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operation of a locomotive

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  • Member since
    March 2016
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operation of a locomotive
Posted by dh28473 on Sunday, September 18, 2016 6:49 PM

I saw two locos connected at the long hoods going down the tracks the enginner at his controls and the fireman or condoctor at the controls of the trailing loco. Any reason for this?

  • Member since
    June 2002
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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, September 19, 2016 2:08 PM

I presume you are referring to two diesels, long hoods together.  Two diesel locomotives can be "multipled" together regardless of which way either one is facing. The wiring arrngements and connectors will assure both will go in the same direction.

The fireman, brakeman, or conductor in the second unit was not operating anything, just using the engieer's seat for his ride.  Possibly because all seats in the lead unit were occupied.  Possibly a road forman or trainee or several were along on the particular trip.  Or possibly one wishes to smoke and the other not.  But only the lead locomotive's engineers was handling the controls.

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