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Three step

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  • Member since
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  • From: Roanoke, VA
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Posted by BigJim on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 1:45 PM
 mackb4 wrote:

  Limitedclear is correct.

 It's another rule from Conrail that the NS has adopted.

 To be honest,it's a useless rule.Ever since I hired on the railroad when a conductor or brakeman didn't say anything you STOP .Simply as that.You never moved until you was told to.That's why theres rules for when theres a loss of communication.

 I also think the c-102 rule is not feasible.If you tie 2 or 20 brakes on a cut of cars,if the air doesn't hold when you cut away,then you have no business in cutting away where you did.

 I'm not against every rule,most are good rules to have.

 But alot of these new rules the railroads or FRA have adapted have taken away from doing your job in a timely manner.And haven't helped anything.It's put alot of unnecassary talk on the radio when crews are trying to switch.And made alot of crews mad when you can't do your work because of all the chatter.

 Sorry for getting off the subject alittle,but I had to get it off my chest  Banged Head [banghead] !

I wholeheartedly agree!

As a matter of fact, anyone that knows their air brakes knows that the apply air brake part is for the most part is totally useless! If you have to ask for an explanation you don't know your air or you don't work as an operating employee or you are an Official.

This is another rule that seems like a great idea on the surface, when actually a "That will do" or "Waving down" sufficed.

.

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Posted by wabash1 on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 3:52 PM
240 a day so whats the point ?   as a conductor or an  engineer its not hard to tell if the pin is down. i stand with my original statement. I can bet ed doesnt ask for a stretch.  this is the fasted way of taking a 5 hour job and making it 9 hours long.
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Posted by wabash1 on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 4:04 PM
See this is the first thing wrong with you new guys you think we are working with egg shells so lets couple them up softly so we haft to wiggle the handle to try and get the pin to fall. wasting time again , then you cant tell so we strech em again. again I say lets couple these things up and get the job done i couple all cars at 3-6 mph i dont care about slack action the only time i couple soft is when we are at the end of track or other damage could be done from slack moving. and as far auto racks go the cushion drawbars make it easy on the head end anyways. 
  • Member since
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  • From: weatherford,Tx
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Posted by zapp on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:06 PM

 wabash1 wrote:
See this is the first thing wrong with you new guys you think we are working with egg shells so lets couple them up softly so we haft to wiggle the handle to try and get the pin to fall. wasting time again , then you cant tell so we strech em again. again I say lets couple these things up and get the job done i couple all cars at 3-6 mph i dont care about slack action the only time i couple soft is when we are at the end of track or other damage could be done from slack moving. and as far auto racks go the cushion drawbars make it easy on the head end anyways. 

You should change your screen name to Katy!

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  • From: Roanoke, VA
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Posted by BigJim on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 8:18 PM
The only cars that I ever saw where you couldn't tell if the pin was down were a type of bulkhead flat that had this odd cut lever/cable arrangment. I haven't seen them in years and don't know if they are still out there. If I remember correctly they also had the dadblame anglecock centered under the drawhead. I don't know what genius thought that one up!

.

  • Member since
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  • From: weatherford,Tx
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Posted by zapp on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 8:39 PM

I remember some center beam cars like that. I also remember some Conrail 89 footer's having the same set-up.

They also had very small angle cocks! I didn't even try not to big hole the train. Those things were such a pain I would just turn it and plug the train!

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  • From: US
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Posted by csxengineer98 on Saturday, December 23, 2006 2:35 AM

 BigJim wrote:
The only cars that I ever saw where you couldn't tell if the pin was down were a type of bulkhead flat that had this odd cut lever/cable arrangment. I haven't seen them in years and don't know if they are still out there. If I remember correctly they also had the dadblame anglecock centered under the drawhead. I don't know what genius thought that one up!
i have done switching in the yard as well as doubling trains up to where the pin lookes like it fell..only to have the cut come back apart and have to walk back and make the tie agin.. streching dosnt take that much time compaired to haveing to walk back X number of cars to make the tie agin.... so as a rule being in train service for the past 3 years...i ALWAYS strech my ties... engineer be damned.. and even when i was in the seat running..i didnt mind if a conductor or switchman wanted me to strech the train..

csx engineer 

"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 25, 2006 1:03 AM

I hear ya, Wabash1 and agree that all the micromanaging on the radio has resulted in too much chatter.  Whenever I can, I use hand signals....they'll never pick and nag at you for not saying "over" or "out" or "in-between" if you stay off the chatterbox  And what the heck happened to the rule about when the guy giving the hand signs disappears from view, the engr STOPS the train and doesn't move again until the guy's back in view GIVING him a signal?  Dumbing down America, one step at a time....

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