I suppose that's better than an old locomotive, after several cab repaints, in which a switch might be labelled simply "D" (for ditch lights)...
Most of our coaches are from Canadian sources and include plenty of bi-lingual labels. There's some French evident in our RS18u's, but it's not universal.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Paul_D_North_JrThat's pretty funny ! Would like to see what that looks like sometime.
Presumably the 'fairly standard' depiction of a lit headlight, which is kinda sorta the shape of a parabolic sealed-beam lamp with little dashes for the rays coming out of it. Presumably this has a little picture with the appropriate end of the engine next to it, probably with an arrow (or in some of the newer 'semantic' representations, a little pointing-finger hand) to a little dot that shows where the physical light is supposed to be installed.
I don't know what GE's 'multicultural' representation of the control that gets lights to blink is going to be. I'd expect two little circles on a picture of the front of the engine, where the ditch lights are, one dark and the other showing those little dashes. And that opens up the question whether you 'ought' to have one control that puts the ditch lights on and another that modifies the blinking once they are on, or whether you have one control that puts the ditch lights on steady and another that puts them on blinking, each independent of the other. And figuring this out from pictograms of the usual Euro type, without recourse to a manual that often seems to have been written by an ambitious ESL student, is not likely to be as simple as the bright folks who designed the semantics probably think it is.
I have maintained for many years that it does little harm to put actual English labels under the pictograms to explain what they mean. Or at least provide some sort of explanation that an operator understands and can access, like the little pull-out reference slip on Olivetti ET typewriters. OCD graphic designers don't much care for this, apparently thinking that if only you adopt their way of looking at the world you won't have any trouble comprehending their visual syntax. IBM design engineers had much the same attitude designing error-code systems and 'MAPs' for minicomputers.
BTW -- what was the Spanish notation on the incomprehensible switch? I can try translating it...
During one of my trips up to the Horseshoe Curve I saw and photographed a UP engine on an eastbound train. I also see a lot of foreign power on the csx running on trains through town. Foreign power is a common practice these days.
Overmod Paul_D_North_Jr That's pretty funny ! Would like to see what that looks like sometime. Presumably the 'fairly standard' depiction of a lit headlight, which is kinda sorta the shape of a parabolic sealed-beam lamp with little dashes for the rays coming out of it. Presumably this has a little picture with the appropriate end of the engine next to it, probably with an arrow (or in some of the newer 'semantic' representations, a little pointing-finger hand) to a little dot that shows where the physical light is supposed to be installed. I don't know what GE's 'multicultural' representation of the control that gets lights to blink is going to be. I'd expect two little circles on a picture of the front of the engine, where the ditch lights are, one dark and the other showing those little dashes. And that opens up the question whether you 'ought' to have one control that puts the ditch lights on and another that modifies the blinking once they are on, or whether you have one control that puts the ditch lights on steady and another that puts them on blinking, each independent of the other. And figuring this out from pictograms of the usual Euro type, without recourse to a manual that often seems to have been written by an ambitious ESL student, is not likely to be as simple as the bright folks who designed the semantics probably think it is. I have maintained for many years that it does little harm to put actual English labels under the pictograms to explain what they mean. Or at least provide some sort of explanation that an operator understands and can access, like the little pull-out reference slip on Olivetti ET typewriters. OCD graphic designers don't much care for this, apparently thinking that if only you adopt their way of looking at the world you won't have any trouble comprehending their visual syntax. IBM design engineers had much the same attitude designing error-code systems and 'MAPs' for minicomputers. BTW -- what was the Spanish notation on the incomprehensible switch? I can try translating it...
Paul_D_North_Jr That's pretty funny ! Would like to see what that looks like sometime.
As to the ditch light flashing switch, ours (with the exception of some old SP engines) don't flash. The attendent call button is marked with a telephone hand set. I imagine with the growth of cell/smart phones, eventually we'll have people who won't recognize the symbol.
Jeff
jeffhergertI imagine with the growth of cell/smart phones, eventually we'll have people who won't recognize the symbol.
The "Save" icon on many menu bars is a 3.5" floppy disc. When was the last time you used a 3.5" floppy disc?
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
jeffhergert The attendent call button is marked with a telephone hand set.
The attendent call button is marked with a telephone hand set.
OvermodPresumably the 'fairly standard' depiction of a lit headlight, which is kinda sorta the shape of a parabolic sealed-beam lamp with little dashes for the rays coming out of it. Presumably this has a little picture with the appropriate end of the engine next to it, probably with an arrow (or in some of the newer 'semantic' representations, a little pointing-finger hand) to a little dot that shows where the physical light is supposed to be installed.
It's the jellyfish symbol. You probably have at least one in your car. My truck warns of single blue jellyfish and double green ones.
Jellyfish attacking the front of the engine from a direct, head on course for forward headlights, attacking rear for rear ones. Then another knob has jellyfish launching an assault on the engine from the ground for ditchlights (and again a rear assault for those lights).
OvermodI don't know what GE's 'multicultural' representation of the control that gets lights to blink is going to be. I'd expect two little circles on a picture of the front of the engine, where the ditch lights are, one dark and the other showing those little dashes. And that opens up the question whether you 'ought' to have one control that puts the ditch lights on and another that modifies the blinking once they are on, or whether you have one control that puts the ditch lights on steady and another that puts them on blinking, each independent of the other
I believe it is: ((O)) for flashing and ☼ for steady if I remember right.
Most of our engines, you have a switch to turn the ditchlights off, steady on (if the headlight is on bright) or flashing (headlight doesn't matter), and another switch to determine long hood or short hood end. Also a button to activate the flashing for 30 seconds. Of course the horn also activates 30 seconds of flashing no matter the setting.
Some older engines used the reverser to determine which end the ditchlights activate.
Keep in mind that a lot of this is railroad-specific and even locomotive model specific. Some roads/engines the ditchlights come on with the bright headlights automatically. Others have complete independent control of the ditchlights. So you can leave the headlight on dim and keep the ditchlights on.
It's really not a big deal. Most of the switches are in the standard places, and labels aren't even needed. It's just amusing.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
jeffhergertThe attendent call button is marked with a telephone hand set.
I've tried using that on our Polar Express trips. Have yet to have anyone show up with hot chocolate and a cookie...
Having to try to deal with computers and modern cars, I have come to the conclusion that I'm just iconically illiterate.
I still laugh when I think about the first time about 50 years ago that I saw the symbol for handicapped accessible (the stick figure in a wheelchair). I thought it meant restroom.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
tree68 jeffhergert The attendent call button is marked with a telephone hand set. I've tried using that on our Polar Express trips. Have yet to have anyone show up with hot chocolate and a cookie...
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
BaltACD Paul_D_North_Jr Mookie I thought NS didn't have DPUs ? Or maybe just a few for run-throughs like this ? I don't believe they're used a lot on the home rails - correct, or not ? - Paul North. Can't speak to NS directly, CSX's last several orders of new locomotives have been equipped for DPU. Selectively CSX has been training crews on specific territories on the use of DPU. CSX has had to install a number of 'radio repeaters' to permit the use of DPU's as they require reliable communications between the control unit and the distributed units and many of the territories where DPU is intended to be used do not have the proper 'line of sight' to create reliable end to end radio communications. I suspect NS may be undertaking the same process.
Paul_D_North_Jr Mookie I thought NS didn't have DPUs ? Or maybe just a few for run-throughs like this ? I don't believe they're used a lot on the home rails - correct, or not ? - Paul North.
Mookie
I thought NS didn't have DPUs ? Or maybe just a few for run-throughs like this ? I don't believe they're used a lot on the home rails - correct, or not ?
- Paul North.
Can't speak to NS directly, CSX's last several orders of new locomotives have been equipped for DPU. Selectively CSX has been training crews on specific territories on the use of DPU. CSX has had to install a number of 'radio repeaters' to permit the use of DPU's as they require reliable communications between the control unit and the distributed units and many of the territories where DPU is intended to be used do not have the proper 'line of sight' to create reliable end to end radio communications. I suspect NS may be undertaking the same process.
I wish that were the case with CSX. My subdivision has been running DP 5-6 years now, long before it started hitting the mainlines (I work on a coal loading subdivision with a top speed of 25mph that feeds the mainline). They were going to do things right with having classes for all Engineers to be trained on it, had an Engineer already selected to teach these classes and sent him to learn directly from GE. Then Jacksonville or Atlanta stepped in, they sent the Engineer back to running trains, cancelled all classes, started running DP trains on the mainlines and figure it out on your own or we'll charge you for delaying a train.
rockymidlandrr BaltACD Paul_D_North_Jr Mookie I thought NS didn't have DPUs ? Or maybe just a few for run-throughs like this ? I don't believe they're used a lot on the home rails - correct, or not ? - Paul North. Can't speak to NS directly, CSX's last several orders of new locomotives have been equipped for DPU. Selectively CSX has been training crews on specific territories on the use of DPU. CSX has had to install a number of 'radio repeaters' to permit the use of DPU's as they require reliable communications between the control unit and the distributed units and many of the territories where DPU is intended to be used do not have the proper 'line of sight' to create reliable end to end radio communications. I suspect NS may be undertaking the same process. I wish that were the case with CSX. My subdivision has been running DP 5-6 years now, long before it started hitting the mainlines (I work on a coal loading subdivision with a top speed of 25mph that feeds the mainline). They were going to do things right with having classes for all Engineers to be trained on it, had an Engineer already selected to teach these classes and sent him to learn directly from GE. Then Jacksonville or Atlanta stepped in, they sent the Engineer back to running trains, cancelled all classes, started running DP trains on the mainlines and figure it out on your own or we'll charge you for delaying a train.
Johnny
UP #1988 Katy and 1982 MoPac were open for public inspection and had UP crews on board to answer questions. The 'Attendant Call' button was noticed, and the UP Engineer in the cab, responded that pushing it would bring the on-board stewardess with coffee and catering. The ladies that had asked that question seemed taken aback, but responded; how nice of the railroad to provide that service for the crews....
Deggesty rockymidlandrr BaltACD Paul_D_North_Jr Mookie I thought NS didn't have DPUs ? Or maybe just a few for run-throughs like this ? I don't believe they're used a lot on the home rails - correct, or not ? - Paul North. Can't speak to NS directly, CSX's last several orders of new locomotives have been equipped for DPU. Selectively CSX has been training crews on specific territories on the use of DPU. CSX has had to install a number of 'radio repeaters' to permit the use of DPU's as they require reliable communications between the control unit and the distributed units and many of the territories where DPU is intended to be used do not have the proper 'line of sight' to create reliable end to end radio communications. I suspect NS may be undertaking the same process. I wish that were the case with CSX. My subdivision has been running DP 5-6 years now, long before it started hitting the mainlines (I work on a coal loading subdivision with a top speed of 25mph that feeds the mainline). They were going to do things right with having classes for all Engineers to be trained on it, had an Engineer already selected to teach these classes and sent him to learn directly from GE. Then Jacksonville or Atlanta stepped in, they sent the Engineer back to running trains, cancelled all classes, started running DP trains on the mainlines and figure it out on your own or we'll charge you for delaying a train. The cancellation of the classes strikes me as being penny wise and pound foolish. Was any instruction as to handling DP distributed?
The cancellation of the classes strikes me as being penny wise and pound foolish. Was any instruction as to handling DP distributed?
Nope!! It had to be learned amongst ourselves without any company help. There are still plenty of folks on the mainline trains who still do not know how to set it up or knock it down if they needed to.
Would like to flip the title.. " BNSF engines on foreign lines " On The CSX A&WP sub south of Atlanta there will be as many as 28 - 30 BNSF units a day on the BNSF intermodal haulage trains on CSX. CSX manifests only have 2 locos.
Only very ocasionaly will there be a csx unit on a BNSF train. BNSF has 4 of their locos on each intermodal. Three always running with 4th in standby ? The three seem to be needed on the CSX Lineville sub ( LaGrange - Birmingham ) to meet schedule.
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