masterwelder

I believe the E-Tech cam gear can have three possible positions based on the key used. Pre CCRS: Low HP 275, 300, 310/330 offset left. Red color key Mid HP 350, 355/380, 400 straight key no color High HP 427, 460 offset right. White color key. CCRS engines uses the same cam gear key on all HP Just a couple of deg timing can help with the overheating. Corrections welcome.

Just west of Albany in Amsterdam NY.

Wind has been non stop for about the last week. Like they say, March comes in like a Lion and goes out like a Lamb.

Yep, 40# boost runs and pulls great. The only thing I didn’t do yet was the cam keyway. It will run warm if your in to it on a hotter day but I’m the only driver and I’m not looking to melt it down.

Not much solar power this morning after last nights snow but plenty of Mack power. Truck and trailer get a FULL wash every time after running in the slop. 2000 RD 400 w/ stage 2 Rochester injectors 460 Turbo and ECM, Eaton 18. 2021 Fontaine Magnitude 55L.

This thread is useless without pictures! Welcome aboard.

Another lowboy hung up and hit…. https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/tractor-trailer-hit-by-train-in-spartanburg-co/

I would check the grade and type of the bolts for starters. From the factory I believe Mack uses a special bolt where the shoulder of the bolt is more or less a press type fit when drawn down and through the frame and mount. On the trans side, should be grade 8 in there also. I’ve seen the trans side helicoiled. If the shop used grade five they could have sheered in an accident or fractured over time. But loose or striped bolts should have been caught during regular pm.

The question is what will the seals hold? That may be the weakest link.

An engineer has many things to consider in a split second before just “dumping” the train. In some circumstances it a safer move overall to not put the train into emergency. He could do a full brake application or dump the train from the rear forward via the EOT (end of train device) instead of from front to back. How the engineer responds depends on several things, including the consist, how the train is made up (type of car and placement), empty’s vs loads, etc. In other words, if the crash is going to be unavoidable, the engineer may decide to somewhat power through it to try to keep the train on the rails, and limit overall damage to just the obstacle that’s on the tracks.

Engage wetline, get out of cab, push lever up…. Under normal circumstances, not running or jumping, around a minute to raise neck fully and walk back to raise rear I would estimate. Could I have gotten the trailer raised and out of the way of the train in the video?? I don’t think so…. The train was on him fast according to what I saw. Then add the fear and adrenaline…. Looked like he had less than half a minute and I think he was trying to start a pony motor on the trailer to raise the deck, that takes even more time. Back in the late 90’s early 2000’s I worked directly for the railroad in the 2nd largest rail yard in the country and today as a contractor. In the yard we could cross a hundred crossings in one shift, not to mention vehicles sharing a tunnel with the trains- had to back out quickly a time or two! Seen some unbelievable and heartbreaking things. The power and mass that is involved is hard to covey to the common person. My saying is “complacency kills”. Just when you think you don’t have to think, you will be reminded usually in a bad way. I hate to speculate with out knowing all of the facts but being in a rush or not knowing your equipment or both cause a lot of trouble. It also looks to me like a lot of excavator for 5 axles. Not sure if that played a part. Glad it appears just the equipment was damaged and no one seriously injured. That poor man will probably never get the sound of that trains whistle out of his head.

If I have any doubt at all I raise the neck and rear. Some trailers and especially the older ones needed blocks or wedges added to support the neck if you had to temporarily raise, and spring suspension didn’t give you much to work with as far as raising the height in the rear. But any newer, modern, well built trailer has several settings on the neck, and generally the same on the rear with air suspensions these days. My Fontaine has at least five height settings on the neck and five in the rear. You can get a pretty good ground clearance if you have to.

Train looks ok… truck, trailer and excavator….. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/train-collides-with-semi-truck-stuck-on-tracks/vi-AA18d3zn Here is another link to it. https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2023/mar/01/subtext-oh-no-oh-no-video-shows-train-plow-into/

I have one also on my RD. Agree, the truck will dissolve around it.

Trunnion stand that is installed from underneath. No need to remove x members, pintle plates, bodies etc. Pic from Stengel bros website.