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FRA says push-pull passenger operations safe
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[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by Paul3</i> <br /><br />GP40-2 wrote: <br />[quote]QUOTE: Have any of you seen/riden on Boston's MBTA push/pull operations? <br /> <br />They don't even have a cab car---talk about unsafe for the engineer! On the inbound push operation, the engineer stands (no seat available) for the whole trip in the vestibule of the front car and looks out either the window in the closed center door or the side window of the car. The only controls are the throttle, brake, and spedometer.[/quote] <br /> <br />GP40-2, you obviously don't know what you are talking about (or your sarcasm is waaay to deep for me, one or the other...). I commuted for 5 years on the MBTA out of Mansfield, and I've lost count of the number of cab cars I've ridden in over the years (they are used in the middle of trains at times). If the MBTA doesn't have cab cars, then what are these: <br /> <br />http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2005061917211022246.jpg <br /> <br />http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2005031317044010016.jpg <br /> <br />The engineer does not stand all the way. Do you honestly think the union would allow that? There's a seat that folds out from the vestabule wall. <br /> <br />And please note that in the above photos, there is a cab window for the engineer and for the conductor if he's standing there. Notice the anti-rock grills and the windsheid wipers. This means that said engineer does not have to stick his head out of the side widow or look throught the center door to see where he's going. <br /> <br />You're also wrong about the controls. There is much more than just the throttle, brakes, and speedometer. There's the two air gauges showing cylinder pressure and brakepipe pressure, controls for the headlight, whistle, sander, (yes, the cab cars have sanders), bell, and others. It's a full cab, just a very small one. <br /> <br />artmark wrote: <br />[quote]QUOTE: That's not a cab-car, that's a streetcar. A sophisticated back-up move at best. How do the MBTA engineers put up with that? I wouldn't.[/quote] <br /> <br />They don't put up with it because GP40-2 is dead wrong in just about everything he posted about the MBTA. [:)] <br /> <br />Paul A. Cutler III <br />****************** <br />Weather Or No Go New Haven <br />****************** <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />Paul, <br />I'm glad you cleared that up. I had remembered seeing real cab cars in Boston years ago and couldn't imagine what happened. When I first read the post about just having the vestibule door and side windows to look out of I thought hat a mis-quided public agency had finally gone too far with goofing things up. One can never tell where the majesty of cost cutting can take men's minds. <br /> <br />As a former engineman myself I couldn't see union enginemen putting up with that kind of operating condition for a moment. But then I thought maybe MBTA has gotten to the point where only 90 day wonders are hired in engine service. <br /> <br />Thanks again for the post. <br /> <br />Mitch
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