Trains.com

Rookie Railfan Questions 2.0

10100 views
154 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, June 11, 2020 2:48 PM

Semper Vaporo
Those revenue limits were invented by committee!  And some of the members had an agenda!

Nothing happens in the human world without someone having an agenda!  

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, June 11, 2020 3:00 PM

zugmann

 

 
steve-in-kville
Are regional railroads and shortline the same thing?

 

Will this work?

 

I am a bit puzzled: one section states that gross revenues are a determining factor, and the other section mentions earnings as being a factor. Revenue and earnings are not the same, for your expenses reduce your earnings--unless you have some kind-hearted individual who covers your expenses.

Johnny

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Denver / La Junta
  • 10,820 posts
Posted by mudchicken on Thursday, June 11, 2020 6:34 PM

Johnny: first question somebody has to ask is by whose definition? (AAR or FRA)...they are different and only AAR openly uses the term "regional"...FRA just uses "Class 2".....They get used for different purposes and calculations.

Non-railroad muggles (like somewhat civil engineers/ rubber-tired tribe) get all confuzzed with FRA Class of Track (49CFR213) vs FRA/STB size of Railroad (49CFR1201). Add-in the AAR classes/ size catagories and brain cells begin to self destruct spontaeniously (sp?).Bang HeadBang HeadBang Head

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, June 11, 2020 8:14 PM

I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that if your expenses are greater than your income, you are not really earning anything. This may be a semantics thing.

Johnny

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Central Iowa
  • 6,901 posts
Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, June 11, 2020 9:54 PM

zugmann

 

 
SD70Dude
A penalty brake application also occurs when the alerter/RSC finishes counting down without being reset.  It can also occur when any of the systems mentioned malfunctions, which is probably more common than actual unsafe events. 

 

Alerter, cab signal drop not acknowledged, PTC/LSL enforcement if it doesnt think you are slowing down enough (PTC can do an emergency application if it really freaks out), brake fault, probably some other things too. 

 

The penalty brake application will also open the PCS, pneumatic control switch or power control switch-take your pick.  This causes the engine to go to idle.  

A penalty application is a full service application, not an emergency application.  To recover, the automatic brake valve is placed in suppression.

When our ATC dropped to restricting above 40 mph, we have 6 seconds to go to suppression.  Suppression also causes a full service application, but keeps the PCS from opening.

Jeff 

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Monday, June 15, 2020 4:03 AM
I've seen the same heritage unit (Wabash) two weeks in a row going the same direction. Fancy that.

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Monday, June 15, 2020 5:15 AM

steve-in-kville
I've seen the same heritage unit (Wabash) two weeks in a row going the same direction. Fancy that.

There's a chance it's running between two points and you simply haven't seen the return trip.  

Very cool, though.  I like the Wabash scheme.

 

 

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Monday, June 15, 2020 6:14 AM
That may be only the fifth or sixth special paint I've seen while actively railfanning. I once saw an orange BNSF unit tethered to an NS unit at the front of a train, but that was from a distance. That one had me scratching my head a little.

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, June 15, 2020 10:17 AM

I've got six photographed (CG, VGN, PC, INT, DL&W and RDG) and almost all of them sighted.  Of course, it helps that that I ride to and from work everyday on an ex-Wabash line (Southwest Service).

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 4:37 AM
I've seen Lackawana (sp?), Georgia, the above mentioned Wabash, a special paint DC to AC unit. A few others that I knew were different, but it was too early in my "career" to know what I was seeing.

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Friday, June 26, 2020 4:33 AM
So if there is a special paint/heritage unit in a train, is it always the lead locomotive? So far that has been my experience.

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Friday, June 26, 2020 7:08 AM

steve-in-kville
So if there is a special paint/heritage unit in a train, is it always the lead locomotive? So far that has been my experience.

On the home road, I'd imagine they make an effort to do that.  Run through power on another railroad possibly not so much.

OTOH, if it's facing the wrong direction and there's no way to turn it, it'll at least be the second unit.  And if it's in one of those increasingly rare spots that requires special equipment in order to lead, not.

I've seen them in positions other than lead.

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Friday, June 26, 2020 8:54 AM

What kind of special equipment? Like different technologies?

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, June 26, 2020 10:15 AM

Special equipment includes ATS or cab signals, creep control, etc.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Monday, June 29, 2020 5:41 AM
In our nearby town, we have several crossings back to back, not enough time to use a full sequence on the horn. Is there a protocol for such situations? Just do the best they can? Make something up?

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Monday, June 29, 2020 7:19 AM

You'll hear variations.  Some will just repeat the sequence, ignoring the part about the last long blast when crossing the road.  As I recall, that's pretty much what the rule says.

One spot I know of with two crossings immediately adjacent to each other often produces long-long-short-long-short-long.

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Louisiana
  • 2,310 posts
Posted by Paul of Covington on Monday, June 29, 2020 1:57 PM

    I've noticed locally, where tracks cross city blocks diagonally, for some of the really close crossings the engineer just prolongs the final long blast to cover two crossings.

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 6:23 AM
I'm seeing lots of container trains, of varying arrangements. One thing I noticed are maybe six well cars that share the same trucks, almost like they are permanently coupled. Is there a name for these cars?

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 7:11 AM

They are articulated sets, and they are as you note 'permanently coupled'.  Of further note, most have larger wheels in the 'central' trucks than on the ends.  I have not seen them in sets of 6; 5 or 3 are more common.

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 7:28 AM

steve-in-kville
I'm seeing lots of container trains, of varying arrangements. One thing I noticed are maybe six well cars that share the same trucks, almost like they are permanently coupled. Is there a name for these cars?

Articulated cars would be the proper name.

Where I worked they were referred to as 5 packers and 3 packers.  The 5 packers have 5 wells to hold containers, the 3 packers have 3 wells.  The wells can hold multiple containers.  While it is possible for the wells to hold up to 4 twenty foot containers, I can't recall seeing that configuration; most normally I see 2 twenty footers on the bottom and they are topped with 40, 48 or 53 foot top container.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 8:22 AM
Are the containers just sitting in the wells, or are they latched somehow? I never could tell.

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 9:46 AM

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania
  • 225 posts
Posted by steve-in-kville on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 6:02 AM
Just another random observation... I started to focus on locomotives other than the lead loco. Why would the rear lights be turned on the second (or third) loco when running elephant style? I've also seen cab lights turned on with DPU's as well. Do these things serve a purpose?

Regards - Steve

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 2:12 PM

Not really.  Someone forgot to flip a switch.

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Central Iowa
  • 6,901 posts
Posted by jeffhergert on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 8:23 PM

We're required to have interior lights on at night on trailing units that are running.  (Actually producing power or isolated).  If the unit is shut down, they don't need to be on.  It's a safety thing for crewmembers going inside the cab at night.

Jeff

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 10:37 PM

jeffhergert
We're required to have interior lights on at night on trailing units that are running.  (Actually producing power or isolated).  If the unit is shut down, they don't need to be on.  It's a safety thing for crewmembers going inside the cab at night.

Jeff

It must be a UP thing - never heard of such a rule on CSX.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • From: I've been everywhere, man
  • 4,269 posts
Posted by SD70Dude on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 11:17 PM

BaltACD
jeffhergert
We're required to have interior lights on at night on trailing units that are running.  (Actually producing power or isolated).  If the unit is shut down, they don't need to be on.  It's a safety thing for crewmembers going inside the cab at night.

Jeff

It must be a UP thing - never heard of such a rule on CSX.

Same here (CN in Canada).  Never heard of anyone having to do that.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 10:58 AM

I would suppose that lights on in an unoccupied cab would also let someone observing a train as it passes see if there's someone in the cab.  Especially if there's not supposed to be...

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Iowa
  • 3,293 posts
Posted by Semper Vaporo on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 2:18 PM

tree68

I would suppose that lights on in an unoccupied cab would also let someone observing a train as it passes see if there's someone in the cab.  Especially if there's not supposed to be...

True, but how is the average citizen or railfan to know whe belongs there?  I read on this forum that sometimes supervisors and deadheading employees ride in trailing locos.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 7:31 PM

I wouldn't expect John Q Public to know the difference - it would be company officials doing  roll-by that would know.  If the person was wearing a high vis vest, it might take a call to the lead loco to see if they were aware of a rider...

LarryWhistling
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...

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy