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Getting on and off of moving trains..

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Posted by traisessive1 on Saturday, August 28, 2010 2:35 AM

I  can't speak for CN's lines in the USA 'cause I'm not sure.

10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ... 

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 11:03 PM

traisessive1

Apparently people missed where I put that CN would discipline you if you stopped your train every time you needed to get on and off.

I caught that, and it is interesting that CN takes that position.  But, at what level has elimination of the practice of getting on and off of moving equipment been implemented and by whom?  Was this something mandatded by the FRA, or did all the class 1 railroads just decide to outlaw the practice simultaneously?   Where does this ruling apply and not apply?

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Posted by traisessive1 on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 10:50 PM

Apparently people missed where I put that CN would discipline you if you stopped your train every time you needed to get on and off.

10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ... 

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 9:26 PM

Regarding the elimination of the fatigue of getting on and off of moving equipment that comes from prohibiting it, it almost seems like it would be more work hanging onto a car ladder until it stopped rather than just getting off on the fly when there is no more reason to ride it. 

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Posted by narig01 on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 8:16 PM

 Saw this. To put it lightly is this getting off on the wrong foot?

Thx IGN

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 7:41 PM

OK, I get it now - likewise, I use "square root of 5" as a numerical equivalent of "Whatever . . ." or "Who knows ? . . . " in conversation.  Interesting that we would both select Sq Rt expressions . . .  Whistling  - PDN. 

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 11:41 AM

 You're right:  I mised a set of parenthesis. 

 It was originally a duplicate post. And I'm told it messes up the forum if there's nothing in a post or just simple period, so.....

 

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 11:36 AM

Close - I believe the ''2a'' also belongs inside the SqRt parens and is subject to its operation.

But how that 'c' and the quadratic equation relates to anything, I don't 'see' either . . . Confused

- PDN. 

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 10:25 AM

Unintended repeat.  Nothing to see here. 

 

-b+or-(sqrt(b^2-4ac)/2a)

 

I think.... 

 

 

 

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 10:25 AM

Dutchrailnut

lets get clear again on just about all American railroads, getting on and off moving equipment is prohibited and a wilfull rule violation.

If caught your career is history.

 

 

The major roads, many of the msaller roads don't really seem to care (as evident in this thread).

 

And I've yet to hear of someone being fired for getting on or off moving equipment.  Disciplined?  Yes.  But you can't do much without being disciplined anymore....

 

So let's not get overly-dramatic.  

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by edblysard on Monday, August 23, 2010 2:07 PM

Yup, all switches flop over at least once!

zugmann

 Guess he just got fixated on the switch and lost all perspective.  A few small mistakes can lead to some really, really big ones...

 

Of course maybe if certain carriers wouldn't freak out over a simple run-through switch...

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Posted by Dutchrailnut on Monday, August 23, 2010 1:57 PM

lets get clear again on just about all American railroads, getting on and off moving equipment is prohibited and a wilfull rule violation.

If caught your career is history.

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Monday, August 23, 2010 10:19 AM

This isn't an issue that's confined just to railroads. 

The other day a 'traditional' garbage truck crossed the street in front of me and as soon as it got to the other side, the 2 fellows hanging on the back- "runners" is what they're called locally - dropped off while it was still rolling slowly to a stop, and then threw the stuff from a few cans in.  I didn;t stay to watch, but I know from seeing them before that mounting up while the truck is rolling by is also common, particularly after it has turned around, etc.  On the other hand, few people ride a garbage truck for a significant portion of their lives, so there may be less risk of long-term joint damage and injuries, etc. 

But I wonder if there are any other industries besides railroading and garbage that may involve so much boarding and dismounting of moving equipment as part of their daily operations.  Any nominations ?

- Paul North. 

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Posted by JS_IN_KY on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 1:56 PM

Our museum railroad allows getting on and off of moving trains and pretty much everyone does it.  I think it's a dangerous practice on that railroad.  They give no training at all on the proper way to get on and off of a moving trains,  the members that operate the trains don't do it for a full time job, some are only there a time or two a month if that so they tend to be a little rusty when they first start working anyway, and the majority of the members are probably 60 plus (some well past that age) so they aren't in the best of shape to be doing it anyway.  Also we don't do much switching and usually run 3 - 4 car trains so the small amount of time it saves isn't worth the risks involved with doing it with an untrained inexperienced crew.

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 1:19 PM

Now, this CSX runaway is starting to sound plausible. 

 

In his book, “CALL THE BIG HOOK,” author Sam Dougherty details the problem of engineers falsely believing they are in dynamic brake mode and mistakenly applying power with the throttle while thinking they are increasing field strength for dynamic braking.  Dougherty says this was a common mistake that he had observed engineers making on several occasions.   And on several other occasions, this mistake caused wrecks.  He goes on to describe the details of one such wreck on the D&RGW near Crater, CO, on 12/25/68, where the engineer mistakenly applied power, causing the train to runaway on a downgrade.

 

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Posted by WSOR 3801 on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 12:53 AM

 I guess it depends on the kind of control stand in the engine in question.  Older ones have one like this:

The throttle lever does power and dynamic.  Selector in the upper right to switch between.  Still should have felt going up through the notches though.

To alleviate such problems, most Dash-2s and newer have separate levers, like this:

The knobs are turned different, go the opposite way, etc.  Easy to tell apart.

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Posted by traisessive1 on Monday, August 16, 2010 4:11 PM

And in single sub service you can book up to 8 hours rest after 10.

Also, in Canada you can work two back to back road tours ( go off duty and immediately go back on duty ... as long as the first one is not over 10 hours) for a total continous operational time of 18 hours. Working 18 hours straight is a looooong time.

 In yard service you can do two back to back 8 hour shifts for a total of 16 hours continous.

You are also allowed 16 hours continuous in work train service.

10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ... 

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Posted by enr2099 on Monday, August 16, 2010 3:54 PM

Paul_D_North_Jr

 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year'' - isn't there an ''Hours of Service Law'' up north ?  Mischief 

 

 

No, we have rather archaic work-rest rules compared to the US HOS rules.Our rest clauses are negotiated between the union and the company and varies through different collective agreements. For example an employee working under the BC Rail agreement can take unlimited rest after a shift/trip, whereas a CN employee on the mainline can only take 14 hrs after a yard shift, 24 after a road trip,  or 48 hrs after making 1075 miles.

The work-rest rules allow for 8 hrs rest after working 12 hrs. 

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Monday, August 16, 2010 1:42 PM

zugmann
   Guess he just got fixated on the switch and lost all perspective.  [snip] 

I understand that when this happens to pilots, the aviation industry refers to it as '' 'head-in-the-cockpit' syndrome''. 

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Posted by traisessive1 on Monday, August 16, 2010 11:06 AM

CN's GOI still has a whole section about entraining and detraining moving equipment. They permit it up to 4mph. 

On the negative side, CN is probably the only railroad that will discipline an employee for stopping a movement to get on or off - delay to assignment.

10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ... 

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Posted by zugmann on Monday, August 16, 2010 10:58 AM

 Guess he just got fixated on the switch and lost all perspective.  A few small mistakes can lead to some really, really big ones...

 

Of course maybe if certain carriers wouldn't freak out over a simple run-through switch...

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by ValleyX on Monday, August 16, 2010 10:49 AM
zugmann

 How old was this engineer?   One of the newer guys that thinks the big handle will bite?

 

zugmann

 How old was this engineer?   One of the newer guys that thinks the big handle will bite?

 

I don't know how old he was but I know he wasn't a beginner and he wasn't a young man. That, from an acquaintance who knows him.
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Posted by zugmann on Monday, August 16, 2010 9:41 AM

 How old was this engineer?   One of the newer guys that thinks the big handle will bite?

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by coborn35 on Monday, August 16, 2010 9:24 AM
ValleyX

 Why wouldn't the dynamic do anything, Coburn?  If he had the speed down and good dynamic, it should have brought it right down.  Was it equipped with extended range dynamic?  I don't know.  I've never understood how he slapped it into eight notch power, thinking he'd put it in dynamic. 

 

I've  always thought he wasn't really paying attention and then, there it was, switch lined against him.  Whoops, he thought he could save the situation but what would have been a run-through switch, became a nationwide story.  It sucked to be him THAT day.
He realized they wouldn't stop in time, and threw them into full dynos (actually throttle) while he hopped off and attempted to grab the switch before they ran through.

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Posted by sandiego on Monday, August 16, 2010 1:23 AM

 

"GETTING OFF MOVING EQUIPMENT METHOD #2:

 

Take your trailing leg off of the engine steps or car stirrup, and cross it over behind your leading leg.  Bend your leading leg to lower your body, and prepare to step onto the ground with your trailing leg.  When your trailing foot impacts the ground, the force will tend to rotate your body away from the equipment.  As it does so, let the rotation disengage your leading foot from the engine steps or car stirrup, while at the same time, let go of the engine railing or car ladder rung with your leading hand.  As this rotation on your trailing leg continues, bring your leading foot down to the ground to take the next step, and let go of the engine railing or car ladder rung with your trailing hand."

 

This was the way I was taught on both the CNW and BN, I wouldn't want to try the Method 1 described.

 

I enjoyed getting on and off moving equipment (except at night when trying to board a locomotive run by a hot-shot engineer in a pitch black yard; I wouldn't get on, the engine went by, engineer eventually stopped). It's like riding a bicycle, once you learn you never forget how (although after 15 or so years I would need some practice before getting on or off at 10 MPH again).

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 15, 2010 3:59 PM

zugmann

Bucyrus

zugmann

 We can armchair quarterback this thing all day... but unless any of us were there - our guesses hold no merit. 

I am not guessing what happened.  But I can readily determine that none of explanations of what happened that I have heard seem plausible.  Was this incident blamed on the engineer?  If so, what rules were violated?

 

Well, then you are guessing at the plausability at the explanation given.  Second-guessing, if you will.  You say the engineer should have heard the engines throttle up.  But I've seen many engineers deaf as a post. 

 

Anyone ever see a link to a FRA report?  

I am just saying that for me the explanation is not plausible.  However, if the official explanation disclosed that the engineer was deaf, then it may be plausible, depending on the rest of the facts.  Maybe the FRA report contains an explanation that I would find thoroughly plausible. 

One thing I would like to know is whether the locomotive was stopped before the engineer got off of it.  If it was stopped, and the engineer inadvertently opened the thottle to notch #8 as he got out of his seat, I would think the locomotive would have begun moving before the engineer hit the ground.  That certainly should have alerted him that something was wrong. 

It seems implausible that the engineer could have gotten so far away from the locomotive before it began to move that the locomotive was able to gain so much speed that the engineer could not have gotten back on. 

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Posted by zugmann on Sunday, August 15, 2010 3:07 PM

Bucyrus

zugmann

 We can armchair quarterback this thing all day... but unless any of us were there - our guesses hold no merit. 

I am not guessing what happened.  But I can readily determine that none of explanations of what happened that I have heard seem plausible.  Was this incident blamed on the engineer?  If so, what rules were violated?

 

Well, then you are guessing at the plausability at the explanation given.  Second-guessing, if you will.  You say the engineer should have heard the engines throttle up.  But I've seen many engineers deaf as a post. 

 

Anyone ever see a link to a FRA report?  

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Ray Dunakin on Sunday, August 15, 2010 2:48 PM
A while back my dad was telling me about when he was a brakeman for the Southern Pacific, way back in the winter of 1950-51. He was working up in Oregon and Washington at the time, and had to get on an off moving trains all the time even when coated with ice or snow. He said he liked railroad work but the winters are what made him quit.
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 15, 2010 2:29 PM

zugmann

 We can armchair quarterback this thing all day... but unless any of us were there - our guesses hold no merit. 

I am not guessing what happened.  But I can readily determine that none of explanations of what happened that I have heard seem plausible.  Was this incident blamed on the engineer?  If so, what rules were violated?

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