The bells thay make me deaf you know - uk question

[oubliette]

Hi All,

Having been to the US and Canada a few times there are always questions that spring to mind when back here in the UK. Most of them I have seen answered on here.

What is the policy for locomotive bells being sounded. I assume they are all air operated. I notice that most are used when a locomotive is starting from or slowing to a station/yard. Is this correct or is it for shunting moves. What is the rule on them being sounded and is the horn not an effective enough device to serve as a warning of moving trains if indeed that what it is. So basically what is the bell used for?

Thanking you in advance for any replies.

Cheers

Rory

[dehusman]

According the General Code of Operating Rules (used by the western US railroads):
The engine bell will be rung under any of the following conditions:
- Before moving, except when making momentary stop and start switching movements.
- As a warning signal anytime it is necessary.
- When approaching public crossings at grade with the engine in front.

Basically the bell is an additional warning device and is used when around people where the horn would be to loud.

Dave H.

[edblysard]

Hi Rory,
In addition to the GCOR rule Dave provided, the bell has a few more uses.
In our yard, the engineer will give a bell ring to acknowledge a hand signal from the ground crew, especially if we are close to the locomotive, which we appreicate, horn blasts as acknowledgement can get rough on the ears.

As noted in the rules, if the locomotive has sat for any period of time, the engineer will ring the bell prior to moving, to give warning to anyone near it that he is going to move.
Again, in a yard move, people are are the ground, near and around the locomotives often, and the engineer is usually alone in the cab, which leaves a blind spot on the firemans side.

Ed

[Mookie]

In a busy yard - with several engines sitting fairly close, is it possible to hear which engine's bell is ringing? And since so many men - especially war vets have such bad hearing, does this pose a problem?

[Anonymous]

Ok well according to CP rail passenger rules

Bells are to be sounded

A) At every grade crossing where the horn has been barred (Freight Trains must abide aswell)
B) passing every platform where people are standing, (Freight Trains must abide aswell)

The only time When a Train Horn is manditory in a no-whistel zone,

----------------------------Platform----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This way <<<=======================A==|--LOCO---|---1----|----2----|----3----|======

--|------|------|-------|-------|--LOCO--|=====B==========================>>>>> this way


Ok now the Train on Teack A is a 3 car passenger Train, and the Train on track b is a...uhm... 70 car Freight train. Train A is stopped at the station letting people off. Train B, if moving faster then 10MPH, MUST use his horn in six short bursts to amke the passengers getting off the fpassenger cars (the people getting off Car #3 are most at danger) that the freight train is moving and it is unsafe to cross

That diagram looks pathetic. I know.
==== Train tracks
A or B, the tracks code
|-----1----| the passenger cars
|-----------| the freight cars
|---LOCO---| the Flying elephant.. jsut kidding [:D] the Locomotive..

[edblysard]

Mookie,
The idea is, if you hear any locomotive bell ringing, and you are near any locomotive, yours or some other jobs motor, you stop, look and listen to see if that motor is moving.

Most of us expect any locomotive to be occupied and expect it to move at any moment, the bell is added protection.

Direction of sound can get confusing in a busy yard, so any bell belongs to any locomotive, if you hear a bell, and are planning on crossing behind a motor, expect it to be the one fixing to move, and act accordingly.

Ed[:D]

[oubliette]

Hi All,

Thanks for the information. I suppose it does make sense to have a bell in use for slow movements as a horn can be far to loud.

I suppose the only downside to this and its true in the uk also is when a locomotive is propelling (pushing) its train in a yard when you are at the back end of the train you cannot hear any warning horns or bells.

Where I work we shunt long trains and if I am not driving the shunter (switcher) I may be on the ground with a radio. A reversing train at the back end is so quiet. Many accidents in the UK happen in yards due to this. A train will blast its horn (usually 3 sharp blasts) for reversing but once the move is underway, eyes and ears are the norm.

Anyone working on trackside in the UK has to have a Personal Track Safety certificate (PTS). When you start your employment you must go on this course and its renewed every 2 years. You are made aware of the dangers of all elements of being near the tracks, i.e. overhead wires, speeding trains etc.

The horn sounds as an audible warning and all loco's/units in the UK have their front ends painted yellow as a visual warning but this still does not prevent accidents. The new Pendolino trains, soon to be doing 140mph are known amongst railway staff as Stealth Bombers, they are electric and very quiet and they are upon you in seconds.

One part of the PTS course is a video of a woman being hit by a train in the US. This is always shown here as reminder of what can happen. Some of you may be aware of this footage, it looks dated and I don't know where it is but its impact is still quite powerful and its tragic implications do show that a moments loss of concentration can be fatal.

One of the best defence agains accidents is eyes and ears. If an accident can happen given the right circumstances it will, even the most unsuspected accidents do happen. I remember being told ( I was off that day) that a loco was being run up for test and on this particular loco you can isolate the power handle so the loco can be run at full throttle. The fitter isolated the loco put it in full throttle, dived in the engine compartment. Unfortunately the loco still decided to move, crashed through a roller shutter door, knocked a freight wagon off a set of jacks and this fell into the pit. Only minutes earlier men had been under this working, they had gone for a break. So it shows even with the best of intentions accidents still happen. The isolation switch on the loco was defective.

Any way enough of my waffle, once again thanks for all your information.

Cheers

Rory