Push poles

[Anonymous]

Just happened to cross my mind but I was wondering if yard engines still carry push poles?

[Philcal]

Believe push-polls,poll switching are banned practices,and have been for quite some time.

[Anonymous]

What's a push pole?

[jeaton]

A loose car fouling a switch in a manner that blocked a locomotive from coupling would be pushed in the clear by the locomotive by means of a pole placed between the locomotive and the car. Cars were built with a small cup like indentation at each corner about floor height to stabilize the end of the pole.

Needless to say, there was probably more than one injury from the pole slipping and slamming into a hapless switchman.

[Jordan6]

Yes, I don't believe this method of moving cars is used at all in this day and age. It was a very dangerous practice as it is more than likely a heavy pole and has a tendancy to slip from the pocket or in some cases, it snapped.

[Anonymous]

Push poles have been banned for years. Not only can they slip, they were also known to break sending splinters in all directions. There are pleanty of poor practices out there, and this is certainly one we don't need to go back to.

My favorite was a young superintendent who had come to the RR as a clerk and worked up from there who insisted it was a good idea to try to rerail loaded coal hoppers with a heavy chain and a GP38. Needless to say, everyone with rerailing experience ran for cover. Needless to say, when that chain parted it flew thru the air like a giant scythe. Luckily there were no injuries. he sidewinders were still working on it late the following day...

LC

[edblysard]

Couldnt find anything prohibiting poling cars in the GCOR, but it is listed, and forbidden in my railroads general rules, and I would suspect most railroads prohibit it.
Think about it, someone has to hold the pole in place while the engine comes against it, and if the pole snaps or breaks....note that most railcars no longer have poling pockets, nor do locomotives.

Ed

[CShaveRR]

I saw it done once...it was necessary since the drop switch (also now almost unheard of) didn't work and the acrs didn't go in the clear. The crew had to put the pole between the engine and the errant car, push it back onto the track ahead of it, and try again.

[dharmon]

The old push pole idea rates up there with other safety oriented devices like the link and pin coupler.......How many fingers you got there Ed?

[edblysard]

Four fingers and one thumb each hand, and all my toes too!

Ed

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

There was an article in TRAINS a few years back about push poles and poling cars in general, and the general tone was that this was an incredibly dangerous practice. After reading the article, I was surprised that no one was either killed or seriously injured every time it was attempted. I would be incredibly surprised to find a current operating rulebook or special instructions that didn't ban it.

[Anonymous]

Jeez, that sure doesn't sound like something that would be safe to do.....

It's amazing what kinds of things have been done in the past.

[Anonymous]

I guess that back in the good old days, if the push pole didn't break in two and catch you in the gut, then it could fall on an innatentive brakeman's foot.[xx(]