Comments on: The passage of CN local 551caused numerous fires through Milton thanks to a sparking wheel set. CN 382 was lined on its block and chose to try to make it through town before the fires got worse. The train ended up fanning the flames covering much of the town in smoke, as the fire department tries to battle one of the larger fires in the distance. http://www.railpictures.ca The BEST Canadian photos on the Internet, eh? Thu, 30 Apr 2026 23:03:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: ngineered4u http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=24296#comment-14363 ngineered4u Mon, 18 Apr 2016 02:43:11 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0418.jpg#comment-14363 @Stephen..lol..well really not sure what the crew can do about sparks coming out of a unit other than shutting it down and thats not really an option. Even with spark arrestors the problem can still happen. I know when the summers are hot we are told to minimize the use of air braking as not to cause sparking from the brakeshoes. Hmm may be a long hot summer. Thanks for the update. @Stephen..lol..well really not sure what the crew can do about sparks coming out of a unit other than shutting it down and thats not really an option. Even with spark arrestors the problem can still happen. I know when the summers are hot we are told to minimize the use of air braking as not to cause sparking from the brakeshoes. Hmm may be a long hot summer. Thanks for the update.

]]> By: Stephen C. Host http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=24296#comment-14361 Stephen C. Host Sun, 17 Apr 2016 23:46:53 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0418.jpg#comment-14361 Happened again today. Heard the RTC talking to crew of 551 at Milton again about the 4777/7080.. and to check 'under the engine'.. whatever that means. Third day in a row ! Happened again today. Heard the RTC talking to crew of 551 at Milton again about the 4777/7080.. and to check ‘under the engine’.. whatever that means.

Third day in a row !

]]> By: ngineered4u http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=24296#comment-14359 ngineered4u Sun, 17 Apr 2016 17:08:24 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0418.jpg#comment-14359 Oh you saw the sparks. ? Funny the hot box detector did not pick it up. Most likely the car with the problem was spotted at an industry in Milton Oh you saw the sparks. ? Funny the hot box detector did not pick it up. Most likely the car with the problem was spotted at an industry in Milton

]]> By: Marcus Stevens http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=24296#comment-14356 Marcus Stevens Sun, 17 Apr 2016 16:32:24 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0418.jpg#comment-14356 Possibly a bad bearing or sticking brake, not sure if that would do it, what ever it was it was shooting sparks for quite a while, luckily it didn't do the same thing on the return trip. Possibly a bad bearing or sticking brake, not sure if that would do it, what ever it was it was shooting sparks for quite a while, luckily it didn’t do the same thing on the return trip.

]]> By: ngineered4u http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=24296#comment-14352 ngineered4u Sun, 17 Apr 2016 04:59:20 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0418.jpg#comment-14352 Its possible a wheel started the fire, but unlikely as 551 would have been going uphill so no need for brakes being on. A sticking brake might have been the cause but no hot reading was noticed by the hot box detector at Mi 36. I still think a spark from the units did this. I remember having 4-5 SW1200RS with spark arrestors on them and man did they put on fireworks at full throttle. Sparks everywhere Its possible a wheel started the fire, but unlikely as 551 would have been going uphill so no need for brakes being on. A sticking brake might have been the cause but no hot reading was noticed by the hot box detector at Mi 36. I still think a spark from the units did this. I remember having 4-5 SW1200RS with spark arrestors on them and man did they put on fireworks at full throttle. Sparks everywhere

]]> By: Marcus Stevens http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=24296#comment-14351 Marcus Stevens Sun, 17 Apr 2016 04:47:09 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0418.jpg#comment-14351 My guess would be 551 power did not start the fire but one of its cars did as there were no fires until 551 passed. Caused a lot of excitement in Milton none the less :) My guess would be 551 power did not start the fire but one of its cars did as there were no fires until 551 passed. Caused a lot of excitement in Milton none the less :)

]]> By: ngineered4u http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=24296#comment-14350 ngineered4u Sun, 17 Apr 2016 04:35:41 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0418.jpg#comment-14350 Hey Marcus and Kevin, I was on 570 yesterday and just about to leave Mac yard behind 399. The RTC told 399 he was to be held at Norval until the fires were estinguished. The fires spread across the Halton Sub from Milbase to Tansley and affected many trains. I sat at Peel waiting for 399 to move and 383 was behind me at Halwest. When we got the ok to start moving we had to protect against a foreman trying to put the fires out. 399 had to reduce to 15mph, 551 followed 399 westward and the powers that be had 383 run past me at Stewarttown. I dropped to #4 for westbounds. By the time we got to Milbase there were no speed restrictions, but we did see a few smouldering spots and reported them to the foreman. FYI, we passed 551 switching Tamarack Lumber and teased the female engineer about being a firestarter and she swears that her train did not start the fires. I know the chief RTC did contact the crew and ask about any sparks coming from 4777 and apparently they said nothing was noticed from either unit. A mystery to be solved. Hey Marcus and Kevin, I was on 570 yesterday and just about to leave Mac yard behind 399. The RTC told 399 he was to be held at Norval until the fires were estinguished. The fires spread across the Halton Sub from Milbase to Tansley and affected many trains. I sat at Peel waiting for 399 to move and 383 was behind me at Halwest. When we got the ok to start moving we had to protect against a foreman trying to put the fires out. 399 had to reduce to 15mph, 551 followed 399 westward and the powers that be had 383 run past me at Stewarttown. I dropped to #4 for westbounds. By the time we got to Milbase there were no speed restrictions, but we did see a few smouldering spots and reported them to the foreman. FYI, we passed 551 switching Tamarack Lumber and teased the female engineer about being a firestarter and she swears that her train did not start the fires. I know the chief RTC did contact the crew and ask about any sparks coming from 4777 and apparently they said nothing was noticed from either unit. A mystery to be solved.

]]> By: Kevin Flood http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=24296#comment-14346 Kevin Flood Sat, 16 Apr 2016 17:41:32 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0418.jpg#comment-14346 Does this explain why there was a slow order for trains through here? Does this explain why there was a slow order for trains through here?

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