Popular Post rcpilot Posted October 10, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted October 10, 2013 (edited) A Close Aerial View larded with some ground shots. October 2013. The railroad to and from Chiang Mai (TH) is closed due to the bad condition of the track. As in any country, trains do derail in Thailand. During this year more than once a month while there is only roughly 4000 km of track. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Railway_of_Thailand. Edited October 10, 2013 by rcpilot 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funcat Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Great...makes me think...I want that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Another Great Video..Thanks.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1Str8 Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Anybody knows when it's going go reopen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcgprg Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Great skill and filming Thanks once again for taking the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Great film Proof that the government knows how to make the rail road system safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Anybody knows when it's going go reopen? No sooner than November 1. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666133-train-service-to-chiang-mai-stopped-september-16-for-major-repairs/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank James Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Great video. Drones aren't all bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 RCpilot's videos seem to be getting better and better... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 RCpilot's videos seem to be getting better and better... +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDH Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I think they may need more than new track, maybe the ballast would be the root cause of the loose tracks, loose tracks damage very easily, especially ones that have been in use forever.... Large rocks and boulders are piled along the route (or "road" as we call it) on the ground, then the "berm" is built higher with ballast (in other words, railroad gravel). Then, wooden crossties are spaced out along the route with a 1-foot gap between each tie. Steel rails are then laid on the ties, secured to the crossties with spikes and "tie plates". Afterwards, more ballast is spread to fill the gaps between the ties. Most of these answerers were right about drainage and stability... without these features the track would shift and immediately become unstable under the enormous weight of trains. A typical train engine weighs 398 thousand pounds and there are usually six of those pulling every freight train. A loaded train car is often around 150 thousand pounds. Imagine trying to lay the tracks on dirt... the tracks would sink, shift and fall apart, especially once the dirt became wet from rain. Even with ballast, the rugged rails bounce up and down like flimsy ribbons of steel under the weight of a moving train. Everyone who mentioned the environment was clever, but wrong. We've been using ballast since the 1860s in the Civil War era... nobody cared about pollution back then, and ballast has no "kitty litter" properties (although that was a very clever guess). In fact spilling chemicals, grease, fuel and all manner of "acceptable contaminates" spill along the tracks and wash down through the ballast. As you probably have imagined, new ballast must be spread on the tracks periodically as the berm (false hill the track is built on) slowly shifts and spreads to each side under the vibration of trains. Most railroads own rock quarries to create their own ballast. Also, crossties are soaked in creosote, like telephone poles, to prevent rotting, but eventually must be replaced. These built-up routes, which are berms, are called "fills". Places where the route must dig through the land like a trench are called "cuts". The removed dirt and rock from cuts are used to help build the base of the fills further down the line. You'll notice if you look closesly at a railroad that even in "cuts" the cut is made deeply enough to contain a small berm (mound of ballast along the route); this allows drainage, even though the railroad is recessed below normal ground level (it still has to have at least a mini-ditch down in there on each side of the tracks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elektrified Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Superb video! I would be very nervous to ever ride a train in Thailand again. The last time we went to Lampang on the train there were problems and it made me feel very nervous. With Air Asia promotions at less than the cost of trains and buses it doesn't make sense to travel any other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo the Face Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 RCPilot , again I have to say, I have the greatest respect for you and your talent. Please keep it up and keep us updated. Only problem I have is the want and envy I have for what you are doing is either going to drive me to drink or the poorhouse. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anto Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 OP ,you use a drone for the aerial shots ? Nice film BTW . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 OP ,you use a drone for the aerial shots ? Nice film BTW . rcpilots rig. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664787-temple-doi-suthep-going-up-not-by-the-stairs-nor-by-the-elevator-but-this-time-through-the-air/page-2 post # 28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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