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[padave]

I’ve often wondered how does the pusher on the rear of a 100 car train going over the mountains know how much to push and when to stop pushing??
thanks

[Anonymous]

Most districts where helpers are required have standard operating practices which depending on length and tonnage of a train, determine how to run up the hill. The helper crew also knows the territory very well and how long the train they are pushing is so they know about exactly when the tonnage is evenly over the summit.

[Anonymous]

Actully, the pushers on the end of the train usually stay in Notch 6 while they are storing energy. They dont have to throtle up while the train is going up a grade then turn the throtle down when the train is going down grade. How it really works is the engineer at the head end has control over the helpers also, he can take the stored energy when he needs it, which will help the train. In other words after the helpers have connected to the train, they mostly have a free ride till they are done with their job with the train they were helping.

[csxengineer98]

a helper engineer runs by the speeds....but the head end engineer actuly runs the train...if the track speed is 30mph for example.. the helper engineer gives enough power to maintain 30mph if he has it give...if the speed picks up..he notches back... also the radio plays into it alot..the head end engineer radios the helper when the train is apporching tempory slow orders..and what the signal indications are....so the helper knows when to slow down and vis-a-vers-a.....
csx engineer

[kenneo]

Also, the helper engineer operates by the ammeter, brake-pipe pressure and speed indicator. A simple explanation is that the helper engineer keeps the ammeter pegged at the red line between the continuous rating and the short term rating unless the road engineer is wanting to stop the train, and then the helper will see a drop in the brake pipe.

As csx98 stated, it does get a bit more complicated than that (actually, a lot more complicated), but except when the train is making a transition the helper engineer provides full power. (A transition would be topping a "hump", going through a dip, accelerating, slowing)

[ndbprr]

I would tend to think that pusher jobs are plum jobs because you are home every night and rarely get stranded or outlawed. Most engineers are pretty skilled and would tend to develop a sixth sense about when a train had reached the point to cut off. Radios have pretty much eliminated the guesswork when two crews are used. Some roads wouldn't allow a helper behind the caboose for fear of killing the crew in the event of a problem so they had the helper cut in ahead of the caboose. At the top of the grade the train stopped clear of an escape track for the helper engine who would leave the caboose on the main for the road engine to back up to and couple. Once clear the helper would either return to base or wait for a downhill to help brake.