Locomotive comfort

[REDDYK]

Modern locomotive design in the so called "comfort cabs" must be fairly comfortable, with regard to heat and air conditioning. What about ear5lier designs? When did air conditioning become commonplace? What about the heat in the cab of a steam locomotive, summer or winter?

[Anonymous]

I'm A conductor for BNSF out of Los Angeles and our newer dash 9's are very comfortable. Inside they are as smooth riding and quite as A car ! They have great AC, heaters, and defrosters and have nice refrigerators. The toilets are big and well lit. The cabs have plush seats and big desks for your paperwork and good lighting and radios. I hate going long distance in the old SD's and geeps. They are very noisy, dirty and usually the ac doesn't work. the toilets are REALLY bad ! These units are way better for switching in the yards though because the controls are better placed and the traction motors load up quicker for going forward and backing up, and they have better visibility. All Bnsf engines have ac.

[BR60103]

I remember a quote (from early dieselization days) about the steamers being "boiling hot in summer, freezing cold in winter and sopping wet in the rain".

Someone in Britain described the cab on a locomotive as "one of Churchward's bum-freezers". They had the shortest possible sides and roof.

David

[BRAKIE]

Speaking of the older geeps,I recall when I worked for the PRR we would use duct tape around the doors to keep the cold out in the winter!If the heater was not working in the lead unit(if we had 2 units)we would switch the trailing unit with the lead unit.If there was no trailing unit-sorry about our luck!In order to talk we had to SHOUT over the noise of the prime mover this was true for the bell ringers-er ah,AlCOS and FMs.As far as steam locomotives-according to my Grandfather,dad and uncles,you used the coal in the tender or if you had to do the other,at a water stop you had a choice walk back to the caboose(if the train was short) or you see that tree/bushes over there? Not putting anybody down,at one time railroading was a rugged job.When I worked on the Chessie things wasn't that much better! AHHHH! The life of a railroad man back in the days!

[Anonymous]

on southern pacific, they built some of their own articulated steamers, and because they put out so much smoke and the rr had (has) alot of long tunnels, they designed the "cab forward" design, where the cab is in front of the boiler, this provided a cooler ride in the summer, and the engineer and fireman to actually breathe without inhaling lots of smoke in the tunnels.

[thirdrail1]

The heat in the cab of camelback locomotives was pretty intense, so many engineers, rather than using the seat provided, placed their posteriors on the armrest and drove the engine in that fashion - much cooler at speed. Of course, if they hit a spot of bad track, the engineer was liable to fall off his perch. With the fireman at the rear of the locomotive, he had no way of knowing the engineer had made an unplanned departure from the cab until the train failed to slow down for a curve, station, or signal. That's why the ICC banned further manufacture of Camelbacks.

[Anonymous]

Another feature on steam engines was there was a curtain or drape attached from the roof behind the cab to protect the enginer/fireman from snow and wind.

Also i heard that canadian locomotives are equiped with microwave oven's. Is that true? and if so what loco's have them and where are they?

[Anonymous]

I work for BNSF and have seen some CN Dash '9' untits come through with microwaves and coffee pots ! I also heard they have music available over the radio. The reason for all the comfort items is sometimes they get caught in snow storms and can't be reached for long periods. These engines also had the old style controls instead of the desk type. The hand brake was also hydraulic controled from inside the cab.

[Anonymous]

Worked on the old SP and now on the st(UP)id railroad.... We have many 'comfort' cabs but the a/c's are not maintained. The old engines were hot enough without a/c's but the 'Comfort Cabs' are almost unbearable. When the a/c doesn't work on a Comfort Cab, the only relief is to prop open the front door(s) to ventilate, and that is an illegal act, and is quite dangerous if you happen to hit a gas truck. Of course it really doesn't matter if you hit a gasoline truck. Methinks all the newer engines (with working a/c's) are kept in California because they have much stricter pollution laws there. Also they engineers have an aggreement that that they must have a working a/c in the summer, from El Paso west. So we get the leftovers here. I've recorded temps of 130' F in August in South Taxes. But when the a/c's do work, they work almost too well. The conductors side is freezing and the hoghead is hot. So there is a bit of conflict at times. So I carry a coat year round.... As far as switching it may be good for the hogger but it is awkward getting on and off of a comfort cab constantly. Of course that problem is solved now for we must stop to get on and off. To me it's safer to get off or on moving a bit than standing still. They trained us to do it safely and have for 30+ years. But some dummy broke his neck and so they change the rules.

[Anonymous]

I work for CN as a conductor and I know they talked about radios with music but that didn't happen. All the road power have microwaves and coffee pots. The handbrake is just like every other one, you have to crank it on. The company won't put air in any of the engines either, we fry in the summer!

[Anonymous]

I heard that the Dash9 cabs are horrible for tall people. there isn't much room to move your legs. Have you ever riden in a SD40-2?

[Anonymous]

AS AN ENGINEER ON CSX, COMFORT CABS, ARE WHEN THE AC IS WORKING... WHICH IS ALMOST NEVER..SO IN THE SUMMER, THEY ARE HOTTER THEN OLDER LOCOMOTIVES, BECOUSE OF THE INSULATION FOR NOISE LEVEL REDUCTION, AND TO HOLD THE HEAT, OR AC IN DEPENDING ON THE SEASON! AIR CONDITIONING ISNT COMMONPLACE ON CSX. ONLY THE WIDE BODYS COME WITH IT, BUT LIKE I SAID BEFOR..ONLY IF IT STILL WORKS!

[Anonymous]

Comfort Cabs or wide bodies are as only as nice asthe house mantains them,A/c is just a switch with nothing connected to it on alot of engines.NS power was some of the dirtest ill maintained road junk.A common thing to do is prop open the front door with the handle in the closed possition.My conductor brought a thermometer to work one day inthe yard and it read over 110 inside in BUFFALO! Wide bodies have no place as switchers cant see the front steps with mirros that vibrate and your ribs ache from leaning way out to see

[Anonymous]

Comfort Cabs or wide bodies are as only as nice asthe house mantains them,A/c is just a switch with nothing connected to it on alot of engines.NS power was some of the dirtest ill maintained road junk.A common thing to do is prop open the front door with the handle in the closed possition.My conductor brought a thermometer to work one day inthe yard and it read over 110 inside in BUFFALO! Wide bodies have no place as switchers cant see the front steps with mirros that vibrate and your ribs ache from leaning way out to see CN is nice stuff but no dynamic braking which i'll trade the coffe pot for

[BRAKIE]

Seems to me that switching with a wide cab is akin to switching with a old F unit,you could not see the brakeman nor could you used the controls when leaning out to back up.Yup!Same problem different engine.

[Anonymous]

All the newer road power at CN has dynamic brake.These engines are the 5600 & 5700 series, also 5300, 2400, 2500, & 2600 series. They still don't have air.

[cprted]

In the days of steam, most canadian locomotives were fitted with 'all-weather' cabs the were enclosed to protect the crews from the harsh winter and hot summer weather. As for heating and cooling, if you want hotter, close the windows and doors, if you want cooler, you get the idea. I believe they worked fairly well, though no personal expirience here.