train handling

[Jackflash]

Real good answers, although it didnt come up,
with distributed power we have had to re-think
the way we handle trains on hills, by the way,
with DP trains the air does set and release
at each DP consist, as well as on the head end
so your set and releases are much quicker than
with a convential train, and, with high horse-
power locomotives you'll use your dynamic brakes
a whole lot more than you'll use your air for
train control. jackflash

[sooblue]

The years were from 1955-1972 that I observed
"real close up" as we used to sit in the weeds or on the bank by the tracks.
The thunder occured weather they were starting up hill or down. I suppose that when the train stopped down hill it was bunched up and that was why it thundered on start up.
It was rare to see less than 100 cars go by.
With the end of train valve can you set the brakes from the rear of the train?
If not, would that be usefull to be able to?
And thanks by the way for your responses.
As long as you guys are Knowledgeable you might as well educate me.

[Modelcar]

Now as we have no cabooses, if one is using the process of "shaking them loose"...how does the engineer know when he has all the slack out of the train and the end of the train is moving with all the brakes free...

QM

[Anonymous]

You did'nt mention if the hill was acending or decending. Engineers had to be much more delicate with the 'slack' when they had a crew on a caboose. Controling the slack up hill, and down hill is accomplished mostly with the 'automatic' brake valve. All the newer engines now have a 'maintaining feature', so once you set the proper amount of air, it does'nt fluctuate. If you stop your train on a decending grade (with automatic), it will usually be 'bunched' unless the engineer set alot of automatic and dragged them down the hill as in power-braking (now discourged as fuel wasting). If you do'nt back-in to the train as you release the automatic air(on a decending grade), the head end could run out violently while the rear end is still somewhat set-up and planted. Thus the head end releases quicker than the rear-very easlily causing a break-in-two by 'getting a knuckle'. To wind up my long-winded rhetoric, using the auto brake system is the key to controling the train in a smooth fashion. Controling the slack is the most important part of the hog-heads job. This can be quite difficult on a steep decending mtn. grade for example with dips and sags as you described. Just a hair too much independent brake, or too much automatic at the wrong time to control slack will result in violent run-ins, or run-outs resulting in derailments from said run-ins, and break-in -two's from over stretching...Hommie

[wabash1]

we call that taking slack. its done only in places that you dont have good traction to get started. i did not comment on this earlier as its not a regular practice on this division.

[BRAKIE]

That is also called "shaking them loose". Now,when you are leaving the yard you have no idea if all the brakes are release.So the engineer would pull forward untill the train stalled,reverse,back to stall,foward to stall,he would remember the spot that he stalled and note the different stalled locations.Now when the caboose began to move the conductor would let the engineer know and all the brakes are release as the caboose was rolling,the engineer would then add throttle and head out of town.
I do not know for sure if they still do that today or not. Perhaps "J" can comment.

[wabash1]

i myself like my train streched out. less chance of things going wrong.when you crest a hill i drop notches to keep the train streched out over the hill and only try to lose very little speed as i get to the bottom ill work it back out and keep it streched. there are some places where this isnt possible and you haft to bunch your train in dynamic to control the speed. when you start pulling again you work it out slowly. on short trains i will use air to keep it streched and control the speed.

[Anonymous]

Mike, I'm not sure what "era" you saw this, but it does make a big difference. In the "steam days", you needed slack to get the train started. With diesels, the low speed pulling power would dictate that you kept the train stretched. Not an issue with a 20 car local, but if you have 100 cars, or so, you have to be VERY careful not to apply too much power until your whole train is moving. If you apply too much amperage, too fast, you will start pulling drawbars. Not a good thing.
Hope this answers your question.
Todd C.

[sooblue]

I grew up next to the eastern main line out of and into SOO's shorham yard in Mpls.
When the trains had to stop before entering the yard or when they stopped on the hill exiting the yard they were streched out. To get started again the engineer would back the train to bunch it up than start up forward. It was like listening to aproaching thunder as the cars hit the end of their slack. Couldn't they have stopped bunched up ? also when going through a sag how do you control the slack so as not to be too hard on the cars?
I have read that some engineers like to run their train bunched up and others streched out.
how is either accomplished and which would you do?

Thanks, mike