The radio conversation was interesting. The power desk or operations guy asked the conductor to walk around and check for any obvious damage like pistons sticking out of the engine. Which hearing over the radio had my boys laughing.
They did say that they can try resetting it once but if it fails again, they cannot try again because of damage. They even broadcast the reset password at one point.
The other detail I found interesting was that the unit that had the crankcase overpressure was also the DPU controller (?) and the other unit on the DPU set wasn't able to be remotely controlled because it was missing something.
They ended up not using either of them as the dispatcher or power desk (I lost track as they were discussing with both) determined that they had enough power on the front to make it to their destination 100 miles on.
Setting aside qualifications and who's job is who's, for us it is common for the conductor go for the long walk and then have to deal with whatever they find back there, with step by step instructions from the engineer and/or Diesel Doc. Better to keep the engineer at the controls in case it is decided to move the train as it is with the remaining working locomotive(s).
I agree about the dangers of a crankcase explosion, and our operating instructions make it quite clear that we are not to restart any engine that has tripped the crankcase overpressure sensor. I would never do this and I've never heard the Diesel Doc try to tell anyone to do so either.
We have had several occasions over the years where an older EMD engine with the button-type protection device died, and a trainmaster simply told the brakeman to stand beside the engine and hold the button in. These occasions always involved beltpack crews with newer employees who didn't know any better.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
You have to do a safety inspection on both sides of the train. You can walk the set and do the inspection on one side and walk the release and do the inspection on the other. Perfectly legal.
When making a pick up, you could walk from the engines to the end of the cut, doing the inspection. Walk the set back up to the engines on the other side, doing the inspection. Then have the cut pulled by, watching the release as it goes by and catching the rear end to go back to your train. Also perfectly legal.
The only times you might have to check both sides for a set and release is when some cars, autoracks come to mind, where you can't see the brake cylinder piston from both sides because of the way the car is constructed.
About the post about a conductor walking back to the DP to reset a crankcase overpressure. First, I've walked back to check on DPs when there wasn't another engineer, on another train, that could do it. It's really the engineer's job.
Second, and more important, YOU NEVER RESET A CRANKCASE OVERPRESSURE! If it tripped in the first place, there's a chance the thing could explode. (Read Doug Riddell's "From the Cab: Stories from a Locomotive Engineer" about his experience with a crank case explosion.) I've heard corridor managers try to brow beat engineers into doing so, but they stopped once mechanical got in on the conversation.
Jeff
BaltACDthe ability to WALK and walk and walk and walk.
A friend of mine, now retired as an engineer on a Class 1 railroad, was working as a conductor and was apparently having to do a Class 1 brake test. This entails inspecting both sides of the train both set and released.
Some folks will try to shortcut this a bit by checking the set on one side and the release on the other.
He got caught by someone (don't recall who, but it was someone in authority) who noted there was only one set of tracks, not two, up and down the train...
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...
ClassAThis weekend I saw a conductor have to walk back to the DPUs to try and reset the locomotive after a crankcase over pressure. The poor guy had to walk back to the lead units as welln (no utilities around). We considered offering him a ride back, but he was on the other side of the train from us. It certainly seems like a job that requires more physical activity than most in today's economy. I will say the radio conversations were gold though.
I will say the radio conversations were gold though.
The real 'agility' a Conductor needs to have when working Road Assignments is the ability to WALK and walk and walk and walk. In the days of cabooses, trains got inspected from front to back and back to front Engineer, Fireman and head brakeman on the engines; Conductor and Flagman on the caboose.
In the 21st Century you have the Engineer & Conductor on the engines - come to a stop and the Conductor has to start walking to wherever the problem is and presuming he fixes it - walk back to the engine. A thousand feet, five thousand feet, ten thousand feet or more - one way.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
This weekend I saw a conductor have to walk back to the DPUs to try and reset the locomotive after a crankcase over pressure. The poor guy had to walk back to the lead units as welln (no utilities around). We considered offering him a ride back, but he was on the other side of the train from us. It certainly seems like a job that requires more physical activity than most in today's economy. I will say the radio conversations were gold though.
zugmannWhat's a cupholder? Don't have them in my GP-old-2s.
Or our old ALCOs... Some of those old locos are lucky to have a flat spot big enough to set your cup.
When running on leaves in wet weather, keeping the window open is almost mandatory, lest the anti-slip not catch on to a spinning axle...
zugmann tree68 I am reminded of a scene on an unnamed railroad. Mid-winter, cold, windy. The conductor was working on the ground while the engineer, who didn't look like he'd missed lunch lately, sat in the cab in a yellow (odd thing to remember, but...) golf shirt - short sleeves, etc... Always 70 and sunny in the cab.
tree68 I am reminded of a scene on an unnamed railroad. Mid-winter, cold, windy. The conductor was working on the ground while the engineer, who didn't look like he'd missed lunch lately, sat in the cab in a yellow (odd thing to remember, but...) golf shirt - short sleeves, etc...
Always 70 and sunny in the cab.
On our older power without strip heaters or A/C the cab interior is usually a poor imitation of the outside temperature.
The ex-Santa Fe Dash-8s are probably the coldest in winter, and our cowls were the hottest in summer.
How cold does it get out here? CN's later steam power had insulated cabs with steam radiators for heat, the firebox just wasn't enough.
jeffhergertHold onto your coffee? That's what the cup holder is for. (I don't do coffee very often, usually in wintertime if I do at all. Coffee seems to only keep me awake when I'm ready to go to sleep in the motel.)
What's a cupholder? Don't have them in my GP-old-2s.
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
zugmann For engineers it's applying air, bailing the independent, knocking off your throttle while holding your cup of coffee and cigarette.
For engineers it's applying air, bailing the independent, knocking off your throttle while holding your cup of coffee and cigarette.
But some of those newer short travel electronic air brake handles can be very stiff.
Hold onto your coffee? That's what the cup holder is for. (I don't do coffee very often, usually in wintertime if I do at all. Coffee seems to only keep me awake when I'm ready to go to sleep in the motel.)
When I'm switching or picking up/setting out cars, I always have my window open. No matter what the weather conditions are. I break the rule that says engineers aren't supposed to get wet.
If you get the job get ready to have fun hooking air hoses together in the winter time. I had to do that a few times.. Don't miss that at all...
tree68I am reminded of a scene on an unnamed railroad. Mid-winter, cold, windy. The conductor was working on the ground while the engineer, who didn't look like he'd missed lunch lately, sat in the cab in a yellow (odd thing to remember, but...) golf shirt - short sleeves, etc...
zugmannFor engineers it's applying air, bailing the independent, knocking off your throttle while holding your cup of coffee and cigarette.
I am reminded of a scene on an unnamed railroad. Mid-winter, cold, windy. The conductor was working on the ground while the engineer, who didn't look like he'd missed lunch lately, sat in the cab in a yellow (odd thing to remember, but...) golf shirt - short sleeves, etc...
zugmannI mean, this isn't a real physical job - even doing yard work. A lot of walking and throwing switches - but you don't need to be a contender for Mr./Ms. Universe for that.
Sure, you don't need a chisled body, but there are some physical demands on a freight conductor in particular, isn't there? Thinking mostly of the climbing on and off equipment, squatting to connect air hoses, walking some distance to find reasons for unintended emergency applications, etc. I'm sure there are people who cannot pass the physical tests that otherwise qualify for the job. Railroads will want to find that out before they need to hang off the side of a car for a shove move in the middle of the night.
Murphy SidingI agree. It seems like an agility test would involve climbing on cars and under equipment and such.
I mean, this isn't a real physical job - even doing yard work. A lot of walking and throwing switches - but you don't need to be a contender for Mr./Ms. Universe for that. I mean, it doesn't hurt of course. Although the lifestyle of erratic call times and long days... well, that's gettign into something else.
jeffhergertThe grip test is for holding on to the side of cars. The upper body test is for being able to handle knuckles and switches. At least that's how it was explained to me. Upon further recollections, we did the sit ups once. The other two tests we did three times each, I think they took the best score from each set of three to do their ultimate scoring. I remember them saying that they had a guy pass who could only do one sit up. His other numbers compensated for that one sit up. Jeff
Upon further recollections, we did the sit ups once. The other two tests we did three times each, I think they took the best score from each set of three to do their ultimate scoring. I remember them saying that they had a guy pass who could only do one sit up. His other numbers compensated for that one sit up.
So with 1 sit up he was already for the 'Man Down' when operating a Remote.
The grip test is for holding on to the side of cars. The upper body test is for being able to handle knuckles and switches. At least that's how it was explained to me.
charlie hebdo jeffhergert If it's still the same, they do threee things. Sit ups, grip strength and upper body strength. The sit ups are as many as you can do in a minute, The grip strength was sequeezing a thing that meaures that. The upper body test was pulling up on a chain that connects to something that measures how much force you are pulling. They add up the score and average it out, so if you're a bit low in one part but better in another part, that can bring up the score. What part of Iowa are you looking at? Most of Iowa is covered by one seniority district. That includes terminals and yards at Clinton, Boone, Cedar Rapids (Beverly), Marshalltown, Des Moines, Eagle Grove, and Mason City. There are also a few outlying branch jobs. Most of the road jobs are home based at Clinton and Boone. Good luck. Jeff That sounds like a strength, not agility test.
jeffhergert If it's still the same, they do threee things. Sit ups, grip strength and upper body strength. The sit ups are as many as you can do in a minute, The grip strength was sequeezing a thing that meaures that. The upper body test was pulling up on a chain that connects to something that measures how much force you are pulling. They add up the score and average it out, so if you're a bit low in one part but better in another part, that can bring up the score. What part of Iowa are you looking at? Most of Iowa is covered by one seniority district. That includes terminals and yards at Clinton, Boone, Cedar Rapids (Beverly), Marshalltown, Des Moines, Eagle Grove, and Mason City. There are also a few outlying branch jobs. Most of the road jobs are home based at Clinton and Boone. Good luck. Jeff
If it's still the same, they do threee things. Sit ups, grip strength and upper body strength. The sit ups are as many as you can do in a minute, The grip strength was sequeezing a thing that meaures that. The upper body test was pulling up on a chain that connects to something that measures how much force you are pulling.
They add up the score and average it out, so if you're a bit low in one part but better in another part, that can bring up the score.
What part of Iowa are you looking at? Most of Iowa is covered by one seniority district. That includes terminals and yards at Clinton, Boone, Cedar Rapids (Beverly), Marshalltown, Des Moines, Eagle Grove, and Mason City. There are also a few outlying branch jobs. Most of the road jobs are home based at Clinton and Boone.
Good luck.
That sounds like a strength, not agility test.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
You forgot manipulating stock, climbing the corporate ladder, and raising rates through the roof.
What's the time required for the entry-level management test's 100-yard low crawl through the weeds? [/]
I concur that an 'agility' test involves other muscle and nerve 'aptitude' than what the present test seems to call for. Could it have been 'dumbed down' as physical tests for the fire service were said to have been? Can we find if historical tests on the UP were different, or more rigorous on more 'agile' performance?
UP management could also have their own agility test, where they demonstrate their ability to jump to conclusions and fly off the handle. [/sarcasm]
It's pretty clever but ability to do situps is also kind of a forecast how close you are to lower back issues because a low situp number says your going to have problems with your lower back at some point. Thats why the military did them for so long because your abdominal muscles which the situps really test help share the weight distribution with the lower back and if they are weak then your lower back is carrying most of the load without help.
The agility and coordination test is juggling a knuckle, knuckle pin and air hose for 30 seconds [/sarcasm]
One of our forum denizens tried for conductor on NS. Had trouble with the hanging on the side of a car thing.
My problem is that the grab irons on the sides of our passenger cars weren't made for fellows 6'5"... Not that we ride the sides of the cars all that often.
Wow, UP's requirements are way more serious than ours.
All I had to do was pass a medical (which did not include any strength tests), and then once training class started we all had to prove that we could ride the side of cars for a while (not very hard) and pick up a knuckle and carry it 50 or 60 feet (they weigh about 70 lbs).
Was wondering if anyone has any information on the agility test for Union Pacfic. Any help would be great. I am trying to get on in Iowa and I am not sure what the test will be like. Need to practice if I can and see what I need to work on before the test.
Thank you
HCJones
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