SD70Dude zugmann SFbrkmn The industry has now been through an entire generation of engrs that have never operated a train w/a manned caboose on the end. Different train handling methods. Not too much different from shoving with someone riding the rear car. Granted, I do both with regularity. Not that hard - air is your friend. Wi-Tronix tattles on us if we power brake out on the road. But it's ok when switching. We are allowed to pull a brake in notch 4 or less, and are not allowed to release the automatic while in throttle. Anything else is a violation. It doesn't matter what you do with some trains in some areas, it'll still be a rough ride.
zugmann SFbrkmn The industry has now been through an entire generation of engrs that have never operated a train w/a manned caboose on the end. Different train handling methods. Not too much different from shoving with someone riding the rear car. Granted, I do both with regularity. Not that hard - air is your friend.
SFbrkmn The industry has now been through an entire generation of engrs that have never operated a train w/a manned caboose on the end. Different train handling methods.
Not too much different from shoving with someone riding the rear car. Granted, I do both with regularity. Not that hard - air is your friend.
Wi-Tronix tattles on us if we power brake out on the road. But it's ok when switching.
We are allowed to pull a brake in notch 4 or less, and are not allowed to release the automatic while in throttle. Anything else is a violation.
It doesn't matter what you do with some trains in some areas, it'll still be a rough ride.
For us, it's considered power braking (actually they use the term, "stretch braking.") if you release the air brake above notch 6. Unless of course, it's the EMS calling for it. (I've not had EMS request air braking in power, but it does strange things other times so I wouldn't be surprised if it did.)
That notch has bounced around from 4 to 2 back to (currently) 6. They realize that some territories and/or trains, you have to use air. This will last until they get more "experts" who've never actually ran a train, other than maybe on the simulator.
Jeff
When I worked for GA/AWP, AWP conductors had their own cabooses. GA conductors did not.
SD70DudeWe are allowed to pull a brake in notch 4 or less, and are not allowed to release the automatic while in throttle. Anything else is a violation.
If we ran liek that - half of our cusotmers wouldn't have bumping blocks anymore.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
SD70DudeWi-Tronix tattles on us if we power brake out on the road. But it's ok when switching.
It tattles if you fart in the cab.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
jeffhergert zugmann SFbrkmn The industry has now been through an entire generation of engrs that have never operated a train w/a manned caboose on the end. Different train handling methods. Not too much different from shoving with someone riding the rear car. Granted, I do both with regularity. Not that hard - air is your friend. I had to shove 10000 ft/8900+ tons about 3/4 of a mile with the conductor riding the rear car to make a rear end pick up this morning. The best compliment I've ever received was from an old head (now retired) conductor who used to ride waycars as a young trainman. He said he wouldn't be afraid to ride a caboose with me up front. Even so, with the 2 to 3 mile trains, even with DP, the slack action can still be harsh. That's why we aren't allowed to ride DP consists when deadheading by train. Jeff
I had to shove 10000 ft/8900+ tons about 3/4 of a mile with the conductor riding the rear car to make a rear end pick up this morning.
The best compliment I've ever received was from an old head (now retired) conductor who used to ride waycars as a young trainman. He said he wouldn't be afraid to ride a caboose with me up front.
Even so, with the 2 to 3 mile trains, even with DP, the slack action can still be harsh. That's why we aren't allowed to ride DP consists when deadheading by train.
To think - back in the day (days before I hired out) when crews were deadheaded, they, in many cases, were deadheaded on their 'assigned caboose' that was attached next to the working caboose that brought up the rear of the train with a working crew.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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SFbrkmnThe industry has now been through an entire generation of engrs that have never operated a train w/a manned caboose on the end. Different train handling methods.
Lithonia Operator With no more cabooses, are engineers as careful with how they start a train (regarding slack action) as they would have been when there was crew riding on the tail end?
With no more cabooses, are engineers as careful with how they start a train (regarding slack action) as they would have been when there was crew riding on the tail end?
Yes. You can still break a knuckle or pull out a drawbar and they tend to frown on either of those things happening.
The industry has now been through an entire generation of engrs that have never operated a train w/a manned caboose on the end. Different train handling methods.
Murphy SidingMy favorite is "Limited sight distance ahead". Isn't that always true?
Semper Vaporo Flintlock76 Speaking of ancient road signs, anyone remember the old "Children Playing" warning signs with the silhouette of the running boy wearing knickers? Can't say that I remember those, but there are still those insulting signs around that say, "Slow Children at Play".
Flintlock76 Speaking of ancient road signs, anyone remember the old "Children Playing" warning signs with the silhouette of the running boy wearing knickers?
Speaking of ancient road signs, anyone remember the old "Children Playing" warning signs with the silhouette of the running boy wearing knickers?
Can't say that I remember those, but there are still those insulting signs around that say,
"Slow Children at Play".
A couple of years ago, I got a text from my dad, who was at the laundromat with my mom and quite bored. It was a picture of a sign taped to the door that read:
NO
DOGS
SMOKING
ALCOHOL
He followed this up with "dogs definitely shouldn't smoke alcohol."
CSSHEGEWISCH I have yet to see a Sperry car that didn't look like a pre-1933 EMC doodlebug.
I have yet to see a Sperry car that didn't look like a pre-1933 EMC doodlebug.
Electroliner 1935 Flintlock76 Speaking of ancient road signs, anyone remember the old "Children Playing" warning signs with the silhouette of the running boy wearing knickers? Yes but I always had issues with the "TRAVEL AT YOUR OWN RISK" When don't you travel at your own risk?
Yes but I always had issues with the
"TRAVEL AT YOUR OWN RISK"
When don't you travel at your own risk?
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Lithonia OperatorLarry, I take it you mean the Cayuhoga Valley Scenic Railroad? (Or, a car named "Cayuhoga Valley?" I could see where CSX might own a car with that name, as part of an executive train.)
As it was a heavyweight, I imagine it was CVSR. I don't recall the reporting mark, and that video is long gone. I would imagine it was going somewhere, either for work or having been sold. It was headed the wrong way to be going home.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 Great excitement on the rail cams today as a heavyweight coach was tacked on the end of a CSX freight. Some who probably have never seen a real caboose in person thought that it was a ... caboose. Looked to be Cayuhoga Valley...
Great excitement on the rail cams today as a heavyweight coach was tacked on the end of a CSX freight. Some who probably have never seen a real caboose in person thought that it was a ... caboose.
Looked to be Cayuhoga Valley...
Larry, I take it you mean the Cayuhoga Valley Scenic Railroad? (Or, a car named "Cayuhoga Valley?" I could see where CSX might own a car with that name, as part of an executive train.)
What's the most likely scenario? The car was going somewhere for repairs, or coming back? I guess it could have been sold.
Would a person be riding that car, to keep an eye on things, or would that be against safety rules?
Flintlock76That's interesting. I've never seen a coach, heavyweight or otherwise, as part of a CSX train consist. I have seen the CSX "Engineering Train," which was made up of what looked like modified heavyweights, complete with diner and living spaces.
The Adirondack acquired a dome and a diner. I saw the dome crossing the diamond at Deshler enroute.
If someone wants to run their private car on a shortline, it has to travel there via a freight train. Except where they are set up to do so, Amtrak won't drop a car enroute.
CSX's current geometry train that passes Deshler has a couple of fairly modern coaches. The FRA inspection cars are also reasonably modern. The Sperry "doodlebug" does appear to be an older heavyweight.
In some areas you can sue a highway department if your car is damaged by a poorly maintained street/highway. But if that sign is at the entrance to that section of road, and your car falls into a chuckhole so big it requires a crane to lift it out, you have no hope of recouping the cost.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
That's interesting. I've never seen a coach, heavyweight or otherwise, as part of a CSX train consist. I have seen the CSX "Engineering Train," which was made up of what looked like modified heavyweights, complete with diner and living spaces.
tree68Great excitement on the rail cams today as a heavyweight coach was tacked on the end of a CSX freight. Some who probably have never seen a real caboose in person thought that it was a ... caboose. Looked to be Cayuhoga Valley...
Passenger cars don't have the structural strength to withstand the beating they would sustain at the head end of PSR sized trains.
Overmod Elesiastes 1:9 "And He saith unto them, Let those who are without steam cast the first smoke." Then He saith unto the Alco diesel, "As no railfan doth condemn thee, neither do I comdem thee. Go thou and smoke no more. And they departed, each unto his own railroad." Here endeth the Lesson.
Elesiastes 1:9
"And He saith unto them, Let those who are without steam cast the first smoke."
Then He saith unto the Alco diesel, "As no railfan doth condemn thee, neither do I comdem thee. Go thou and smoke no more.
And they departed, each unto his own railroad."
Here endeth the Lesson.
Semper VaporoI bring that up, because I saw a FRED with one of those hands on top of it waving wildly on the end of a train one time. I thought it was funny!
And here I thought I had an original idea...
NKP guy When I began riding motorcycles around 1966 or so, it seemed all of us waved at each other as we passed. I think drivers of two-seater sports cars observed a similar custom.
Hmm, that's like what the aviators of both sides did at the beginning of the First World War, and it didn't matter who's side you were on, it was a courtesy extended to a fellow flyer.
Then some killjoy brought a pistol aloft and started popping rounds at the other guy, and it was all downhill from there!
Speaking of stop signs, my brother picked me up at my girlfriend's house before I was able to drive. Way out in the country it was and he blew through a stop sign without any pretence of slowing down. A cop pulled him over and asked, "What do the letters S T O P mean?" Jeff said and I quote, "Proceed with extreme caution." The cop let him go and I imagine he was cracking up after hearing that!
Regarding yellow stop signs with reflectors, I've seen a lot in old movies- Black and white films but you can tell that the signs aren't red.
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