2. Blue Flag: BLUE SIGNAL : A clearly distinguishable blue flag, blue light or blue tag by day, or a blue light or blue tag by night. When displayed, it signifies that workers are on, under or between equipment I think you'll find that the blue flag will most often be used by the mechanical folks. A cardinal rule of the blue flag is that only the person who placed it can remove it (although I have also heard "craft" in place of person). In my day-to-day operations, if the engineer is in the seat, I'll settle for "three step," and rely on the engineer to protect me. Since only I can cancel my own "three step," as long as the engineer is paying attention, I'm OK. If someone also goes in under my "three step," I'm responsible for them, too. If I had to work at length on/under/between standing equipment and the engineer wasn't in the seat, I'd put up a blue flag. 3. Booster engines: On steam locomotives they were installed on the trailing engine truck or occasionally on a tender truck. As such, at a quick glance you probably wouldn't notice one, other than the accompanying steam lines. I have heard of Diesel "B" units being called boosters. 4. We run all vintage equipment. Finding parts can be a problem, but you'd be surprised at the network that exists for finding such parts. Sometimes it comes down to taking parts off "stuffed and mounted" equipment. Too, especially in the case of ALCO locomotives, the prime movers were used in many non-railroad applications, with many still in use, so it's not as hard to find parts as you might think. And, there has been a huge amount of standardization across some railroad items over the years. Thus, brake shoes for a 60 year old coach aren't all that hard to find.
BLUE SIGNAL : A clearly distinguishable blue flag, blue light or blue tag by day, or a blue light or blue tag by night. When displayed, it signifies that workers are on, under or between equipment
BLUE SIGNAL
I think you'll find that the blue flag will most often be used by the mechanical folks. A cardinal rule of the blue flag is that only the person who placed it can remove it (although I have also heard "craft" in place of person).
In my day-to-day operations, if the engineer is in the seat, I'll settle for "three step," and rely on the engineer to protect me. Since only I can cancel my own "three step," as long as the engineer is paying attention, I'm OK. If someone also goes in under my "three step," I'm responsible for them, too.
If I had to work at length on/under/between standing equipment and the engineer wasn't in the seat, I'd put up a blue flag.
3. Booster engines: On steam locomotives they were installed on the trailing engine truck or occasionally on a tender truck. As such, at a quick glance you probably wouldn't notice one, other than the accompanying steam lines.
I have heard of Diesel "B" units being called boosters.
4. We run all vintage equipment. Finding parts can be a problem, but you'd be surprised at the network that exists for finding such parts. Sometimes it comes down to taking parts off "stuffed and mounted" equipment.
Too, especially in the case of ALCO locomotives, the prime movers were used in many non-railroad applications, with many still in use, so it's not as hard to find parts as you might think.
And, there has been a huge amount of standardization across some railroad items over the years. Thus, brake shoes for a 60 year old coach aren't all that hard to find.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Johnny, if your train encountered problems on the Harvard line, it was with ATS, not ATC. The only place the former CNW had/has ATC is on the main line west from Chicago to Council Bluffs.
Nance, I think that whether ATC and ATS are pain or pleasure would be an opinion of the person you asked. It should be great, if it's maintained properly--which isn't always easy to do. ATS anywhere is pretty archaic, and CNW's ATC/cab signal system is about as primitive as you'll find anywhere. I'm sure that engineers would find a penalty application of the train's brakes annoying, but in most cases that can be fended off or suppressed. I used to find the overspeed warning on the ATC reassuring (I don't think it gets hit too often any more). When you're working under a restricting indication on our cab signals, you'd get an annoying beep every time you released the brake, or every 100 seconds if you were moving (I timed it!). And believe me, after long stretches of that, the cheerful "ding!" when the signal cleared was one of the nicest sounds you could hear. (Sounds most like the bell you hear when an elevator arrives at your floor.)
Also, keep in mind that without systems like this, freight trains would be held to under 60 m.p.h. In my experience, engineers have appreciated the ability to actually move their trains, and the stretches of 70 permitted by our ATC are very much appreciated.
I'd love to hear Jeff weigh in on this one!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
The UP (and possibly the SSW/SP before it) has, or maybe had parts of the ex-RI Golden State route across Kansas at a maximum speed of 70MPH with only ABS and track warrant control. Parts, and maybe all by now, have been converted to CTC operation.
Ah, ATC. Nothing like going for 30 or 40 miles under train control, as we put it. That's 17mph or less, unless you want the continuous low speed horn going off, then you can go up to 22mph. The good thing about ATC is that it is a continuous system. It enforces slow speeds under a restricting cab signal. Other systems don't. As long as you acknowledge the cab signal change, you can keep right on going. ATC can't completely prevent a collision, but except for unusual situations (Ralston, IA a couple of weeks ago) when it's working properly the collision will be at low speed. Still, employees can still die in those low speed collisions.
Forestalling or "suppressing" the penalty brake application means you're going to stop no matter what now. Setting more than 18 lbs of air requires a full stop before releasing the brakes. Too many trains torn apart because engineers did running releases when they should've come to a stop.
Carl, the modern equipment still uses audible warnings, but they aren't the same. When the signal clears up now, you get a beep instead of a ding. I kind of miss the old GRS equipment and some of it's sounds.
Speaking of 70MPH running, my last two westward outbound trains (mostly empty Salad Shooter and a short Auto Rack train) allowed a little fast running. At least until we caught the trains ahead. Took both of them over the Kate Shelley bridge at a little better than 65. Don't get to do that too often, but kind of fun when everything comes together.
Jeff
It sounds like fun, Jeff! I don't think I've been on a freight over 60 in my career, which is ironic for two reasons: when I was on freights on the east-west main line, you couldn't go much faster than 50 anywhere, and where I did get up to 60, you can't go faster than about 25 now.
We finally gave in to our stir-craziness and went out for some shopping and lunch. Made a point of being along the BNSF main line from Westmont to LaGrange, then back to Downers Grove. In a little more than an hour we had three intermodal trains, two manifests, and a pair of dinkies. BNSF continues to replace signal bridges along this line--next one to go up will replace the one between Westmont and Clarendon Hills. The old one has searchlight signals; the new one will have hooded tri-lights.
It would appear that a new control point is being built along the IHB in LaGrange, just north (timetable west) of the sharp curve by the grade crossings of 47th Street and East Avenue. This may replace the control point currently known as Superior, increasing the distance to the next crossover west of McCook (where we saw a loaded UP coal train barely fitting on Track 21). At any rate, there were pieces of two new signal bridges along the tracks in that area, a block or so apart. This new control point will have to deal with three tracks, not two (track 21 is currently a running track, not signaled).
OK, so in case you thought you were having a bad day:
The pics found http://talk.newagtalk.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=165984&mid=1190655
Check this out (Sorry, I can't make its font bigger; I tried) Also, this was copied from (edit: this thread
in ) 'Locomotives' section here on Trains site. WHOA!! Can you imagine having your meal, when all of a sudden...
Nance-CCABW/LEI
“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” --Will Rogers
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right! --unknown
tree68 CShaveRR: The units can go more slowly than that, of course, but if you're working them, you have to keep a pretty good eye on the speedometer and the ammeter, and keep the ammeter out of the red zone beyond a specified length of time. I can't be specific here, because I'm not an engineer. Well, I'm a student... Carl summed it up pretty well. I couldn't find a good picture of a locomotive ammeter. Most do have markings on the dial indicating how long the locomotive can be run at a given amperage. The higher the amperage, the less the time. I'm not sure how that's handled on the locos with screens instead of dials. That said, a DC locomotive will creep along at a few miles per hour forever if it isn't under extreme load. It's all in the amps. The other issue if you're pulling that hard is wheel slip. Modern locomotives have microprocessors that detect and counteract wheel slip. The stuff I'll be working with might set off a buzzer, but the engineer has to make the adjustments.
CShaveRR: The units can go more slowly than that, of course, but if you're working them, you have to keep a pretty good eye on the speedometer and the ammeter, and keep the ammeter out of the red zone beyond a specified length of time. I can't be specific here, because I'm not an engineer.
Well, I'm a student...
Carl summed it up pretty well. I couldn't find a good picture of a locomotive ammeter. Most do have markings on the dial indicating how long the locomotive can be run at a given amperage. The higher the amperage, the less the time. I'm not sure how that's handled on the locos with screens instead of dials.
That said, a DC locomotive will creep along at a few miles per hour forever if it isn't under extreme load. It's all in the amps.
The other issue if you're pulling that hard is wheel slip. Modern locomotives have microprocessors that detect and counteract wheel slip. The stuff I'll be working with might set off a buzzer, but the engineer has to make the adjustments.
The modern DC engines no longer have the short time ratings on the ammeter. The computer protects the traction motors from becoming fried. I'm trying to remember, but some of the last DC engines the UP bought had computer screens instead of the old dials and gauges. I know most registered amps being produced, but it seems like I saw one that registered tractive effort instead, just like the AC engines do.
jeffhergertThe modern DC engines no longer have the short time ratings on the ammeter.
I rather figured as much. But when you're running locomotives that are older than most of the crew...
Morning everyone!
It's my Friday today...so hopefully time doesn't get a slow order like I expect it will (at least feel like anyway). A friend was up in Green Bay, WI and 'found' SP 107 (AC4400CW) had snuck into town on a coal train. We had hope of seeing it a couple times around the area...until it was reported to have no functional radio in it. So...trailing duty and back to UP it goes. Sad...
Although it is nice to see UP power in the area again. I was getting so bored with BNSF! Plus I finally got a picture from a place I've always wanted to. Click the image for full size:UP 5985 North as A416
It was COLD on that overpass...
Dan
But Dan, is that parking lot accessible? I'd prefer being down by and close to the track. Not as scenic, maybe, but more helpful to me. In that case, it would be a good way to two-team a train--I might be able to provide added info on something you shot.
I like the picture, by the way--in the small shot I was picturing "lake", for some reason.
I just yesterday finished cleaning our driveway and sidewalks (and the next-door sidewalk) from last week's ice storm. So naturally, we're due for an inch or two of snow tomorrow. The temperature will hover around 30, so that stuff might have a little moisture content.
tree68 CShaveRR: The units can go more slowly than that, of course, but if you're working them, you have to keep a pretty good eye on . . . the ammeter, and keep the ammeter out of the red zone beyond a specified length of time. [snipped] [snipped] Carl summed it up pretty well. I couldn't find a good picture of a locomotive ammeter. Most do have markings on the dial indicating how long the locomotive can be run at a given amperage. The higher the amperage, the less the time.
CShaveRR: The units can go more slowly than that, of course, but if you're working them, you have to keep a pretty good eye on . . . the ammeter, and keep the ammeter out of the red zone beyond a specified length of time. [snipped]
[snipped] Carl summed it up pretty well. I couldn't find a good picture of a locomotive ammeter. Most do have markings on the dial indicating how long the locomotive can be run at a given amperage. The higher the amperage, the less the time.
I too have looked quite a bit, but not found such a (legible) picture available 'on-line'. Larry, can we prevail upon you - or Chris/CopCarSS, or anyone else with the opportunity, skills, camera, and interest - to get a close-up photo of the ammeter dial next time you're on one of those vintage locomotives, and then post it here ? (A few weeks ago I did that for the similarly mysterious and elusive 'head-free' rail section, except maybe for the 'skills' part - see http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/154207/2016991.aspx#2016991 , about 1/3 of the way down, my post of 12-23-2010 - so I figure that having 'paid my dues' in that respect, so to speak, I'm entitled to at least ask nicely). Thanks in advance !
- Paul North.
P.S. - A photo of one of the computer-displayed versions of the ammeter and the 'red zones' would be great, too - though I realize that can be technically difficult with the glare off the screen, and legally tough what with the many prohibitions against the engineer and conductor operating unofficial electronic devices while on the property, on-duty, in the cab, or in motion, etc. - but maybe somebody can figure out a way to do it on a private line, or in a shop, etc. where those rules are not applicable. - PDN.
WMNB4THRTL [snip] 1. bad order-- anyone know if filling this out and/or placing it is usually restricted to certain people or a certain craft or can any employee who knows it's broke(n) put one up? [snip]
Last June 2010 or so I drove past a boxcar in an unusual location - near a public road on a spur to an industry. A moment's glance revealed why - the bright orange-red and freshly placed "Bad Order" tag, referencing some problem with the brake equipment. Fortunately I had my camera, and knowing of the impending 'retirement' of them - and inspired by similar 'preservation of past practices pix' here and elsewhere - I took a couple of photos of the tag and the car. I'll need to retrieve them, post them to Flickr, and then post that link here, but maybe tonight or tomorrow I'll be able to do that.
CShaveRR But Dan, is that parking lot accessible? I'd prefer being down by and close to the track. Not as scenic, maybe, but more helpful to me. In that case, it would be a good way to two-team a train--I might be able to provide added info on something you shot. I like the picture, by the way--in the small shot I was picturing "lake", for some reason.
Thanks Carl. Technically, no, that parking lot isn't publicly accessible. There are a half-dozen or so private places on the Neenah/Fox River Subs that I have written permission to be on (that place is one of them) but I was getting a bit bored with ground level "wedge" shots. I've always wanted to snag a shot from where I did...but it's not the best place to stop & wait because of the narrow shoulder. I would only use that spot because I know something was coming and I really wanted the overhead.
What info could you provide? Feel free to PM/email if you'd rather. I always like knowing extra info!
Probably not too much, in your case, Dan. Just little tidbits about equipment, if you were into getting pictures of that.
Missed a train this morning while in the drug store with Pat. That's the bad thing about having block signals to look at...I wouldn't have known about this one at all (it had to have been a freight), but we saw the signal--which had been clear when we were going in to the store--change from Approach to Advance Approach.
Kind of amusing that only PDN & I can see the red flags being waived over the re-disovered track news article from yesterday 1/25 ....that is "wrong" on so many different levels.
Oh good grief - just like if they 'found' bags of money laying on the street - "Must not belong to anyone, so we'll just take it home !" Oh, wait - that did happen in Philly a few years back . . . (fell from an armored car). But hey - even allowing for substantial omissions and errors in the reporting - stunts like that will keep us in business a long time, good buddy.
EDIT: Link to the article and a couple of key excerpts - see my caveat about the reporting above, except that maybe the Trains Newswire editor was the culprit here - but it's still incomplete and leaves a lot of obvious questions unanswered:
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/01/railroad_operators_finds_a_hal.html
"Cleveland Commercial in 2009 leased an unused rail line from industry giant Norfolk Southern that runs from Cleveland to Mantua. . . . Cleveland Commercial still needs to finalize a lease with owners of the property where their rail spur ends."
Was pretty busy last week working on a serious proposal - $1.5 Mil has been granted for it, so . . . - for the restoration/ reconstruction of 1.5 miles of abandoned and removed former branch line in the area. Guess why assumption/ exception/ exclusion No. 1 was that the owner has good title to the R-O-W and can furnish us all the deeds, maps, plans, and other good stuff, and hence no work on any of that is included in the fee estimate . . . I'll be really surprised if that's the actual case, though.
If it happens, I'm not so sure about the prospects for actual freight traffic, as the only active prospective shipper closed within the last 2 weeks. However, it runs along a very scenic trout stream and mostly through parkland settings, so it would make a nice tourist ride . . .
mudchicken Kind of amusing that only PDN & I can see the red flags being waived over the re-disovered track news article from yesterday 1/25 ....that is "wrong" on so many different levels.
MC, I don't quite understand. Do you mean they wouldn't or shouldn't have a legal right to operate on that track? Does it (or at least potentially) belong to someone else then? I read both versions of the article but I'm still a bit unsure what you mean.
PS Sorry about the small default font size. One of the moderators told me there is nothing I can do about it, and for now, neither can they. The 'powers that be' are aware of it, but so far, no luck correcting it.
Paul_D_North_Jr Last June 2010 or so I drove past a boxcar in an unusual location - near a public road on a spur to an industry. A moment's glance revealed why - the bright orange-red and freshly placed "Bad Order" tag, referencing some problem with the brake equipment. Fortunately I had my camera, and knowing of the impending 'retirement' of them - and inspired by similar 'preservation of past practices pix' here and elsewhere - I took a couple of photos of the tag and the car. I'll need to retrieve them, post them to Flickr, and then post that link here, but maybe tonight or tomorrow I'll be able to do that. - Paul North.
We're getting rid of shop tags???
In the olden (pre-me) times, conductors here used to carry BO tags. Now that's pretty much reserved for the car/mechanical department. (I think other RRs still let T&E use shop tags - UP comes to mind). Shop tags are very important. Nothing like being told by a yardmaster to move a shop car and they don't know why it is shopped. If it's shopped because the handbrake is no good - well, that is a pretty important piece of information that should be on the car, and not hidden in some computer program - IMO.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Yeah Zug, we still get the bad order cards to use.
Awhile back we had an empty coal train that originates on a regional railroad (now owned by a Canadian road, not CN). They do the initial terminal air test, then drag it over to our connection. We boarded the train, found the air slip all in order. Did our ATC departure test, got a signal and left town.
About 170 miles and 10 hot box detectors later we were hit on two different cars, about 15 cars apart. I hadn't used the air brakes since leaving, just using throttle modulation and dynamics to control speed. The conductor went back and found that both car's brake cylinders wouldn't release. He also found a third car adjacent to one of them that still had a hand brake partially applied, but hadn't set off the detector.
When giving me the car numbers to report to the dispatcher, he said one of the cars that wouldn't release had a bad order card that was about one month old. The defect was for air brakes. I reported that, too.
Good evening, folks.
I've got another question. Re: the diagonal stripes often seen on locos, at least older ones, does anyone know- were these required at one point or just a good idea that caught on? Obviously, I know they lead to good visibility.
Thanks.
[quote user="WMNB4THRTL"]
mudchicken: Kind of amusing that only PDN & I can see the red flags being waived over the re-disovered track news article from yesterday 1/25 ....that is "wrong" on so many different levels.
Nance: short answer is yes...and that's only the tip of the iceberg. I don't know if the track in question is from the original 1990 W&LE(N&W)/Connotton Valley lease/sale or the later NS/ex EL lines lease...the whole thing "smells"....(and it points fingers at more than just CCR for ineptitude)
WMNB4THRTLGood evening, folks. I've got another question. Re: the diagonal stripes often seen on locos, at least older ones, does anyone know- were these required at one point or just a good idea that caught on? Obviously, I know they lead to good visibility. Thanks.
They are good for visibility, but I don't think they were a requirement. Too many railroads had paint schemes throughout their history that never employed them.
The only mandated visibility rules I can think of are the ones that require the yellow (or white) reflective striping on the sides of locomotives and freight cars. I think that was adopted in 2004 or 2005.
Before I started working at my terminal, there was a legendary conductor. One of those guys that has 1,000 stories about him.
This guy always kept plenty of shop tags on him and could spot a shop car a mile away (much to the chagrin of some yard officials). One day he came back from the local industry with every single car shopped (10-15, maybe?). The yardmaster (perhaps thinking this conudctor was trying to get out of putting these cars away) tells the conductor to take his engine and run around all the cars and shove them into the shop tracks. What did the conductor do?
(see below)
.
he shopped the engine!
X 3 ! Only on the railroad, and maybe the Army - Thanks for sharing that one ! - Paul.
Paul_D_North_Jr WMNB4THRTL: [snip] 1. bad order-- anyone know if filling this out and/or placing it is usually restricted to certain people or a certain craft or can any employee who knows it's broke(n) put one up? [snip] Last June 2010 or so I drove past a boxcar in an unusual location - near a public road on a spur to an industry. A moment's glance revealed why - the bright orange-red and freshly placed "Bad Order" tag, referencing some problem with the brake equipment. Fortunately I had my camera, and knowing of the impending 'retirement' of them - and inspired by similar 'preservation of past practices pix' here and elsewhere - I took a couple of photos of the tag and the car. I'll need to retrieve them, post them to Flickr, and then post that link here, but maybe tonight or tomorrow I'll be able to do that. - Paul North.
WMNB4THRTL: [snip] 1. bad order-- anyone know if filling this out and/or placing it is usually restricted to certain people or a certain craft or can any employee who knows it's broke(n) put one up? [snip]
Thanks, Paul. Can anybody help me out a bit more on what a brake beam is and what is SCT? I have an idea on the brake beam thing from the photo but I'm still not quite clear.
Edit--I found more on 'brake beam' now, so I think I'm OK, at least sort of. Still can't find SCT.
Good morning! My, it's been quiet around here, huh? Thanks, everyone, as always, for the good info.
I have a bit more, on my way out the door.
1. Re: cow/calf units (No, not the ones that say 'moo' either!! ) I'm not quite getting the difference between calf units, slugs, booster, etc.
2. Ditch lights: I think these are on the front, they form a triangle with the headlight? I'm confused bc I was taught, apparently incorrectly, that ours were up underneath (think shining down from each of the two cab seats.) What would those be then?
3. AEI- are these similar to the tag booth readers in autos so you don't have to stop at a toll booth?
4. Anyone know of/have any photos of anti-climber device?
5. APCU- these can no longer be used as a regular loco then, right?
I'll check back in later. Make it a safe day.
1. Link to a photo (not mine) of a classic "cow-n-calf":
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=281027
Link to a photo (not mine) of a classic "mother-and-slug":
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=241539
Link to a photo (not mine) of a "Power Booster" that's actually a slug:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=179202
Link to a photo (not mine) of a classic "carbody" or "covered wagon" type "booster" unit:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252405
Link to a photo (not mine) of an uncommon Geep or "hood" type "booster" unit:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=106448
"Calfs" are powered - unlike slugs - they are like B-unit boosters that way. But both calfs and slugs are cut-down for better visibility, as you can see here - no cab on it. A calf could be called a booster, except that they're not - because they're usually found in 'yards', I suppose, and also because that term seems to be reserved for use when applied to end-cab switchers, not to classic carbody or "covered wagon" type boosters.
From the article on "Booster Units" here at:
http://trn.trains.com/Railroad%20Reference/ABCs%20of%20Railroading/2006/05/Booster%20units.aspx
Booster units in yard applications Not all booster units were intended for road service. Eighty-eight switcher-type boosters were built in the 1940's and early '50's, almost all by EMD. Each of these cabless units was paired with a standard switcher to form an A-B set,* nicknamed "cow and calf."
Several roads use slugs - weighted vehicles whose traction motors receive power from mother units. They may resemble boosters, but are not, because they lack prime movers.
*Someplace I have a snapshot from the 1960's of a Western Maryland (I think) switcher "cow" with 2 "calfs" - or maybe they were slugs ? - and a treasured note from David P. Morgan explaining that's what they were !
That article really could have used some similar photos as these to illustrate it and these terms better . . . . 3. Yes. See the article on "AEI Data Tags and Readers" here at:
http://trn.trains.com/Railroad%20Reference/ABCs%20of%20Railroading/2006/05/AEI%20data%20tags%20and%20readers.aspx
And also the page on "AEI Technology" (and other pages) at:
http://www.aeitag.com/aeirfidtec.html
Paul, the two "herds" (cow and two calves) were bought by the C&O (their numbers 6500 and 6501) for use at their Russell (Kentucky) classification yard. They were split up in the 1960s and given numbers in the 9500 series (9552-9557, each unit getting a separate number), above the B&O's NW2s.
Not much happening in our neck of the woods--I'm about due for a trip to Elmhurst. We checked out a new hobby shop in Downers Grove today; it looks like it will be good for HO and N scale, but not so much for one of us 12-inch-to-the-foot guys. They did carry a supply of Trains and Trains4Kids. And no Thomas!
I'm curious, Paul--I don't have a very steady hand to begin with, so shakes might be considered normal for me...but do you get shakes and sweaty palms when you expound over here? I don't, really. And, we can spell!
Paul, you are as good as Mike McDonald (Wanswheel) in providing pictures that are pertinent to a discussion topic. In this case, a picture IS worth a thousand words. That you have pictures of cows, calves, mothers, and slugs (and the article about them) together should make it easier for anyone who has never seen a calf or slug to understand the difference. The IHB slug is interesting in that it has a headlight assembly sticking up.
Does any road in the USA still use slugs? I do not recall seeing any in operation except when passing the CN yard in Edmonton, Alberta, while going west on the Canadian. Many are in evidence there. I have a vague memory of seeing a Southern slug, many years ago, at John Sevier Yard?
I knew that there was some concern, in the early days of diesel-electric operation, that the union would require a crew on each unit, but I did not remember that that was the rationale behind cabless units. I also remember seeing a picture of a B unit being moved all by itself, with the hostler visible in the end window.
Thanks again for your contribution.
Johnny
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