mudchicken wrote the following post 3 days ago:
"At least they don't count poles anymore"
The B&O used to count curves, as in "3rd curve west of Rockwood" or "1st curve east of Glenwood."
How slow do slow orders get? As I left work and was heading home on the highway, I noticed the D&I rock train going so slow that I thought at first it had stopped. A mile up the road I realized I had left my collection of head cold medicine in my office and had to do a u-turn. By the time I got caught back up with the train, it was nearly a mile up the road. My side trip had taken something like 8 minutes. That means the train was cruising along at something like 10 MPH.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Murphy SidingHow slow do slow orders get? As I left work and was heading home on the highway, I noticed the D&I rock train going so slow that I thought at first it had stopped. A mile up the road I realized I had left my collection of head cold medicine in my office and had to do a u-turn. By the time I got caught back up with the train, it was nearly a mile up the road. My side trip had taken something like 8 minutes. That means the train was cruising along at something like 10 MPH.
Normally 10 MPH is the slowest slow order that will be put out on Main Line track. However, operating situations may require a slower speeds. Moving a known hot box to a set off location is restricted to 4 MPH or walking speed - personnel are to walk along with the offending journal to be in a position to stop the movement if it appears that the journal is about to fail catastrophically.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Another less than ten instruction is 8 MPH where there is a rock & roll undesired wheel lift situation possible.
Maximum speed for FRA Class 1, Excepted Track, and over broken rails and "pull-aparts" is 10 MPH - but it can be less if specified. For maintenance work under traffic, the speed can be "subject to any limiting conditions specified by such [qualified] person".
I've had occasion to limit the speed to "walking speed" - 3 MPH to put a number on it (I allow for my people to be slower than BaltACD's operating folks - they have to walk over a surface that's been disturbed by track work activities) - particularly to watch the front wheels of a locomotive and the first few trailing cars negotiate a section of track that's questionable (for whatever reason). I've also even limited speed to 1 MPH where the move had to a creep over a switchpoint we had doubts about, and for a GP-38 to get over a 35-deg. curve to escape from a wide-gauge derailment that blocked the only other way out.
- PDN.
Paul_D_North_JrMaximum speed for FRA Class 1, Excepted Track, and over broken rails and "pull-aparts" is 10 MPH - but it can be less if specified. For maintenance work under traffic, the speed can be "subject to any limiting conditions specified by such [qualified] person". I've had occasion to limit the speed to "walking speed" - 3 MPH to put a number on it (I allow for my people to be slower than BaltACD's operating folks - they have to walk over a surface that's been disturbed by track work activities) - particularly to watch the front wheels of a locomotive and the first few trailing cars negotiate a section of track that's questionable (for whatever reason). I've also even limited speed to 1 MPH where the move had to a creep over a switchpoint we had doubts about, and for a GP-38 to get over a 35-deg. curve to escape from a wide-gauge derailment that blocked the only other way out. - PDN.
Personally - I don't know anybody that can walk at 4 MPH on Main Track ballast. The best I can personally do around the streets and sidewalks of my neighborhood is a GPS measured 3.7 MPH. 4 MPH is what the Rule Book specifies - it is also what is identified as 'safe coupling speed'.
BaltACD Paul_D_North_Jr Maximum speed for FRA Class 1, Excepted Track, and over broken rails and "pull-aparts" is 10 MPH - but it can be less if specified. For maintenance work under traffic, the speed can be "subject to any limiting conditions specified by such [qualified] person". I've had occasion to limit the speed to "walking speed" - 3 MPH to put a number on it (I allow for my people to be slower than BaltACD's operating folks - they have to walk over a surface that's been disturbed by track work activities) - particularly to watch the front wheels of a locomotive and the first few trailing cars negotiate a section of track that's questionable (for whatever reason). I've also even limited speed to 1 MPH where the move had to a creep over a switchpoint we had doubts about, and for a GP-38 to get over a 35-deg. curve to escape from a wide-gauge derailment that blocked the only other way out. - PDN. Personally - I don't know anybody that can walk at 4 MPH on Main Track ballast. The best I can personally do around the streets and sidewalks of my neighborhood is a GPS measured 3.7 MPH. 4 MPH is what the Rule Book specifies - it is also what is identified as 'safe coupling speed'.
Paul_D_North_Jr Maximum speed for FRA Class 1, Excepted Track, and over broken rails and "pull-aparts" is 10 MPH - but it can be less if specified. For maintenance work under traffic, the speed can be "subject to any limiting conditions specified by such [qualified] person". I've had occasion to limit the speed to "walking speed" - 3 MPH to put a number on it (I allow for my people to be slower than BaltACD's operating folks - they have to walk over a surface that's been disturbed by track work activities) - particularly to watch the front wheels of a locomotive and the first few trailing cars negotiate a section of track that's questionable (for whatever reason). I've also even limited speed to 1 MPH where the move had to a creep over a switchpoint we had doubts about, and for a GP-38 to get over a 35-deg. curve to escape from a wide-gauge derailment that blocked the only other way out. - PDN.
If you have somebody walking to protect defective equipment, you'd best be watching that somebody every chance you have from up in the cab. (It's not only the stumblebums in the ballast at issue)
Shortly before I retired, the rules on CSX required the person 'supervising' such a move could not radio instructions for movement unless they were stationary in a 'position' of safety.
Walk ahead 'sight distance' and tell the engineer to move the train to a position where the 'supervisor' is just about to loose sight of the car. - Repeat the process until the set off location is reached. Somewhat less than 4 MPH for the duration of the move. No walking and talking.
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