The NEW and IMPROVED Question Thread (with Index and Page Links)

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

It's still called per diem (Latin for "by the day") and it varies from car type to car type based on a number of factors: age, plain or equipped, etc. You might be able to find out per diem rates if you can get your hands on a Railway Equipment Register.

[Anonymous]

This might be a dumb question but....

Here's one that I just thought of after looking at the pics of the new BNSF SD70ACe's:

Do new locomotives need a break-in period before loading them up on a high-tonnage job? If so is it to ensure no severe problems before the engine is used in a heavy duty capacity, or is it related to engine longevity / performance? (i.e. seating bearing surfaces, rings, etc...) Again, if so, is it related to how hard to you can run them ("nothing above notch 4 / over xxx amps") or something else altogether?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

When did Train Crew Paperwork become Computerized?

[edblysard]

Redrabbitt...Same as what my dealer told me when I bought my Dodge Magnum..."drive it like you stole it!"...
By the time the diesel is in the frame it already has several hours on it...no "break in required.

AMTK200...most of it happened in the early 80s...and most of what we use today is pretty out dated.

Ed.

[zardoz]

redrabbit,
In addition to what Ed said above, the only time a locomotive's power is restricted is when it first started (at least in the computer-controlled units). Until the engine comes up to operating temperature, the rpm's (and amperage) are kept low.

[David3]

hey guys I got a question,

When a train goes into emergency, why does it also start sanding?
I would guess to help the traction for the wheels, to stop faster, but if you guys know, feel free to answer. Thanks.

Dave

[Anonymous]

This is a photo of track/switch heaters taken with my cell phone. It was a sunny day and I could not see the phone's view because of the bright sunlight. [:(]


http://www.freewebs.com/railroad_related/SwitchHeaterbmp[1].BMP


Who knows how old these 3 heaters are! I am sure that there are other heaters out there that look different than these. This group is used in the hump yard near the retarders.

[rvos1979]

Dave, the sanding during an emergency application is to keep the wheels on the locomotive turning so as to not develop flat spots on the wheels. (You do not want flat spots on locomotive wheels, it doesn't do the trucks any good, and usually requires speed restrictions on the locomotive, usually in the neighborhood of 10MPH.)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rvos1979

Dave, the sanding during an emergency application is to keep the wheels on the locomotive turning so as to not develop flat spots on the wheels. (You do not want flat spots on locomotive wheels, it doesn't do the trucks any good, and usually requires speed restrictions on the locomotive, usually in the neighborhood of 10MPH.)

Why if Locos Sand to avoid Flat Spots, then why don't they sand all Freight Cars to avoid Flat Spots?

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AMTK200

QUOTE: Originally posted by rvos1979

Dave, the sanding during an emergency application is to keep the wheels on the locomotive turning so as to not develop flat spots on the wheels. (You do not want flat spots on locomotive wheels, it doesn't do the trucks any good, and usually requires speed restrictions on the locomotive, usually in the neighborhood of 10MPH.)

Why if Locos Sand to avoid Flat Spots, then why don't they sand all Freight Cars to avoid Flat Spots?

It sounds like a great idea on paper, but it's highly impractical:
1. Each freight car would have to carry its own supply of sand, increasing the tare weight of the car.
2. Each car would need an activating system of some sort for the sanding system, separate from the train air line, and this system would need to be inspected and maintained, adding to operating expense.
3. How often would it be called into play?

[Anonymous]

To add to the above:

Locomotive brakes are designed to have a much higher braking horsepower (higher cylinder pressure, bigger shoes) than freight or passenger cars, or you could say that freight and passenger cars are designed to have a much LOWER braking horsepower in part to avoid sliding wheels. In part, that's because you want to be able to use a locomotive to switch cars without necessarily having to cut the air in on the freight or passenger cars, and still have a useful amount of braking horsepower.

S. Hadid

[Anonymous]

I think both of the questions reguarding sanding were interesting. I can't say as I have ever seen either addressed in this forum either. The answer about locos have a higher braking horsepower really helped answer the question. Both answers were good, and I can definately see the costs of maintenance would be extremely expensive.

These were two very good questions and two very good answers. Thanks guys. [:)]

[Anonymous]

Here is a question for those of us who have to work in the railyards. WHY do they stink so badly so much of the time? [?]

On some days the odor can almost take you down. [:0] Some of the time it smells like something very large has died. [B)] [xx(]

[CShaveRR]

I'm sure it depends on the yard, Jim--in our case it's spillage of corn that will do the most damage. If the birds don't get it first, it rots. Or germinates. Check the roofs of some covered hoppers used in grain service sometimes. For some reason they often miss the hatch (or overfill the cars) a lot when loading them. And the stuff doesn't always blow away. So then it gets wet, and voila!--time to break out the breathing apparatus!

I'm sure that there are also plenty of chemicals that either leak in minute quantities or have been spilled on the cars during loading. The raw products probably smell a lot harsher than what has been processed for consumer use.

[mudchicken]

Lotta fertilizer in those hopper cars too.

In LA, ATSF/BNSF's Hobart Yard is accross the tracks from Ski Bandini (Bandini doo-doo) and a battery recycling plant, plus Farmer John's packing plant isn't far away.[xx(][xx(][xx(]

[Anonymous]

We all forgot to mention the pigeons. We have thousands of them in our yard. They are not friendly but are not that afriad of us either. They are fat little suckers as much corn and other grain does leak from hoppers.

We have already had a visit from the weed control hirail truck. Grass and grain and other stuff sure grows fast between the rails and also near the rails.

We also have a variety of mice and rats. There is at least one wild stray cat that prowls the yard after them. The mosquitoes are out in force now too, as the yard was once part of a swamp. There is still part of the swamp visible from the fuel rack, and a stream also runs through the yard.

[Anonymous]

If you ask a railroader what one thing he or she dislikes more about working on the railroad, I bet it would be, working in the pouring rain. [:0] It is at the top of my list as of tonight. Nothing like having to work in the cold rain all night. [:(!]

[Anonymous]

When a Foriegn Unit breaks down off Home Road what does the other RR do if they can't fix it?

[Anonymous]

It depends upon the pre-existing agreement between the two railways. If the locomotive cannot be moved without repairs (e.g., spun traction motor support bearing, seized pinion, major damage to one or both bogies), the railway on which the mishap occurred will make sufficient repairs to make the locomotive safe to move dead-in-tow to the home carrier or a designated contract repair shop. Under most agreements, light repairs are made by the railway on which the locomotive fails and billed to the home road, and locomotives requiring heavy repairs are dispatched to the home road or to a designated contract shop.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1435mm

It depends upon the pre-existing agreement between the two railways. If the locomotive cannot be moved without repairs (e.g., spun traction motor support bearing, seized pinion, major damage to one or both bogies), the railway on which the mishap occurred will make sufficient repairs to make the locomotive safe to move dead-in-tow to the home carrier or a designated contract repair shop. Under most agreements, light repairs are made by the railway on which the locomotive fails and billed to the home road, and locomotives requiring heavy repairs are dispatched to the home road or to a designated contract shop.

Here we refer to dead in tow as DOL, Dead Off Line. However, if a unit will run and the weather is not below freezing we can send them Dead--Good. [;)]

[Anonymous]

Our railyard, especially near the fuel rack and in the bowl, is between two swampy forest areas. The other night, after dark, I actually saw a red fox dart in front of my truck while driving in the bowl. [:0] I see mice and rats often while driving though the bowl but this is the first time I have seen a fox.

What other animals have other railroaders seen in the yard? [?]

[CShaveRR]

We've had a fox or two in the past; more recently it's been coyotes. The skunks haven't been around for a few years, thankfully. Other than that, your usual assortment of rodents and fowl. We used to have pheasants, but they've been gone for a while, too.

[Anonymous]

I have a question about Rail Banks, Rail Banking, etc.

Does anyone know if a map of Rail Banked railroad lines is available on line? Is there one for states and a national map too?

When railroads put a line in a Rail Bank is there a time limit on how long it can stay there?

[wctransfer]

ok ***, heres one.

When your doing an air test, why does the train not move when you "release em'" and the conductor makes sure all of the brakes are releasing. That single independent cant hold the train there could it?

Alec

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Here is a question for those of us who have to work in the railyards. WHY do they stink so badly so much of the time? [?]

On some days the odor can almost take you down. [:0] Some of the time it smells like something very large has died. [B)] [xx(]

One other thing not mentioned is soybean meal. Spillage of this commodity followed by rain, even a light rain, results in rotting and a prodigious stink...

LC

[edblysard]

If it can be used to stop them in flat yard switching, it can hold 'em still too!
Unless your a rookie, or dumb, you dont do air test on a grade, and most yards are pretty flat...

Ed

QUOTE: Originally posted by wctransfer

ok ***, heres one.

When your doing an air test, why does the train not move when you "release em'" and the conductor makes sure all of the brakes are releasing. That single independent cant hold the train there could it?

Alec

[edblysard]

Initial Terminal Air Brake Test...GCOR 20.17

Charge system to within 15psi of regulating feed valve(75 psi minimum)checked with either a EOT or a hand held guage on the rear car.
Engineer makes a 20 pound service application.
Brakes are applied, walk entire train, inspecting for piston travel, shoe application, bad order brake rigging and safety appliances...both sides of train must be inspected.
Engineer performs brake pipe leak test.
Brakes released, perform a walk/rollinginspection for release of the entire train.
(The train dosn't have to be standing still to check the release)


Transfer train and yard to yard movements...GCOR20.23

Charge system not less than 60psi.
Engineer makes a 20 pound service application.
Check that brakes are applied on each car.
Release and proceed.
(good idea to check for bad orders during this inspection)

The locomotive, at rest, is a pretty heavy thing and very hard to move with the brake applied...it will hold a lot of cars in place, even on a slight grade...unless the train was under powered in the first place and there isnt enough locomotives.

Ed

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Our railyard, especially near the fuel rack and in the bowl, is between two swampy forest areas. The other night, after dark, I actually saw a red fox dart in front of my truck while driving in the bowl. [:0] I see mice and rats often while driving though the bowl but this is the first time I have seen a fox.

What other animals have other railroaders seen in the yard? [?]

Well I can add opossum to the list. I saw one the other night run in front of my truck. [:0]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Our railyard, especially near the fuel rack and in the bowl, is between two swampy forest areas. The other night, after dark, I actually saw a red fox dart in front of my truck while driving in the bowl. [:0] I see mice and rats often while driving though the bowl but this is the first time I have seen a fox.

What other animals have other railroaders seen in the yard? [?]

Well I can add opossum to the list. I saw one the other night run in front of my truck. [:0]

We can add . . . beavers . . . to the list now too. There is a year round stream that flows through our yard. If you stop long enought you can catch them playing in the water. [:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Lotta fertilizer in those hopper cars too.

In LA, ATSF/BNSF's Hobart Yard is accross the tracks from Ski Bandini (Bandini doo-doo) and a battery recycling plant, plus Farmer John's packing plant isn't far away.[xx(][xx(][xx(]

I do smell Cow Poop occasionally while Railfanning from some Grain Hoppers.