Southern_Pacific_Bulletin/Ten_Mile_Day.html

Yeah, one day and one day only. There is also some dispute among historians that the recollection was full of the 1800's version of "spin", that the supplies did not keep up with the manpower. Some accounts assert they were using found wood to put rails down in the last stretch just good enough for pushcarts with more rail and spikes to traverse, and it was all re-laid starting the next day.

[davefoxx]

Yeah, one day and one day only. There is also some dispute among historians that the recollection was full of the 1800's version of "spin", that the supplies did not keep up with the manpower. Some accounts assert they were using found wood to put rails down in the last stretch just good enough for pushcarts with more rail and spikes to traverse, and it was all re-laid starting the next day.

This is consistent with my understanding of the "historic event."

DFF

[Scottl]

They may have completed 10 miles in one day, but they spent the next three months making it serviceable.

[Dave V]

Guys, chill...  My comment was offered with levity.  After all, I would not have wanted to ride any train at any speed over that 10 mile stretch.  30 pound iron rail on untreated ties probably not spiked more than a few ties per stick...

But yes, it is alleged to have happened:



I've read numerous books about building the Transcontinental Railroad and yes, many things were pre-planned to make the 10 miles happen.  The very best crew was chosen with supplies pre-positioned. It was a stunt designed to win a bet and nothing more.  Impressive nonetheless.

[svedblen]

It was a stunt designed to win a bet and nothing more.  Impressive nonetheless.

Impressive nonetheless, I agree. I've never heard of this before, but am glad I now have. Dave, thanks for bringing this up 

[nkalanaga]

That first picture of the panel-track layer looks like a modern version of the track-laying devices western logging roads used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  They could also pick up track, and most of the loggers reused the "woods track" as sections were logged out.

[wcfn100]

Pshhhh, Mickey can do around 10' every 3 seconds.

Jason

[R L Smith]

And I had to walk 10 miles to school every day.

Uphill.

Both ways.

 

Same here, but into the snow and wind.

Both ways.

 

[Dave V]

Pshhhh, Mickey can do around 10' every 3 seconds.

Jason

Is...is that locomotive vomiting up track panels?  Wow...Disney's got some issues.

[aikorob]

Is...is that locomotive vomiting up track panels?  Wow...Disney's got some issues.

and the turnouts with no moving parts that join the main almost 90*