hospital trains

[railfan619]

Hi does any one have info about hospital trains and how often are they used
like they used a hospital train type of move for the great northern and is it true that
only the FRA can issue them. [2c]

[mudchicken]

49CFR215.9 49CFR216.11 &216.13

[Randy Stahl]

I just set up a hospital train for some old equipment. we requested and got a waiver from the FRA. This means that we are aware that the equipment will not comply to FRA standards . The equipment requires special handling, speed restrictions etc. The train cannot be interchanged without passing inspection from the carriers ( this caused a few bad words between me and the CP mechanical inspector , they refused to move a brass bearing caboose, I told the moron the we've been railroading for 150 years & 100 of those years have been on brass)
Randy

[miniwyo]

What is a hospital train? Is it like the normal hospital that you go to when you get sick or get hurt, or is it somthing else??

[Randy Stahl]

It's when the RR equipment is sick or hurt. After wrecks the smashed cars are carefully moved to a shop, usually their moved in a group of noncomplying equipment. these cars are not safe, many will have missing steps, ladders , grab irons etc.
Randy
I may as well add that during the wars , medical hospital trains were used by the military to move casualtys from the ports to facilitys inland. Many RRs performed this duty for the military.
Randy

[jabrown1971]

A hospital train is a sight to behold. Last one I saw was the wreck of the City of New Orleans in April. I just happened to be off work early that night and had stopped by the Amtrak sation in Indianapolis to talk to a friend. I had a first hand view of the train and even was at the Beech Grove shops when it pulled in.

[Overmod]

To enhance mudchicken's post a bit for those unused to Federal terminology, he's quoting the US legal code, with the first reference being to FRA movement of defective cars. Here's a link for anyone who wants to read it:

www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_02/49cfr215_02.html

(the adventurous can try to edit this link for the other refs; more timid folks can Google, but PUT THE SPACES IN YOUR QUERY -- e.g., 49 CFR 216.11)