Actually either direction works equally well with radios and RTO packs.
A history tidbit.
Some railroads preferred have the engineer on the same side of the switch stands so he could see the switchman' hand signals-this also applied to steam engines..
So,there was two types of yards a "forward" yard where the engine operated long hood forward since the switch stands was on the right hand side.
A "reverse" yard was where the switcher was operated as cab end forward again so the engineer could see the switchman's hang signals.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Switchers, like other diesels, should have a small "F" on the frame or side sill somewhere to denote "Front". In practice, however, the crew would have better visibility running cab forward, and better grade-crossing collision protection running hood forward. Since many switching movements are rather slow, and often in yards, it stands to reason that grade crossing collisions are a low risk. I would say they simply run the switcher whichever way it is facing. I have a book showing Southern Railway using switchers (running solo) in both directions, though when using slugs, all the photos show the slugs being on the cab ends (I believe the Southern shops only ran the necessary electricals to the cab ends).
On my layout, pairs of switchers will run cab-to-cab, solo switchers will run whatever direction they face, as per Southern Railway practice.
Brad
EMD - Every Model Different
ALCO - Always Leaking Coolant and Oil
CSX - Coal Spilling eXperts
Switchers could operate in either direction, so the short answer is that it doesn't matter. A steam or diesel electric switcher is equally efficient in either direction, all other factors being equal. However, many (maybe most, but I'm not sure) situations existed wherein the switcher always, or nearly always, faced the same direction. In the most important yard of one of my favorite RR's, switchers faced west. As a result, it's hard to find good photos of the right-hand (north) side of that road's switchers. This was true in steam days as well as diesel days. I'll have to check the track charts to see whether the switch stands were on the north side. That's an interesting point. With steam engines, it's easy to tell front from back. With diesels, look for the little F on the frame to identify the front. It isn't always necessary to blow the whistle within yard limits, but it sometimes happens, so you need to know this. When starting forward, the whistle signal is two shorts. When starting in reverse, the signal is three shorts. So it can be important to know which is which.
And it wasn't a dumb question, so relax.
Tom
BRAKIEActually either direction works equally well with radios and RTO packs.
BRAKIEA history tidbit. Some railroads preferred have the engineer on the same side of the switch stands so he could see the switchman' hand signals-this also applied to steam engines. So,there was two types of yards a "forward" yard where the engine operated long hood forward since the switch stands was on the right hand side. A "reverse" yard was where the switcher was operated as cab end forward again so the engineer could see the switchman's hang signals.
Some railroads preferred have the engineer on the same side of the switch stands so he could see the switchman' hand signals-this also applied to steam engines.
twcenterprisesSwitchers, like other diesels, should have a small "F" on the frame or side sill somewhere to denote "Front".
Switchers, like other diesels, should have a small "F" on the frame or side sill somewhere to denote "Front".
twcenterprisesIn practice, however, the crew would have better visibility running cab forward, and better grade-crossing collision protection running hood forward.
In practice, however, the crew would have better visibility running cab forward, and better grade-crossing collision protection running hood forward.
The F is to tell which direction it will go when the reversing lever is in the F position.
At USS we put the cab away from the cars so that a shovel bucket wouldn't accidentally wipe out the cab or drop a large rock on it.
Pre radio the engineer would be on the side with the most switch stands so he could see the crew members passing signals.
Post radio it was less of a problem but when possible the engineer would be on the "field" side.
RCL/RCO modern era, doesn't matter at all.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Just as an aside, back in the day, most of the locations I was around would let the crew turn the engine IF there was a wye or turntable handy. (and, of course, if the Boss was in a good mood)
We usually run the switchers paired up, nose-to-nose, glass ends out. There is a bit of a pucker factor when running at 40 mph.
The "F" is on the front, so crew members get confused sometimes when they usually work with GPs back-to-back. A simple "Which way?" over the radio a few times per shift clears things up, or using the more descriptive "Pull" or "Shove".
If one of the switchers is down for test and/or repairs, we usually try to add a GP so that they are both going the same way, but the glass ends are on the ends, for better visibility.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
Mike when I worked on the PRR we used hand signals..Here's how they taught me as a student.
Give a "go way" signal for the engine to pull forward..A "come to me signal" was for the engine to back up.
The "go away" was a up/down motion with either arm..The " come to me" signal was the standard signal for back up- a circular motion.
On the Chessie we used radios and it was either "pull ahead 6122 or "shove them back" 6122..Then they use take them East or West..
Example.
Take them East 6122-18 to the switch.
Engineer.Roger 6122 Take them East 18 to the switch..
That will do when you get 'em stop 6122.
FRRYKid
The railroad determined which end was to be the front and the locomotives were built to that specification. This pertains to the road engines but Great northern and I believe the N & W both ran long hood forward for crash protection. When crews got to the end of a branch line if there was a WYE or a turntable crews would turn the engine if not then it was run reversed. Yard switchers still have a designated front but it but they are not required to run a certain way.
Bill
BAmosWhen crews got to the end of a branch line if there was a WYE or a turntable crews would turn the engine if not then it was run reversed.
Bill,Here's some fun information..If the crew was going for a early quit they would not bother to turn the engine.On the other hand if the crew was going for overtime then they would turn the engine and move at a slower pace.
At model railroad operating sessions you sometimes hear the phrase "No, the other forward."
Dave Nelson
On model railroads, you often see two end-cab switchers operating back-to-back (with the cabs together). One thing you hardly ever see, which was common in real railroading, was two switchers nose-to-nose so the cabs are to the outside. My guess is it's easier to see what you're doing looking out the back of the cab than peering over the long hood of the switcher.
http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/images/LSTT_winter_2.jpg
As mentioned, there is a designated "front" to each locomotive. As far as operating custom, the real railroads sometimes changed their minds! On the Union Pacific the first road switchers (RS2, RSC2, AS616,, GP7, SD7) were all set up to have the long hood designated as "front". The GP9s started arriving and they had the short hood end designated as "front" and all other UP locomotives have followed that pattern since.
A few more shots coupled nose to nose.
Visibility is the over riding concern.
As others have said, it is very railroad-specific, at least for mainline trains. Some roads wanted crash protection, such as the Great Northern, and used their early high-hood road switchers with the long hood as the front. Other roads had visibility as the concern, etc.
On branchlines, the road switcher design was obviously developed so any direction was ok if there wasn't a turntable available.
Do what looks good to you or is functional for your modeling preferences.
Back to the OP, one thing to remember - if you use DCC - is the engine is going to respond to "forward" and "reverse" based on how you set up the decoder, regardless of which way the engine is facing. On my shelf / switching layout, I use a Digitrax handheld controller. Clicking the direction switch to the right makes the engine go foward, to the left, puts it in reverse. That makes it easy if the engine is facing to the right - click the switch to the right, the engine goes to the right; click the switch to the left, the engine goes to the left. But if the engine is facing to the left, I sometimes have to remind myself that clicking the direction switch to the right now makes the engine go to the left....