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Tailgating

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Posted by zugmann on Thursday, March 26, 2020 12:22 PM

BaltACD
Back in the day when it was routine for 'butterfly replacers' to be carried on locomotives for jobs that worked industries (where track was less than great).  The crews would then claim a 3 hour arbitrary payment for rerailing cars.

Now found on the front bumper of wreck trucks. 

And if a T&E crew tried to rerail their own cars (at least on our little big RR), you'd be lucky to have a job the next day - but you probably won't. 

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

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, March 26, 2020 12:30 PM

zugmann
 
BaltACD
Back in the day when it was routine for 'butterfly replacers' to be carried on locomotives for jobs that worked industries (where track was less than great).  The crews would then claim a 3 hour arbitrary payment for rerailing cars. 

Now found on the front bumper of wreck trucks. 

And if a T&E crew tried to rerail their own cars (at least on our little big RR), you'd be lucky to have a job the next day - but you probably won't. 

A 'whole different railroad', back in the day.  That day is not today.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Thursday, March 26, 2020 1:45 PM

Top one in ther photos posted by BaltACD is a "butterfly"; the bottom 3 are a "camel's hump" type. 

Then there are the commonly-used hardwood blocks . . .

- PDN. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by zugmann on Thursday, March 26, 2020 2:07 PM

Paul_D_North_Jr
Then there are the commonly-used hardwood blocks . . .

Between retirements and PSR-induced layoffs, going to get hard to find people that know how to use those blocks.  They'll just call Hulchers, Corman, or Cranemasters for every little derailment.  Then keep the crew OOS due to the costs incurred. 

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

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, March 26, 2020 2:56 PM

Ah, yes; I remember seeing these hanging on engines. I never saw any in use, though.

I do remember seeing a car run over a flop over derail--and keep going. The AT&N was moving a car onto the GM&O track used for interchange; a brakeman was riding the car and winding the brake--and the car did not stop, but somehow rode over the derail and stayed on the track. The main problem was that no AT&N man had a key to the GM&O lock on the derail--but the GM&O section formena lived across the street, was at home, and he had a key! 

Johnny

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, March 26, 2020 5:04 PM

zugmann
 
Paul_D_North_Jr
Then there are the commonly-used hardwood blocks . . . 

Between retirements and PSR-induced layoffs, going to get hard to find people that know how to use those blocks.  They'll just call Hulchers, Corman, or Cranemasters for every little derailment.  Then keep the crew OOS due to the costs incurred. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txNMwminoiw&t=128s

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by mvlandsw on Thursday, March 26, 2020 7:10 PM

BaltACD
 
zugmann
 
BaltACD
Back in the day when it was routine for 'butterfly replacers' to be carried on locomotives for jobs that worked industries (where track was less than great).  The crews would then claim a 3 hour arbitrary payment for rerailing cars. 

Now found on the front bumper of wreck trucks. 

And if a T&E crew tried to rerail their own cars (at least on our little big RR), you'd be lucky to have a job the next day - but you probably won't. 

 

A 'whole different railroad', back in the day.  That day is not today.

 

I've seen and helped train crews rerail their own cars but nobody made any claims. It was done to keep the incident quiet. Same with fixing run through switches. Of course if bad track could be blamed maybe you could get some brownie points for rerailing it yourself..

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, March 26, 2020 7:55 PM

Deggesty
Ah, yes; I remember seeing these hanging on engines.

Seems like I've seen them more on switchers than road engines.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Murphy Siding on Friday, March 27, 2020 7:50 AM

Related question from the same walk-

What does this railroad sign mean: 12"x12" square, white, that says:
  
   R
1-mile

Obvious clue, I suppose, is that it's about 1 mile from the rail yard. I just can't place what the R indicates.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, March 27, 2020 7:59 AM

Murphy Siding
What does this railroad sign mean: 12"x12" square, white, that says:       R 1-mile

Nothing like that in NORAC that I can find with a quick look.  I've never seen it in person.

I'm guessing that it may mean one mile to the end of a slow order, the R meaning "Resume."

LarryWhistling
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Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by jeffhergert on Saturday, March 28, 2020 8:13 AM

Murphy Siding

Related question from the same walk-

What does this railroad sign mean: 12"x12" square, white, that says:
  
   R
1-mile

Obvious clue, I suppose, is that it's about 1 mile from the rail yard. I just can't place what the R indicates.

 

Restricted Limits one mile.

Restricted Limits are sort of like Yard Limits except that all movements are made at restricted speed.  It doesn't matter in Murphy's area, it being non-signalled territory I believe, but in signalled territory within yard limits movement at restricted speed isn't required when operating on a signal better than Approach.  In signalled territory within Restricted Limits all movement is at restricted speed no matter what the signal indication is.

Jeff

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, March 28, 2020 11:02 AM

Jeff, such signs indicate a permanent restriction? What would be reasons for such a reduction?

Johnny

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, March 28, 2020 11:39 AM

Deggesty
Jeff, such signs indicate a permanent restriction? What would be reasons for such a reduction?

One such reason would be at a yard where the main traverses the facility with relatively little interruption to 'through' traffic, and the railroad hasn't or doesn't want to impose a strict 'within yard limits' speed (such as 5mph) but still wants to maintain reasonable safety.

Remember that 'restricted speed' isn't a velocity; it's a mode of operation: there is still an overall 'speed limit' but within that the engine crew is responsible for ensuring they can stop within half the distance to something they observe to be a risk...

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Posted by 243129 on Saturday, March 28, 2020 12:17 PM

Overmod

 

 
Deggesty
Jeff, such signs indicate a permanent restriction? What would be reasons for such a reduction?

 

One such reason would be at a yard where the main traverses the facility with relatively little interruption to 'through' traffic, and the railroad hasn't or doesn't want to impose a strict 'within yard limits' speed (such as 5mph) but still wants to maintain reasonable safety.

Remember that 'restricted speed' isn't a velocity; it's a mode of operation: there is still an overall 'speed limit' but within that the engine crew is responsible for ensuring they can stop within half the distance to something they observe to be a risk...

 

Check your PM.

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, March 28, 2020 12:19 PM

243129
Check your PM.

Watching.  

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Posted by 243129 on Saturday, March 28, 2020 12:51 PM

Overmod

 

 
243129
Check your PM.

 

Watching.  

 

Sent March 5

 

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, March 28, 2020 1:14 PM

Done.  My apologies.

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Posted by SD70Dude on Saturday, March 28, 2020 1:17 PM

More IT problems?

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, March 28, 2020 1:39 PM

SD70Dude
More IT problems?

He had sent me a PM on a significant private matter; I was expecting for him to send something to me, but he was waiting for me to OK his doing that.  All resolved.

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Posted by jeffhergert on Saturday, March 28, 2020 3:23 PM

Overmod

 

 
Deggesty
Jeff, such signs indicate a permanent restriction? What would be reasons for such a reduction?

 

One such reason would be at a yard where the main traverses the facility with relatively little interruption to 'through' traffic, and the railroad hasn't or doesn't want to impose a strict 'within yard limits' speed (such as 5mph) but still wants to maintain reasonable safety.

Remember that 'restricted speed' isn't a velocity; it's a mode of operation: there is still an overall 'speed limit' but within that the engine crew is responsible for ensuring they can stop within half the distance to something they observe to be a risk...

 

Restricted Limits are starting to replace Yard Limits as a method of authorizing main track occupancy.  Restricted Limits is more restrictive than Yard Limits because ALL movements ALL the time must be at restricted speed.  Yard Limits allows track speed in signalled territory when a train has a signal indication more favorable than an Approach.  Restricted Limits doesn't.

In non signalled territory, Yard Limits also always requires ALL movements to be at restricted speed ALL the time.  So why is Restricted Limits being used in dark territory?  I think RL will replace YL eventually everywhere so they can retire the YL rule from the rule book.  YL will go the way of torpedos, consigned to history.

Jeff

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, March 28, 2020 3:39 PM

jeffhergert
Restricted Limits are starting to replace Yard Limits as a method of authorizing main track occupancy. 

We have a couple of spots where NORAC Rule 98 (ie, restricted speed, for simplicity's sake) covers all movements.  

 

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...

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Sunday, March 29, 2020 10:22 PM

Makes sense. One mile up the road all the spaghetti runs together. What remains of tracks from Rock Island, Milwaukee Road, CNW, Illinois Central and Great Northern all come together in a confined area used by BNSF, Dakota & Iowa Railroad and the Ellis & Eastern Railroad. That would be a good area to ease back on the throttle a bit.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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