While waiting in Dallas today for the Texas Eagle, which was nearly four hours late, I noticed two stack trains pass the station area. Both trains had two locomotives on the front and one on the back. The locomotive at the back of each train was being controlled by the engineer in the front locomotive.
If the locomotive at the back of the train that is being controlled remotely from the front of the train fails, how does the engineer know that it has shut down?
Aside from the perhaps-obvious drop in performance with the trailing engine dead or off the line, some of the engine functions (those communicated by MU, for instance) can be telemetered to the Harris box or integrated screens in the cab. I'll provide some reference material if no one more experienced does so.
You can tell from the screens whether the engine is loading (producing power or dynamic brake effort) but not if the engines actually died. You might get an alarm indication that there is a problem, but not for the actual problem. Sometimes, you won't even get the alarm indication. One hint on the head end screen is to check the DP's main reservoir. If it's dropping there's a good chance the engine itself has died. (Not always, you could just have a problem with the air compressor, been there before.) To be sure and to remedy most problems you'll have to get someone on the remote consist.
If the remote DP consist has more than one unit and the problem is on the unit that isn't set up to control the remote consist the most would receive is an alarm that an engine in the remote consist has developed a problem. The information (throttle/brake position, tractive/brake effort, equalizing & main reservoir pressure and brake pressure, etc) sent to the lead controlling consist is only given for the remote controlling unit(s). Just like when a trailing engine in the head end consist rings the alarm, you know there is a problem but have to physically check which trailing engine is acting up and why for most problems.
Jeff
So you stop at a point where you know you can start again (as when you stop on a downgrade if you are running a one-legged steam engine) and your conductor walks back to see what the problem is?
Johnny
Deggesty So you stop at a point where you know you can start again (as when you stop on a downgrade if you are running a one-legged steam engine) and your conductor walks back to see what the problem is?
Walk? Can't they strap a mountain bike or small Honda Rukus somewhere? either would cut travel time a bunch.
I've been pretty lucky. Most of my runs are on double track territory. Usually there is either a train coming at you or one behind you that can check things out. (If close enough to a terminal where mechanical people are on duty, they'll usually be sent out to help.) I've only had one time when there wasn't anyone else close. The conductor offered to walk back, but being a motive power issue I borrowed his radio (In case the DP didn't have a radio on it.) and went back myself.
It was the one time I had a DP not maintaining air, but was still running. The problem turned out to be a computer fault that had shut down the compressor. I was able to reset it. By that time, the next train behind me was close and the dispatcher had lined them around us. They were able to stop and give me a ride back to the head end.
LensCapOn Deggesty So you stop at a point where you know you can start again (as when you stop on a downgrade if you are running a one-legged steam engine) and your conductor walks back to see what the problem is? Walk? Can't they strap a mountain bike or small Honda Rukus somewhere? either would cut travel time a bunch.
Considering the size trains that the Class 1's are operating these days, I have thought that locomotive consists should be equipped with a 4-wheel ATV and a jib crane to lower it to the ground to assist the crews in train inspections when necessary.
The two pit falls of such a idea, 1. the 4-wheel ATV's would disappear. 2. Personnel operating the ATV will in some manner injure themselves.
I am sure the carriers figure the time spent doing walking inspections is well spent compared to the potential liability of injuries from motorized vehicles. Especially, since there are not always suitable 'pathways' for vehicles to operate along all rights of way.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Probably would entail employing a specifically trained member of yet another craft to operate the ORV as well as a crane operator to manage the lift.
Karl Scribner
Sunfield Twp. Michigan
Kentucky Southern Railway
k9wrangler Probably would entail employing a specifically trained member of yet another craft to operate the ORV as well as a crane operator to manage the lift.
Good point...
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
Has any freight crewmember thought of taking his own personal bicycle on the locomotive? Possibly a folding bike of the type that some commuters lug with them on commuter trains?
I never put my Raleigh on a locomotive. But occasionally using my pass on a B&M passenger train, usually with the typical wood open-platform coaches, it was chained to the front open platform of the combine behind the locomotive while I rode the locomotive.
In South Africa there is a remote iron ore railroad that features some of the longest and heaviest trains in the world (on Narrow 3'6" Cape Gauge track !). The long trains run with two crew members and are equipped for contingencies encountered in the remote area they operate in.
They line is fully electrified (although some diesel helpers are used) and the main class of Locomotives constructed for the line, the Class 9Es, are equipped to carry a motorbike so that a crewmember that has to go back the length of the train (frequently they are almost 12,500 feet long) can get there and back again without an excessive delay....
http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?locomotive=Class%209E
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
runeightWay not just back up?
When a train is stopped b emergency application of the brakes - it can't move until the caused has been repaired. Secondly a train may get stopped on a descending grade and not have sufficient power to bakc UP the grade.
You might be able to drop off the conductor and pull the DPU up to him, have him fix or reset the faults and then shove back to get him on the head end again. The key word here is "shove" as in shoving back, AKA backing up. Since the idea is to get the conductor back on the head end, the shove would have to be "blind," that is, no one protecting the move on the rear end. It is allowed, but only under certain limited conditions. If you can't meet those conditions, and many times you don't, you can't do it.
Possibly a folding bicycle should be standard equipment! Not that expensive.
daveklepper Possibly a folding bicycle should be standard equipment! Not that expensive.
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I suggest a flatcar behind the locomotive consist equipped as a "launch pad" for one of these:
http://martinjetpack.com/
There probably would have to be some formal training for the conductors or other crew that would use it, I imagine "on the job" training would give FRA (or FAA?) fits...
I'd like to see you try to ride a bike along the right-of-way! And what would you do with the bike when you come to a bridge without a walkway?
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