jeffhergertUP 8517, an SD70ACe. I was the third engineer to have it on it's maiden run out of Chicago. The odometer on the computer screen was about 335 when I got on it. The new, fresh paint smell was almost intoxicating. When the odometer said about 405, we struck the iceberg. The traction motor on the lead axle froze up. A brand new locomotive and it failed. Who woulda thunk it. Jeff
When the odometer said about 405, we struck the iceberg. The traction motor on the lead axle froze up. A brand new locomotive and it failed. Who woulda thunk it.
Jeff
Infant mortality! Or at least a bad case of colic.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
jeffhergert UP 8517, an SD70ACe. I was the third engineer to have it on it's maiden run out of Chicago. The odometer on the computer screen was about 335 when I got on it. The new, fresh paint smell was almost intoxicating. When the odometer said about 405, we struck the iceberg. The traction motor on the lead axle froze up. A brand new locomotive and it failed. Who woulda thunk it. Jeff
UP 8517, an SD70ACe. I was the third engineer to have it on it's maiden run out of Chicago. The odometer on the computer screen was about 335 when I got on it. The new, fresh paint smell was almost intoxicating.
That was a treat too see that order when your guys ACe's started delivery back in 2005. I remember seeing that unit in Port Huron. brand new out of London GMDD back in 2006. CN was delivering your guys new ACe's out of Canada. When those ACe's were on the property after hearing some T&E folks those units weren't such a treat to operate...
oltmannd jeffhergert And I don't expect they'll allow a lone employee to listen to music while toolin' down the rails. Agree. Not happenin' jeffhergert Once with PTC working, you don't see other trains on the operating map display. I doubt in the future this will change. There's no reason for it. While it's always nice to know why you're getting hosed at a control point, it's not critical information the train crew necessarily needs to know Only if "why" becomes "why not" from a managment perspective. Getting the dispatcher's track line view into the cab display is really easy to do. Can't hurt. Might help. Improves employee moral. You want employees to act like owners, treat them like owners. jeffhergert Plus, if you have the PTC screen why do you still have a cab signal? Yep. No cab.
jeffhergert And I don't expect they'll allow a lone employee to listen to music while toolin' down the rails.
Agree. Not happenin'
jeffhergert Once with PTC working, you don't see other trains on the operating map display. I doubt in the future this will change. There's no reason for it. While it's always nice to know why you're getting hosed at a control point, it's not critical information the train crew necessarily needs to know
Only if "why" becomes "why not" from a managment perspective. Getting the dispatcher's track line view into the cab display is really easy to do. Can't hurt. Might help. Improves employee moral. You want employees to act like owners, treat them like owners.
jeffhergert Plus, if you have the PTC screen why do you still have a cab signal?
Yep. No cab.
On second thought... Still no cab signal display, but you might have the coded track circuits that are the backbone of cab signalling functioning as part of PTC.
Right now, you can have cab without wayside block signals - just distant and home signals for interlockings. By 2040, I'd be a big chunk of the wayside signal hardware is gone.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
oltmanndRight now, you can have cab without wayside block signals - just distant and home signals for interlockings. By 2040, I'd be a big chunk of the wayside signal hardware is gone.
A lto of places even got rid of the distant to the home signals. Home signals, cab signals - and that's it.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
oltmannd oltmannd jeffhergert And I don't expect they'll allow a lone employee to listen to music while toolin' down the rails. Agree. Not happenin' jeffhergert Once with PTC working, you don't see other trains on the operating map display. I doubt in the future this will change. There's no reason for it. While it's always nice to know why you're getting hosed at a control point, it's not critical information the train crew necessarily needs to know Only if "why" becomes "why not" from a managment perspective. Getting the dispatcher's track line view into the cab display is really easy to do. Can't hurt. Might help. Improves employee moral. You want employees to act like owners, treat them like owners. jeffhergert Plus, if you have the PTC screen why do you still have a cab signal? Yep. No cab. On second thought... Still no cab signal display, but you might have the coded track circuits that are the backbone of cab signalling functioning as part of PTC. Right now, you can have cab without wayside block signals - just distant and home signals for interlockings. By 2040, I'd be a big chunk of the wayside signal hardware is gone.
The former CNW east/west main was sans wayside signals in most areas across Iowa. Outside of interlockings and the approach to them, there were only a few places where waysides were in place for use by trains off of other secondary/branch lines that needed to use a portion of the ATC/cab signal equipped main. This allowed trains from those other lines to use engines that weren't ATC equipped.
When UP started installing new, and upgrading existing CNW installed, CTC they added wayside signals. Trains operating on the main line (outside of those spots already mentioned) had to have operative ATC equipped engines. (Or at least have passed a departure test before entering the territory.) But when the ATC failed, waysides could be the difference from running restricted speed because the dispatcher couldn't authorize an absolute block. At least with waysides you could run 40 mph without the absolute block. However because PTC, like ATC and other systems before it, will at times fail the waysides are a nice back up.
Really, with working PTC you don't even need home signals or distant signals. The PTC display shows how you're lined up at switches and if you have a signal to proceed or not where the absolute is located. Track block circuits for broken rail protection would show up just as it does now for a signal block that shows an occupancy and allows entry at restricted speed.
Within the last 10 days I've had two trips where PTC was defective and we ran ATC/cab signals with waysides. You go from being able to see what's instore a 6 miles ahead (PTC) to wondering what's going to happen a mile or so ahead when the next governing signal lights up.
My cntribution to this discussion concerns electrification with decent locomotive utilization and reducing change-of-engine stops:
And all units can also be used indeoendently.
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