Bad train pictures

[Anonymous]

dumb question here....

since trains take long distances to stop, and signals mayve located right around a blind curve, is there like a "Singnal ahead" display on the dash?

[Anonymous]

dumb question here....

since trains take long distances to stop, and signals mayve located right around a blind curve, is there like a "Singnal ahead" display on the dash?

[M636C]

WGDF

LCL stands for "Less than Car Load", traffic like parcels and other small consignments that need to be consolidated and managed by the railroad, as compared to full car loads where the car is sent to a loading dock, then to a destination, and the railroad leaves loading and unloading to the customer, thus easier to manage and more profitable.

REA was the "Railway Express Agency" a jointly owned organisation to run LCL traffic on passenger trains. They had big loading areas at LA Union Passenger Terminal on the East side, and on the North side of Washington Union, although the signs of the operation are probably gone now.

I think LTL stands for "Less than (road) Truck Load", the road carrier equivalent to LCL.

But I'm just a foreigner here!

Peter

[M636C]

WGDF

LCL stands for "Less than Car Load", traffic like parcels and other small consignments that need to be consolidated and managed by the railroad, as compared to full car loads where the car is sent to a loading dock, then to a destination, and the railroad leaves loading and unloading to the customer, thus easier to manage and more profitable.

REA was the "Railway Express Agency" a jointly owned organisation to run LCL traffic on passenger trains. They had big loading areas at LA Union Passenger Terminal on the East side, and on the North side of Washington Union, although the signs of the operation are probably gone now.

I think LTL stands for "Less than (road) Truck Load", the road carrier equivalent to LCL.

But I'm just a foreigner here!

Peter

[edblysard]

I was issued a Motorola JT1000 eight years ago, still have it.
Works great, until it gets wet...then you cant hear a thing out of it.
Its been dropped from a moving train, fell in a ditch, slid, kicked and bounced along the walkway of a locomotive, dropped in a open top hopper...still working.

Carry it in a hip holster, although it is rarely out of my hand.

I tried a ear piece, with a throat mike...my engineer could hear me, but it was hard to hear and understand him and other transmissions.

In Dans world, cutting out the tremendous sound on a flight deck is the goal, they have a entire language composed of hand signals, as do we.

When they do have to speak to each other, they use a verbal shorthand, and we do too!

But I have to be able to hear a wheel sliding, or a flat spot, along with the transmissions from other crews, even if they are not directed towards my crew.

Sometimes, the smallest sound will clue you in to something going wrong, trust me, at night, cars can sneak up on you in a second, and the only tip off you get is a squeak of the bearing, or a wheel flange binds and squeals.

You have to be able to hear all of thet.

It might just be the way my hearing is wired, but the ear piece got in the way of me hearing things I have to hear, after a while, you can tell if a coupling made just by the sound.

Add in the fact that railroad are not going to replace something that is currently working, (it aint broke, dont fix it).

By the way, the life span of my radio is out of the ordinary...most guys need one every other year, but I take a little better care of it than most, when it rains, I have a big stash of the plastic bags they slip over your newspaper to keep it dry, they work just fine on radios too!

If I could find a wireless ear piece, maybe, but any wire hanging is a hazzard, I was issued a hand held mike with the radio, used it right up to the point I got hung up on a cut lever, and had to run, then ride a car I kicked, all the way to the joint, trying to un hook the mike.
Haven't used it since, dont even know where it is...

Ed

[edblysard]

I was issued a Motorola JT1000 eight years ago, still have it.
Works great, until it gets wet...then you cant hear a thing out of it.
Its been dropped from a moving train, fell in a ditch, slid, kicked and bounced along the walkway of a locomotive, dropped in a open top hopper...still working.

Carry it in a hip holster, although it is rarely out of my hand.

I tried a ear piece, with a throat mike...my engineer could hear me, but it was hard to hear and understand him and other transmissions.

In Dans world, cutting out the tremendous sound on a flight deck is the goal, they have a entire language composed of hand signals, as do we.

When they do have to speak to each other, they use a verbal shorthand, and we do too!

But I have to be able to hear a wheel sliding, or a flat spot, along with the transmissions from other crews, even if they are not directed towards my crew.

Sometimes, the smallest sound will clue you in to something going wrong, trust me, at night, cars can sneak up on you in a second, and the only tip off you get is a squeak of the bearing, or a wheel flange binds and squeals.

You have to be able to hear all of thet.

It might just be the way my hearing is wired, but the ear piece got in the way of me hearing things I have to hear, after a while, you can tell if a coupling made just by the sound.

Add in the fact that railroad are not going to replace something that is currently working, (it aint broke, dont fix it).

By the way, the life span of my radio is out of the ordinary...most guys need one every other year, but I take a little better care of it than most, when it rains, I have a big stash of the plastic bags they slip over your newspaper to keep it dry, they work just fine on radios too!

If I could find a wireless ear piece, maybe, but any wire hanging is a hazzard, I was issued a hand held mike with the radio, used it right up to the point I got hung up on a cut lever, and had to run, then ride a car I kicked, all the way to the joint, trying to un hook the mike.
Haven't used it since, dont even know where it is...

Ed

[WDGF]

New stupid question:

What are LCL, LTL, and REA shipping? These where on another thread, but I figured I'm probably the only one who doesn't know what they mean, so it might belong here. I'm guessing LCL is local?

[WDGF]

New stupid question:

What are LCL, LTL, and REA shipping? These where on another thread, but I figured I'm probably the only one who doesn't know what they mean, so it might belong here. I'm guessing LCL is local?

[Overmod]

CSS, there's a grandmother of all such crossings in Memphis, where the IC river line used by Amtrak crosses all the lines coming off the Mississippi bridges. Everybody comes to a stop (at stop signs!) then proceeds at nominal 5 mph.

[Overmod]

CSS, there's a grandmother of all such crossings in Memphis, where the IC river line used by Amtrak crosses all the lines coming off the Mississippi bridges. Everybody comes to a stop (at stop signs!) then proceeds at nominal 5 mph.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

As a lifelong Chicagoan, I'm quite familiar with the non-interlocked anachronism known as Brighton Park Crossing with its statutory stop. Are there any other non-interlocked crossings or junctions in existence on a high-traffic line?

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

As a lifelong Chicagoan, I'm quite familiar with the non-interlocked anachronism known as Brighton Park Crossing with its statutory stop. Are there any other non-interlocked crossings or junctions in existence on a high-traffic line?

[dharmon]

The tripping, tangling, and SA arguement has merit, but 18 year old kids run around with double hearing protection and belt/vest pak radios on a carrier flight deck 24/7. It doesn't get any more abusive to equipment or a dangerous work environment than that. Yes it could be done, with the radio going into a reflective vest pocket like they are done with float coats, affordable high quality earpieces are available that would allow ambient noise to be heard.

[dharmon]

The tripping, tangling, and SA arguement has merit, but 18 year old kids run around with double hearing protection and belt/vest pak radios on a carrier flight deck 24/7. It doesn't get any more abusive to equipment or a dangerous work environment than that. Yes it could be done, with the radio going into a reflective vest pocket like they are done with float coats, affordable high quality earpieces are available that would allow ambient noise to be heard.

[Junctionfan]

As far as tangling is concerned, would the radio's coiled wire be a danger. With the secret-service thing, you can discreetly have it tucked in. With one ear free to listen for other dangers, you can hear safely select what to hear at the appropriate time.

Is this a possible?

[Junctionfan]

As far as tangling is concerned, would the radio's coiled wire be a danger. With the secret-service thing, you can discreetly have it tucked in. With one ear free to listen for other dangers, you can hear safely select what to hear at the appropriate time.

Is this a possible?

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Larry: Radio equipment that your folks use is not as likely to be abused as a radio in railroad pool service on an everyday basis.Pak-sets (railroad term coined by Motorola to define walkie talkies) tend to have service lives in terms of months. Some BNSF engineers have the headgear, but the the guy on the ground needs to be free of anything that can be snagged or mask the sound of approaching trouble. (Sort of a similar problem to the knuckleheads you approach on an emergency run that are wearing headphones and do not react to you until the fire engine is in their back pocket or back seat!)

I wouldn't recommend full headsets for the guy on the ground, either, which is why I specified the cab. Obviously folks are ahead of me on that one. The reason that I really love the headsets in the trucks (and suggest it for the conductor, too, at least in the cab) is because you don't have to yell, or even turn to face the other person when you want to talk.

The idea that Junctionfan suggests wouldn't have cables hanging around if done right. In addition, the use of throat and ear microphones would mean no speaker/mic to "lose" or get tangled. They are available now for most hand-held radios. Developing technologies would completely remove the wire between the head components and the radios.

QUOTE:
Talk to El-Unihead about what water does to pak-sets.

Add smoke, soot, ashes, nasty gasses, falls from heights, etc. We ruin them, too. The only reason we don't ruin more is because we don't get as much business as some of our brothers.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Larry: Radio equipment that your folks use is not as likely to be abused as a radio in railroad pool service on an everyday basis.Pak-sets (railroad term coined by Motorola to define walkie talkies) tend to have service lives in terms of months. Some BNSF engineers have the headgear, but the the guy on the ground needs to be free of anything that can be snagged or mask the sound of approaching trouble. (Sort of a similar problem to the knuckleheads you approach on an emergency run that are wearing headphones and do not react to you until the fire engine is in their back pocket or back seat!)

I wouldn't recommend full headsets for the guy on the ground, either, which is why I specified the cab. Obviously folks are ahead of me on that one. The reason that I really love the headsets in the trucks (and suggest it for the conductor, too, at least in the cab) is because you don't have to yell, or even turn to face the other person when you want to talk.

The idea that Junctionfan suggests wouldn't have cables hanging around if done right. In addition, the use of throat and ear microphones would mean no speaker/mic to "lose" or get tangled. They are available now for most hand-held radios. Developing technologies would completely remove the wire between the head components and the radios.

QUOTE:
Talk to El-Unihead about what water does to pak-sets.

Add smoke, soot, ashes, nasty gasses, falls from heights, etc. We ruin them, too. The only reason we don't ruin more is because we don't get as much business as some of our brothers.

[mudchicken]

Larry: Radio equipment that your folks use is not as likely to be abused as a radio in railroad pool service on an everyday basis.Pak-sets (railroad term coined by Motorola to define walkie talkies) tend to have service lives in terms of months. Some BNSF engineers have the headgear, but the the guy on the ground needs to be free of anything that can be snagged or mask the sound of approaching trouble. (Sort of a similar problem to the knuckleheads you approach on an emergency run that are wearing headphones and do not react to you until the fire engine is in their back pocket or back seat!)

Talk to El-Unihead about what water does to pak-sets.

[mudchicken]

Larry: Radio equipment that your folks use is not as likely to be abused as a radio in railroad pool service on an everyday basis.Pak-sets (railroad term coined by Motorola to define walkie talkies) tend to have service lives in terms of months. Some BNSF engineers have the headgear, but the the guy on the ground needs to be free of anything that can be snagged or mask the sound of approaching trouble. (Sort of a similar problem to the knuckleheads you approach on an emergency run that are wearing headphones and do not react to you until the fire engine is in their back pocket or back seat!)

Talk to El-Unihead about what water does to pak-sets.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

Would it be easier for switchmen and conductors to have an earphone in one ear like a secret-service agent than to use a radio? They could have a microphone on the shirt that allows the operator to talk by pressing a button connected to a wire attached to an wristband. This way if the person is hanging on the ladder of a car and gets a communication, the person can don't have to reach for their radio plus, with the earphone, they can here the message better.

Any thoughts about this?

And along the same lines, how about the headsets we use on fire trucks (essentially the same as pilots use) for use in the cab? I see a lot of posts about how noisy some cabs are. This would help preserve hearing, enable better communication between the hogger and conductor, and allow the crew to hear radio comms from the DS and the crew on the ground. I know money is an issue, but the concept is sound (no pun intended - or was it?).

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

Would it be easier for switchmen and conductors to have an earphone in one ear like a secret-service agent than to use a radio? They could have a microphone on the shirt that allows the operator to talk by pressing a button connected to a wire attached to an wristband. This way if the person is hanging on the ladder of a car and gets a communication, the person can don't have to reach for their radio plus, with the earphone, they can here the message better.

Any thoughts about this?

And along the same lines, how about the headsets we use on fire trucks (essentially the same as pilots use) for use in the cab? I see a lot of posts about how noisy some cabs are. This would help preserve hearing, enable better communication between the hogger and conductor, and allow the crew to hear radio comms from the DS and the crew on the ground. I know money is an issue, but the concept is sound (no pun intended - or was it?).

[Junctionfan]

Would it be easier for switchmen and conductors to have an earphone in one ear like a secret-service agent than to use a radio? They could have a microphone on the shirt that allows the operator to talk by pressing a button connected to a wire attached to an wristband. This way if the person is hanging on the ladder of a car and gets a communication, the person can don't have to reach for their radio plus, with the earphone, they can here the message better.

Any thoughts about this?

[Junctionfan]

Would it be easier for switchmen and conductors to have an earphone in one ear like a secret-service agent than to use a radio? They could have a microphone on the shirt that allows the operator to talk by pressing a button connected to a wire attached to an wristband. This way if the person is hanging on the ladder of a car and gets a communication, the person can don't have to reach for their radio plus, with the earphone, they can here the message better.

Any thoughts about this?

[rrnut282]

Ed
1. Yes, most do. I can't think of any railroad cheap (dumb) enough to put the filler cap on only one side unless they had very long fill hoses (which would be a pain to move around), or had hoses on both sides of the service track.
2. I'm not sure, but I think there were two valves. One controlled an air supply to "blow" the sand through the piping and the other let sand into the air stream so you could clear the line when you were done.
3. I don't know for sure, maybe it varied from location to location depending on what company supplied the equipment.

[rrnut282]

Ed
1. Yes, most do. I can't think of any railroad cheap (dumb) enough to put the filler cap on only one side unless they had very long fill hoses (which would be a pain to move around), or had hoses on both sides of the service track.
2. I'm not sure, but I think there were two valves. One controlled an air supply to "blow" the sand through the piping and the other let sand into the air stream so you could clear the line when you were done.
3. I don't know for sure, maybe it varied from location to location depending on what company supplied the equipment.

[egmurphy]

Okay, got a couple more for you. Should be simple ones (other wise I wouldn't have posted in the stupid question thread).

1. Do diesels have fuel caps on both sides of the fuel tank so that they can be refueled no matter which way they are facing?

2. In a sand tower, where is the valve that controls the flow of sand down the pipe/hose to the engine? Is it at the outlet of the tower or somewhere along the pipe/hose pathway?

3. How is the sand flow control valve operated? Is there a pull cord or something like that which can be operated by the guy doing the filling?

Thanks

Ed

[egmurphy]

Okay, got a couple more for you. Should be simple ones (other wise I wouldn't have posted in the stupid question thread).

1. Do diesels have fuel caps on both sides of the fuel tank so that they can be refueled no matter which way they are facing?

2. In a sand tower, where is the valve that controls the flow of sand down the pipe/hose to the engine? Is it at the outlet of the tower or somewhere along the pipe/hose pathway?

3. How is the sand flow control valve operated? Is there a pull cord or something like that which can be operated by the guy doing the filling?

Thanks

Ed

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

A smashboard is a low left-handed semaphore blade that blocks the track when it is lowered in the "stop" indication. Consequently, a train will hit and smash it if the signal is overrun.

I've noticed that on most railroad vertical lift bridges, the counterweights are lowered to about three feet above the railhead when the span is raised to its highest point. In the Newark Bay Bridge disaster in 1958 on CNJ, the span was not fully raised, so the counterweights did not block the track and the suburban train from the NY&LB plunged through the open draw into the channel.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

A smashboard is a low left-handed semaphore blade that blocks the track when it is lowered in the "stop" indication. Consequently, a train will hit and smash it if the signal is overrun.

I've noticed that on most railroad vertical lift bridges, the counterweights are lowered to about three feet above the railhead when the span is raised to its highest point. In the Newark Bay Bridge disaster in 1958 on CNJ, the span was not fully raised, so the counterweights did not block the track and the suburban train from the NY&LB plunged through the open draw into the channel.