RCL Question

[dharmon]

I've seen several pictures of remote control receiver cars such as this one:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=18360

I presume that the receiver and control equipment is placed in the car, which is then consisted with a locomotive, allowing any loco can to be run remotely, not just those specifically configured to do so. Is this correct?

[M636C]

Dan,

These cars were fairly common between twenty and thirty years ago, when the equipment, mainly Harris "Locotrol" equipment was both too bulky to conveniently fit in a locomotive, and to a lesser extent, required a better controlled environment (air conditioning) than it would get in a locomotive. These were connected to trailing units with standard MU cables. Note the two air conditioners on the MRL unit pictured - it wouldn't have had those as a caboose!

AT&SF used retired F3 and F7 "B" units, and I recall seeing one of these on Cajon pass in 1977. In Australia, BHP Iron Ore and Queensland Rail both used remote receiver cars (strange, I've worked for both of them - not on Locotrol. I do have some technical data from QR on their original gear from 1972.) Like all other electronics, it became more compact and lower in cost. SP in particular used longer "Snoot" noses to accomodate the later generation of equipment, and BC Rail fitted their gear into some cabless MLW M420s (called Remote Control Locomotives).

I believe BHP now have dual transmit/ receive Locotrol gear in all units except the recent trail unit only SD40s. I imagine that many new units for BNSF and UP, NS and CSX would be similarly equipped.

Peter

[Randy Stahl]

We use the Catron system on our remote cabooses, we don't have enough locomotives to dedicate to a remote job. Besides when the remote engine goes down, any thing can replace it.
Randy

[dharmon]

Thanks Gents. That was what I suspected but just wanted an expert opinion.

Heck and I got two...

Dan