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What happens when a light burns out

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Posted by BigJim on Sunday, December 26, 2004 8:53 AM
"unless your carring a tool box in your grip... locomotives dont have the tools needed to change a head light bulb...
csx engineer"


You know it's amazing what all you can do with a few coins in your pocket! A pennie, a dime, a quarter make great screw drivers.

"
but thats what they have shop and mechincal people for... i dont cross craft lines....


Go tell that to your children when you're trying to get home for Christmas... Tell that to your wife when you're trying to get home to see your baby born.

Out in the middle of nowhere, it's not about crossing craft lines...it's about about getting off of your lazy butt and being a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.

CSX,
I'm glad that I'm not your conductor or maybe you should be glad I'm not your conductor[(-D]

.

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Posted by mvlandsw on Saturday, December 25, 2004 4:09 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by ValleyX

Why would you ever call your maintenance desk in JAX? Why would you ever open the cabinet and flip the first switch. Why would you even isolate a unit or look for a problem while on line-of-road? It's not like I can make major repairs with a crescent wrench. When I'm a two or three hour drive from nowhere, if I can solve my problem, I'm going to solve it and I don't feel like I'm crossing anything, that locomotive is assigned to me for the duration.

Oh and back to the original topic, the NS rulebook says that , "The headlight facing the direction fo movement on every train and locomotive must be displayed brightly by day and night. The auxillary lights on locomotives will be displayed when the headlight is displayed brightly". Never does it say anything about when the headlight burns out, it only addresses what to do when one or both auxillary lights burn out, therefore, the headlight is required for movement.
NORAC Operating Rules 8th edition effective Jan. 1, 2003 Rule 22 Pg 27-28 mentions headlight failure and actions required. An exception says "These restrictions do not apply when the train has operable auxiliary lights".
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 25, 2004 10:24 AM
Oh, and one more thing for the grip. Santa brought me a little black steamer shaped stress toy to squeeze on those trips when I can't fix it...

LC
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 25, 2004 10:22 AM
I gotta agree with ValleyX on this one. If I can get myself out of a mess on line of road I will. On the other hand, if someone wants to give me junk power at a terminal with mechanical forces on duty, no thanks. They can fix it or get me something decent. I also have a few basic tools and some ductape in my grip. On one occasion I even called in a favor from a friend on a volunteer F.D. to bring me a little water for a certain SD50. A lot of managers were very interested in how I got the rail train in the clear with only one unit and no water...I explained it to my RFE who was a decent guy. He loved it. Liked to brag to Sr. Mgt. about how "his guys" got the job done. I don't consider myself a company man, but don't ask me to be a slug either...

LC

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Posted by ValleyX on Saturday, December 25, 2004 8:25 AM
Why would you ever call your maintenance desk in JAX? Why would you ever open the cabinet and flip the first switch. Why would you even isolate a unit or look for a problem while on line-of-road? It's not like I can make major repairs with a crescent wrench. When I'm a two or three hour drive from nowhere, if I can solve my problem, I'm going to solve it and I don't feel like I'm crossing anything, that locomotive is assigned to me for the duration.

Oh and back to the original topic, the NS rulebook says that , "The headlight facing the direction fo movement on every train and locomotive must be displayed brightly by day and night. The auxillary lights on locomotives will be displayed when the headlight is displayed brightly". Never does it say anything about when the headlight burns out, it only addresses what to do when one or both auxillary lights burn out, therefore, the headlight is required for movement.
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Posted by csxengineer98 on Saturday, December 25, 2004 1:41 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by ValleyX

Carried a crescent wrench, screwdriver with reversible heads (both Phillips and slotted) and a pair of pliers for years. Many times I've been glad I did, even though some would say why should we help out the company. Heck, help the company? I'm helping myself, I don't like sitting in one spot too long.
yea i can feel your pain about sitting to long...but thats what they have shop and mechincal people for... i dont cross craft lines....
csx engineer
"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
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Posted by ValleyX on Friday, December 24, 2004 10:20 PM
Carried a crescent wrench, screwdriver with reversible heads (both Phillips and slotted) and a pair of pliers for years. Many times I've been glad I did, even though some would say why should we help out the company. Heck, help the company? I'm helping myself, I don't like sitting in one spot too long.
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Posted by edblysard on Friday, December 24, 2004 7:33 PM
Walt,
The farther south you go, the more of them it takes, someone has the read the instructions to them, and some one has to hold the flashlight...

Ed[:D]

23 17 46 11

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Posted by locomutt on Friday, December 24, 2004 6:18 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

I was looking at some pictures of steam locomotives this weekend, and I noticed that some of them only had one "main" light. I figure the odds are sometimes that light would have to burn out while it is on the road. What happens?
Gabe


Gabe,
It takes five Aggies to change the bulbs...
Four to twist the locomotive, and one to hold the bulb...

Ed[:D]


Ed,does that number to change light bulbs decrease,or increase depending
on location in the U.S.[?][:D]

Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!

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Posted by edblysard on Friday, December 24, 2004 6:02 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

I was looking at some pictures of steam locomotives this weekend, and I noticed that some of them only had one "main" light. I figure the odds are sometimes that light would have to burn out while it is on the road. What happens?
Gabe


Gabe,
It takes five Aggies to change the bulbs...
Four to twist the locomotive, and one to hold the bulb...

Ed[:D]

23 17 46 11

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Posted by csxengineer98 on Friday, December 24, 2004 2:09 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by BigJim

"no you cant..if your head light burns out..you have to display another white light of some kind..and the bell and horn must be sounded frequenly...and the locomotive has to be reparied or set out at the next place where mechanical people can repair it...or it has to be switched as a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due..."

Well, if you want to go to all of that trouble and listen to all of that noise, go right ahead. To me it's a WHOLE heck of a lot less trouble to just stop the train and go get a bulb from a trailing unit and fix the problem then and there.
well ...im telling you what the rules say to do and what has to happen...what you do is your biz.... and for the most part... unless your carring a tool box in your grip... locomotives dont have the tools needed to change a head light bulb...
csx engineer
"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
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Posted by BigJim on Friday, December 24, 2004 9:32 AM
"no you cant..if your head light burns out..you have to display another white light of some kind..and the bell and horn must be sounded frequenly...and the locomotive has to be reparied or set out at the next place where mechanical people can repair it...or it has to be switched as a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due..."

Well, if you want to go to all of that trouble and listen to all of that noise, go right ahead. To me it's a WHOLE heck of a lot less trouble to just stop the train and go get a bulb from a trailing unit and fix the problem then and there.

.

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Posted by mvlandsw on Friday, December 24, 2004 12:19 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

QUOTE: Originally posted by mvlandsw

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

QUOTE: Originally posted by mvlandsw

If the ditch lights still work you can run at normal speed without any headlight.
no you cant..if your head light burns out..you have to display another white light of some kind..and the bell and horn must be sounded frequenly...and the locomotive has to be reparied or set out at the next place where mechanical people can repair it...or it has to be switched as a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due...the ditchlights on the other hand... if 1 burns out..you can still run at normal speed but it has to be repaired at the next place where it can be fixed..or when its next calander day inspection is due..it has to be set out or moved to a trailing posstion in the consiste...if both ditch lights burn out...you can run at normal speed..but have to go 20mph over all railroad crossings...and it must be fixed at the next repair location..or set out or swtiched to a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due...
as far as headlights...i have found out that on GE 44-9s... they are not wired in parralell... if the top one burns out...it kills both bulbs...but if the bottom one burns out..you still have the top bulb working....
csx engineer
CSX Operating Rule 17-A does have these requirements for an enroute headlight failure. However an exception at the end of the rule states "These restrictions do not apply when the train has operable ditch lights."
is that in the new rule book efective october 1st 04. or an older book?
now im going to have to digging out the books tomarrow and see if it is thier
csx engineer
It's in the Oct. 1, 2004 book. It was also in the Jan. 1999 version. It is also in the NORAC rule book used by NS.
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Posted by csxengineer98 on Thursday, December 23, 2004 10:12 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by mvlandsw

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

QUOTE: Originally posted by mvlandsw

If the ditch lights still work you can run at normal speed without any headlight.
no you cant..if your head light burns out..you have to display another white light of some kind..and the bell and horn must be sounded frequenly...and the locomotive has to be reparied or set out at the next place where mechanical people can repair it...or it has to be switched as a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due...the ditchlights on the other hand... if 1 burns out..you can still run at normal speed but it has to be repaired at the next place where it can be fixed..or when its next calander day inspection is due..it has to be set out or moved to a trailing posstion in the consiste...if both ditch lights burn out...you can run at normal speed..but have to go 20mph over all railroad crossings...and it must be fixed at the next repair location..or set out or swtiched to a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due...
as far as headlights...i have found out that on GE 44-9s... they are not wired in parralell... if the top one burns out...it kills both bulbs...but if the bottom one burns out..you still have the top bulb working....
csx engineer
CSX Operating Rule 17-A does have these requirements for an enroute headlight failure. However an exception at the end of the rule states "These restrictions do not apply when the train has operable ditch lights."
is that in the new rule book efective october 1st 04. or an older book?
now im going to have to digging out the books tomarrow and see if it is thier
csx engineer
"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
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Posted by ValleyX on Thursday, December 23, 2004 8:13 PM
Don't think the NS rulebook says that, you have to have a operating headlight but I'll doublecheck myself tomorrow and get back to the list.
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Posted by mvlandsw on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 5:51 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

QUOTE: Originally posted by mvlandsw

If the ditch lights still work you can run at normal speed without any headlight.
no you cant..if your head light burns out..you have to display another white light of some kind..and the bell and horn must be sounded frequenly...and the locomotive has to be reparied or set out at the next place where mechanical people can repair it...or it has to be switched as a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due...the ditchlights on the other hand... if 1 burns out..you can still run at normal speed but it has to be repaired at the next place where it can be fixed..or when its next calander day inspection is due..it has to be set out or moved to a trailing posstion in the consiste...if both ditch lights burn out...you can run at normal speed..but have to go 20mph over all railroad crossings...and it must be fixed at the next repair location..or set out or swtiched to a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due...
as far as headlights...i have found out that on GE 44-9s... they are not wired in parralell... if the top one burns out...it kills both bulbs...but if the bottom one burns out..you still have the top bulb working....
csx engineer
CSX Operating Rule 17-A does have these requirements for an enroute headlight failure. However an exception at the end of the rule states "These restrictions do not apply when the train has operable ditch lights."
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Posted by ValleyX on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 9:35 PM
Multiple unit, so that all units in the consist can be controlled by a single operator from a single control stand on the controlling unit..

If the headlight burns out, as previously mentioned, all road crossings have to be protected and if both ditchlights burn out, then all crossings have to be crossed at not exceeding 20 MPH. Ditchlights are not acceptable substitutes for headlights.
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Posted by Puckdropper on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 9:14 PM
I thought MUed mean Multiple Units... (The -ed just made it show action.)

Is this another one of the things that varies according to road?
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Posted by csxengineer98 on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 5:55 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by miniwyo

Randy - What do you mean by MUed??
MUed...Multipull United... that is what we call more then 1 locomotive hooked up together to act as 1 locomotve
csx engineer
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Posted by miniwyo on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 5:48 PM
Randy - What do you mean by MUed??

RJ

"Something hidden, Go and find it. Go and look behind the ranges, Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go." The Explorers - Rudyard Kipling

http://sweetwater-photography.com/

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Posted by csxengineer98 on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 5:39 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by mvlandsw

If the ditch lights still work you can run at normal speed without any headlight.
no you cant..if your head light burns out..you have to display another white light of some kind..and the bell and horn must be sounded frequenly...and the locomotive has to be reparied or set out at the next place where mechanical people can repair it...or it has to be switched as a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due...the ditchlights on the other hand... if 1 burns out..you can still run at normal speed but it has to be repaired at the next place where it can be fixed..or when its next calander day inspection is due..it has to be set out or moved to a trailing posstion in the consiste...if both ditch lights burn out...you can run at normal speed..but have to go 20mph over all railroad crossings...and it must be fixed at the next repair location..or set out or swtiched to a trailing unit when the next calander day inspection is due...
as far as headlights...i have found out that on GE 44-9s... they are not wired in parralell... if the top one burns out...it kills both bulbs...but if the bottom one burns out..you still have the top bulb working....
csx engineer
"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
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Posted by Randy Stahl on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 6:42 AM
If you have the inclination you can pull the bulbs out of the rear of your unit, providing you are MU'd to something.
Randy
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Posted by mvlandsw on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 6:34 AM
If the ditch lights still work you can run at normal speed without any headlight.
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Posted by mudchicken on Monday, December 20, 2004 9:08 AM
Still at restricted speed and flag the public crossings w/o signal protection.
Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by zardoz on Monday, December 20, 2004 8:27 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Randy Stahl

On diesels I have seen both headlights burn out. If the headlight resistor shorts it will burn out both headlights. Some locomotives have 32 volt bulbs and some have 72 volt bulbs. I have seen occasions were the 32 volt bulbs were installed in the 72 volt locomotive and instantly burn out. I have seen the battery charging voltage regulator go to hell and blow out not only the headlights but every lamp on the locomotive from tooo high of voltage. A staem locomotive and alot of trolley cars have one bulb, usually a replacement was available but if not, an engine could run with just a white light displayed on the front, the brakemans lantern will do.
Randy


If I remember correctly, the rules called for operating at Reduced Speed when both headlights go out; however, this rule may have changed since the installation of ditch lights.
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Posted by Randy Stahl on Monday, December 20, 2004 8:21 AM
On diesels I have seen both headlights burn out. If the headlight resistor shorts it will burn out both headlights. Some locomotives have 32 volt bulbs and some have 72 volt bulbs. I have seen occasions were the 32 volt bulbs were installed in the 72 volt locomotive and instantly burn out. I have seen the battery charging voltage regulator go to hell and blow out not only the headlights but every lamp on the locomotive from tooo high of voltage. A staem locomotive and alot of trolley cars have one bulb, usually a replacement was available but if not, an engine could run with just a white light displayed on the front, the brakemans lantern will do.
Randy
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What happens when a light burns out
Posted by gabe on Monday, December 20, 2004 7:59 AM
I was looking at some pictures of steam locomotives this weekend, and I noticed that some of them only had one "main" light. I figure the odds are sometimes that light would have to burn out while it is on the road. What happens? Do they have spare lights on the train? I figure at night, they couldn't run virtually at all?

Do diesels ever have this problem with two lights?

Gabe

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