I installed decoders in my two, DCC ready, switchers. SW 8/9 Walthers Proto2000 and a SW1500 Athearn.
The 1500 runs cab first when displaying forward. The SW 8/9 runs long hood first when displaying forward. Not a problem and I know how to fix it by changing a CV but it brings up a question.
I have always assumed the hood was forward and the cab was reverse but I got to thinking, which is forward on the prototype? It seems to me you would want the cab closest to the coupler. Otherwise you would have to walk down beside the hood to couple and uncouple. But then would you want the cab forward to see the switches and which track you are moving to?
Pat Bandy
Most end cab switchers are deivered with the hood end marked as forward. Customers can order them reversed, or even with dual controls. By law, the 'front' must be marked with a 'F' on the frame near the steps. I suspect this may have been a safety thing dating back to steam days. Also with full crew laws, both an engineer and fireman would be in the cab to get the signals relayed by the brakeman's hand signals. Today, with 2 man crews(and a radio), it is quite easy to make the 'joint' when coupling.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Switchers normally ran with the cab at the rear. The RIGHT way to fix the Athearn is to swap the motor wires.
As for raod locos, to be absolutely accurate you'll have to check your protoype (and era). MOST first gen diesles ran long hood forward. By the time second gen units appeared (GP-30, GP35), many switched to short hood forward and the locos were build with low short hoods. There were some holdours, Southern among them that had locos built with high short hoods. Some railroads had dual controls installed, a control stand on opposite corners of the cab so the engineer could run either hood forward without trying to act like he was in the Exorcist. Even so, one end or the other was degianted Front per the law. Modern locos are almost always run short hood forward - modern construction has made the safety aspect not such a big deal, with collision post requirements and other things like anticlimbers. End cab switchers are still hood front, cab rear.
Like everything else, this is all just generalities, the most common way, but not the ONLY way. I'm sure if someone looks they can find some railroad that runs SD70ACe's long hood forward.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
jrbernier By law, the 'front' must be marked with a 'F' on the frame near the steps.
By law, the 'front' must be marked with a 'F' on the frame near the steps.
You are right Jim. The 1500 has an F on the long hood end by the steps. I didn't see one on the 8/9 but I didn't look close. It was tied up for the night in the yard between two occupied tracks.
I need to work on the 1500 so I will switch the wires. Much better idea then reprogramming the CV. I was using a 8pin decoder and I got a new 9pin decoder today because I didn't like the motor response.
If the headlights currently match the direction of travel, then you will also have to swap the front and rear headlight wires if you swap the motor wires (or re-map the headlight functions, which would be more trouble than just re-programming the normal direction of travel).
To each his own, but if I already had it wired I was just program the normal direction of travel.
CV 29 has settings for 'forward' and 'reverse'. I you change CV 29, then the lights will work correctly. No need to rewire your locomotive.
CV 29 chart. scroll down to page 34. CV 29 is the same for all decoders, regardless of manufacturer.
Hello all,
Cab forward or hood forward can be a product of the railroads safety philosophy.
Hood forward can protect the crew in the event of a mishap. The engine will take the brunt of the damage rather than risking the lives of the crew.
AT&SF would run some units long hood forward for this reason while other railroads would run the same units cab forward.
As has been noted check the prototype to determine which is correct for your particular railroad.
The RailPictures.net website can be a great help in determining what the prototype is/was.
If you are a freelance pike the choice is yours.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
My switchers run cab forward for better visability at speeds of less than 10 smph.
Joe Staten Island West
Actually in a yard the switcher is oriented so the enginee is on the same side as the switch stands on the lead, that way he can see signals from the switchmen.
Out on line of road the long hood leads 50% of the time and the cab end leads 50% of the time. Think about it. If the local leaves the yard with the long end forward, it returns with the cab end forward.
On every unit that was truly an end cab unit (SW type), the long hood was the front of the unit.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman Actually in a yard the switcher is oriented so the enginee is on the same side as the switch stands on the lead, that way he can see signals from the switchmen. Out on line of road the long hood leads 50% of the time and the cab end leads 50% of the time. Think about it. If the local leaves the yard with the long end forward, it returns with the cab end forward. On every unit that was truly an end cab unit (SW type), the long hood was the front of the unit.
True except I MU my 2 switchers so they are always cab forward. My RR my rules.
Although pretty much all (if not all) end-cab switchers were set up having the long-nose forward, and they were often run in pairs back to back, it's also pretty common to see them running nose to nose. That way there's better visibility, with the cabs on the ends. Seems like that became more common starting in the 1960's.
BTW I believe the "F" designation for the front started with the early electric engines, which often had a symmetrical shape (like a boxcab, or a centercab sloping down to the ends). Steam engines had a pretty distinct front and rear (except for SP cab-forwards I guess!)
joe323True except I MU my 2 switchers so they are always cab forward. My RR my rules.
If you ever approach a busy street crossing running cab forward in a end cab switcher you realize how little protection you have between injury or death.. Its even worst in a industrialized area with 18 wheelers crossing the tracks.
SCR'S SW8 or Summerset Ry's SW1500 goes to the interchange with cab lead and returns with long hood lead.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Interesting point. Back in the 1970's, the Minneapolis Northfield and Southern line in front of my old house usually saw two back-to-back EMD switchers working, on a line with many grade crossings. This was in the suburbs south of Minneapolis. When we'd go visit family up in Duluth-Superior, the Lake Superior Terminal and Transfer RR, which served fairly isolated industrial areas, always seemed to run their EMD switchers nose-to-nose.
Stix,If the Lake Superior Terminal and Transfer RR crews was like the PRR crews I worked with I bet they was none to happy with that consists.Even at slow speed you had a chance of a climber ending up in your lap.
BRAKIE joe323 True except I MU my 2 switchers so they are always cab forward. My RR my rules. If you ever approach a busy street crossing running cab forward in a end cab switcher you realize how little protection you have between injury or death.. Its even worst in a industrialized area with 18 wheelers crossing the tracks. SCR'S SW8 or Summerset Ry's SW1500 goes to the interchange with cab lead and returns with long hood lead.
joe323 True except I MU my 2 switchers so they are always cab forward. My RR my rules.
Interesting something I will have to think about since one of my two grade crossings is near the entrance to an intermodal facililty.