2nd question of day!

[Mookie]

I only saw one train and have two questions. We are a hump yard.
If you have your train all made up - when do they put the Fred on? Does someone drive clear to the end of a say a really long grain train in one of those little cushmans we see all the time and stick it on, or do they stop the train while the tail is still in the yard and then stick it on?

Mookie should have one of those for MIllie! And flashing ditch lights and a whistle and......a bigger mirror. Eh?

[CShaveRR]

It has to be on before the train departs, as a reading from the FRED is an essential part of the air test.

In our hump yard the trains are pulled out of the classification bowl by yard engines and put onto a departure track. It is there that an inspection is made, train lines connected, brake shoes changed out if necessary, and the FRED put on. They are connected to "yard air" to help charge the train line, but a real brake test can't begin until the power has been tied on. The FRED will inform the engineer of the train-line pressure, and evidence of a reduction in the pressure when brakes are applied is needed in a successful brake test (that isn't all that's needed, of course; you have to make sure the brakes apply--and stay applied--on each car, then release when they're supposed to).

[mudchicken]

CShaveRR:

Before you assist Mookie into retrofitting Millie, have you explained the difference between a "smart" FRED ETM and a "dumb" FRED ETD? Or why "all black & blinkin" on a rollby is a good thing?

Having rescued a few wayward FREDS out on the R/W, why would any self respecting FRED out for a nice ride suddenly want to hop off in the middle of Kansas? and the head end not notice that FRED left?

Snowblind Bird

[Mookie]

Well, everyone is at work or up to their tailfeathers in snow - so will check back on this tomorrow.

Hey - MC - keep it! We finally got rid of ours with a good rain!

Moo

[Modelcar]

....No snow in central Indiana now for about 10 days or so....

[Anonymous]

What's all this Fred talk?

Are they thinking of getting rid of the Caboose?

[Anonymous]

TWO QUESTIONS!!! TWO!! You are clearly over your bag limit. See the court clerk in room 321 about your fine young lady...

1) You put the marker (FRED or EOTD) on when the train has been doubled together and you are ready to perform the Initial Terminal Air Brake Test.

2) Could be either way. At larger yards it is probably put on by a carman/car inspector (on one of those cushmans) operating under blue flag protection. In smaller yards the conductor will inspect his train and hang the marker after putting in new batteries. IN either case, whomever hangs the marker usually helps the engineer set the marker for the lead locomotive's HOTD.

LC

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

I only saw one train and have two questions. We are a hump yard.
If you have your train all made up - when do they put the Fred on? Does someone drive clear to the end of a say a really long grain train in one of those little cushmans we see all the time and stick it on, or do they stop the train while the tail is still in the yard and then stick it on?

Mookie should have one of those for MIllie! And flashing ditch lights and a whistle and......a bigger mirror. Eh?

[edblysard]

It gets even more complicated...
If the entire train is within one track, and blue flag protection can be applied at both ends of the track, then a carman or car inspector can hang and arm the EOT.
If any portion of the train is outside the confines of a single track, and blue flag protection can not be provided at both end, then the conductor, who is the only person (outside of the engineer) in control of the train must hang and arm the device.
If a train is under a blue flag protection, then the person in control is the person who placed the blue flag, even if a engineer or crew is on board, they can not move the train.
In fact, all they are allowed to do is, under the orders of the person who placed the flag, set and release the brakes.
There is even a little blue flag, a blue plastic tab, on a beaded key chain, that the carmen place on the reverser handle, to remind the crew that the train is under blue flag protection.

We rountinly double and triple over tracks, then drag the rear end up to the carmans shanty, where our conductors hang and arm the EOT.

The conductor then take the "cab" to the head end.

Most of the time, the EOT has already been placed on the rear, by the carmen when they work the bottom, or last track, so all we need to do is drag up, put in the battery pack, and arm the EOT.
Because the tracks have already been worked with ground air, all we need now is a set and release, and we are done.

Ed

[CShaveRR]

I will defer to Ed's experience and knowledge on this subject...last time I was out on the main line I had a waycar!

"All black and blinking" is an expression I've used (or words to that effect) when radio-equipped and encountering a train. Of course, most of the times I'm out and about, FRED's not really blinking...

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

CShaveRR:

Before you assist Mookie into retrofitting Millie, have you explained the difference between a "smart" FRED ETM and a "dumb" FRED ETD? Or why "all black & blinkin" on a rollby is a good thing?

Having rescued a few wayward FREDS out on the R/W, why would any self respecting FRED out for a nice ride suddenly want to hop off in the middle of Kansas? and the head end not notice that FRED left?

Snowblind Bird

Boy this is going to get expensive, since I have a 3rd question. Is ETM "end of train manager" and ETD - "end of train device" and aren't they the same?

How would FRED get off and not be noticed on the front end - nap time again?

Speak slowly - Mook isn't quite awake yet.

[rrnut282]

Most FREDs send a signal warning the crew of a low battery in the FRED. This can last for hours if it's a good battery or minutes on a battery that needs to go to the recyclying bin. A train can proceed with a dead FRED at 30mph or less (at least on NS), but cannot pass or depart a terminal without it working. Having said all that to say a crew could assume the battery went dead when in fact they were out of range of the radio signal. What I want to know is how can the FRED depart the train and leave the air intact since the FRED is supposed to be connected the train line.

[espeefoamer]

I haven't been in the east in quite a few years.Is the Pennsylvania Railroad still using cabin cars?[;)]