Bad train pictures

[Hugh Jampton]

Signal bulbs have double filaments in them so when one blows the other takes over. The signal maintainer checks the bulbs every mot and replaces any with a blown filamant.

LED railway signals are being installed in Europe. They last much longer >100,000 hours, give more light per Watt and if a couple burn out the signal is still visible.

[Hugh Jampton]

Signal bulbs have double filaments in them so when one blows the other takes over. The signal maintainer checks the bulbs every mot and replaces any with a blown filamant.

LED railway signals are being installed in Europe. They last much longer >100,000 hours, give more light per Watt and if a couple burn out the signal is still visible.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

Even Mookie is out of questions this morning!

Me too

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

Even Mookie is out of questions this morning!

Me too

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

And as a corrollary question: The highway community has gone into LEDs in a big way for traffic lights. Are the railroads considering a similar move for signals?

We are having a lot of road construction work around here now. One night on the way home from work I noticed that many of the construction warning signs are now lighted by LEDs. I was going to post about that and also ask about LEDs in the railroad world. I was thinking about the red lights for passenger cars and maybe FREDs. Signals did come into mind too. There are many flashlights available now with a single LED and some of a combination of LEDs. They also come in a variety of colors. [8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

And as a corrollary question: The highway community has gone into LEDs in a big way for traffic lights. Are the railroads considering a similar move for signals?

We are having a lot of road construction work around here now. One night on the way home from work I noticed that many of the construction warning signs are now lighted by LEDs. I was going to post about that and also ask about LEDs in the railroad world. I was thinking about the red lights for passenger cars and maybe FREDs. Signals did come into mind too. There are many flashlights available now with a single LED and some of a combination of LEDs. They also come in a variety of colors. [8D]

[CShaveRR]

LEDs are probably the "new normal" on grade-crossing flashers...just about every recent installation I've seen has them.

I've also seen a dwarf signal (north throat to Chicago Union Station) that is an array of LEDs. The single head contains LEDs of all colors, and only the one-quarter to one-third of the LEDs in the head are lit at any one time. That's still plenty of light.

Now a dwarf signal is for a low-speed operation, which implies that the signal need only be visible for a realtively short distance. I don't know of any LEDs being used in normal (above slow or restricted speed) automatic block signaling...there may be problems with them over longer distances, either in the brightness required or their capability to be focused.

I'm not familiar enough with LEDs, but I understand that over time they grow dimmer, and that could be a problem in a railroad application...what one person may have gotten used to as it grew dimmer might be nearly invisible to someone encountering it for the first time. I think it would be much better to have something that failed completely and needed immediate replacement...or for visibility standards to be enacted and enforced.

[CShaveRR]

LEDs are probably the "new normal" on grade-crossing flashers...just about every recent installation I've seen has them.

I've also seen a dwarf signal (north throat to Chicago Union Station) that is an array of LEDs. The single head contains LEDs of all colors, and only the one-quarter to one-third of the LEDs in the head are lit at any one time. That's still plenty of light.

Now a dwarf signal is for a low-speed operation, which implies that the signal need only be visible for a realtively short distance. I don't know of any LEDs being used in normal (above slow or restricted speed) automatic block signaling...there may be problems with them over longer distances, either in the brightness required or their capability to be focused.

I'm not familiar enough with LEDs, but I understand that over time they grow dimmer, and that could be a problem in a railroad application...what one person may have gotten used to as it grew dimmer might be nearly invisible to someone encountering it for the first time. I think it would be much better to have something that failed completely and needed immediate replacement...or for visibility standards to be enacted and enforced.

[M636C]

Guys,

LED rail signals are taking over in Australia. They are basically like the road traffic signals, but they do seem brighter than the lamp signals they replace (although they might have night/day settings for different intensity like some rail lamp signals had).

The amber/orange light seems a bit greenish compared to the older lamp signals. I think all the rail signals on the Sydney Harbour Bridge are now LED signals, including the track occupied lights used to warn track workers of an oncoming train. They consist of a vertical rectangle in orange. They can be seen at the end of underground stations as well, and replace simple white bulbs.

Peter

[M636C]

Guys,

LED rail signals are taking over in Australia. They are basically like the road traffic signals, but they do seem brighter than the lamp signals they replace (although they might have night/day settings for different intensity like some rail lamp signals had).

The amber/orange light seems a bit greenish compared to the older lamp signals. I think all the rail signals on the Sydney Harbour Bridge are now LED signals, including the track occupied lights used to warn track workers of an oncoming train. They consist of a vertical rectangle in orange. They can be seen at the end of underground stations as well, and replace simple white bulbs.

Peter

[tree68]

Our local paper had a picture the other day of a RR employee with what I would guess to be about the worst job in the road. Shovel in hand, he was scooping up the "animal based grease" from around a rail greaser, and apparently dumping it into the 5 gallon pails visible in the picture. What surprised me though was the large number of rail greasers they said existed on the Montreal Secondary (about 160 miles) - something like 80 or more (don't have the article in front of me).

So, in the spirit of asking questions, is this a common occupation? Would it be expected to have something like a rail greaser every few miles? And just how distasteful would this job be in mid-July?

[tree68]

Our local paper had a picture the other day of a RR employee with what I would guess to be about the worst job in the road. Shovel in hand, he was scooping up the "animal based grease" from around a rail greaser, and apparently dumping it into the 5 gallon pails visible in the picture. What surprised me though was the large number of rail greasers they said existed on the Montreal Secondary (about 160 miles) - something like 80 or more (don't have the article in front of me).

So, in the spirit of asking questions, is this a common occupation? Would it be expected to have something like a rail greaser every few miles? And just how distasteful would this job be in mid-July?

[UPTRAIN]

Who invented the EOT device (FRED)?

[UPTRAIN]

Who invented the EOT device (FRED)?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Who invented the EOT device (FRED)?

Most people here in the forums know about the FRED. Maybe not who invented it but at least what it is and does. I have heard EOT used by UP employees but I bet there are some forum members who are wondering what EOT means. So to answer the question before someone asks here goes -- End Of Train. [:p] [8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Who invented the EOT device (FRED)?

Most people here in the forums know about the FRED. Maybe not who invented it but at least what it is and does. I have heard EOT used by UP employees but I bet there are some forum members who are wondering what EOT means. So to answer the question before someone asks here goes -- End Of Train. [:p] [8D]

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Who invented the EOT device (FRED)?

Most people here in the forums know about the FRED. Maybe not who invented it but at least what it is and does. I have heard EOT used by UP employees but I bet there are some forum members who are wondering what EOT means. So to answer the question before someone asks here goes -- End Of Train. [:p] [8D]

And Flashing Rear End Device is not the true name - but a whole lot easier to remember!

Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Who invented the EOT device (FRED)?

Most people here in the forums know about the FRED. Maybe not who invented it but at least what it is and does. I have heard EOT used by UP employees but I bet there are some forum members who are wondering what EOT means. So to answer the question before someone asks here goes -- End Of Train. [:p] [8D]

And Flashing Rear End Device is not the true name - but a whole lot easier to remember!

Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

Our local paper had a picture the other day of a RR employee with what I would guess to be about the worst job in the road. Shovel in hand, he was scooping up the "animal based grease" from around a rail greaser, and apparently dumping it into the 5 gallon pails visible in the picture. What surprised me though was the large number of rail greasers they said existed on the Montreal Secondary (about 160 miles) - something like 80 or more (don't have the article in front of me).

So, in the spirit of asking questions, is this a common occupation? Would it be expected to have something like a rail greaser every few miles? And just how distasteful would this job be in mid-July?

ever work in a restaurant when the kitchen "guys" had to clean the grease trap and take it outside for recycle. I have a strong stomach, but that about did me in. Some people didn't mind doing it - they were the favored employees at that time!

Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

Our local paper had a picture the other day of a RR employee with what I would guess to be about the worst job in the road. Shovel in hand, he was scooping up the "animal based grease" from around a rail greaser, and apparently dumping it into the 5 gallon pails visible in the picture. What surprised me though was the large number of rail greasers they said existed on the Montreal Secondary (about 160 miles) - something like 80 or more (don't have the article in front of me).

So, in the spirit of asking questions, is this a common occupation? Would it be expected to have something like a rail greaser every few miles? And just how distasteful would this job be in mid-July?

ever work in a restaurant when the kitchen "guys" had to clean the grease trap and take it outside for recycle. I have a strong stomach, but that about did me in. Some people didn't mind doing it - they were the favored employees at that time!

Mook

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Who invented the EOT device (FRED)?

Most people here in the forums know about the FRED. Maybe not who invented it but at least what it is and does. I have heard EOT used by UP employees but I bet there are some forum members who are wondering what EOT means. So to answer the question before someone asks here goes -- End Of Train. [:p] [8D]

And Flashing Rear End Device is not the true name - but a whole lot easier to remember!
Mook

I always hear the crews refer to it as the "marker."

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Who invented the EOT device (FRED)?

Most people here in the forums know about the FRED. Maybe not who invented it but at least what it is and does. I have heard EOT used by UP employees but I bet there are some forum members who are wondering what EOT means. So to answer the question before someone asks here goes -- End Of Train. [:p] [8D]

And Flashing Rear End Device is not the true name - but a whole lot easier to remember!
Mook

I always hear the crews refer to it as the "marker."

[Mookie]

ok - one from Mook - dwarf lights at entrance to bridge into yard.

4 of them.

Facing East.

Always red.

Saw one on far left one morning - with a light above it flashing red. Lower one still solid red as usual.

About 10 min later, west bound freight goes down that track and past the dwarf. Flashing red goes out. Everything returns to normal - 4 red dwarfs.

1: I never realized there were two headed dwarfs.

2. Why would it flash red for that train, but not for others that come in on that track?

3. Of course there can be two headed dwarfs, just never saw them in that area - but then, this was the day I had the good seat and a decent pair of binoculars. But even w/o binocs, I can still see well enough to see the red color on the dwarfs and they just never change while I am watching them.

This is getting too complicated - disregard!

Mook

[Mookie]

ok - one from Mook - dwarf lights at entrance to bridge into yard.

4 of them.

Facing East.

Always red.

Saw one on far left one morning - with a light above it flashing red. Lower one still solid red as usual.

About 10 min later, west bound freight goes down that track and past the dwarf. Flashing red goes out. Everything returns to normal - 4 red dwarfs.

1: I never realized there were two headed dwarfs.

2. Why would it flash red for that train, but not for others that come in on that track?

3. Of course there can be two headed dwarfs, just never saw them in that area - but then, this was the day I had the good seat and a decent pair of binoculars. But even w/o binocs, I can still see well enough to see the red color on the dwarfs and they just never change while I am watching them.

This is getting too complicated - disregard!

Mook

[edblysard]

Red dwarfs protect yard leads, you have to stop, and then ask permission.
Flashing red over steady red means take diverging route, no stop required, in this case, the diverging route was the track he went into.

And there is another term of endearment for FRED, but I cant post it here....

Ed

[edblysard]

Red dwarfs protect yard leads, you have to stop, and then ask permission.
Flashing red over steady red means take diverging route, no stop required, in this case, the diverging route was the track he went into.

And there is another term of endearment for FRED, but I cant post it here....

Ed

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Red dwarfs protect yard leads, you have to stop, and then ask permission.
Flashing red over steady red means take diverging route, no stop required, in this case, the diverging route was the track he went into.

And there is another term of endearment for FRED, but I cant post it here....

Ed

well, that was easy! And that is exactly what he did - he diverged and never stopped! Just surprised me, cuz I hadn't seen the 2nd head before and had never seen it flashing. Thank you sir! Just what I was looking for!

Now you know somebody will pick up the gauntlet and post the endearment - just because it is there! [sigh]

Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Red dwarfs protect yard leads, you have to stop, and then ask permission.
Flashing red over steady red means take diverging route, no stop required, in this case, the diverging route was the track he went into.

And there is another term of endearment for FRED, but I cant post it here....

Ed

well, that was easy! And that is exactly what he did - he diverged and never stopped! Just surprised me, cuz I hadn't seen the 2nd head before and had never seen it flashing. Thank you sir! Just what I was looking for!

Now you know somebody will pick up the gauntlet and post the endearment - just because it is there! [sigh]

Mook

[CShaveRR]

I know it, but I won't post it...

[CShaveRR]

I know it, but I won't post it...