Bad train pictures

[Anonymous]

Ed a question that is right up your alley. [:)]

Poling--a lost art--quick but dangerous. First, you might explain it for those who have not heard of it. Second, was it outlawed or just discouraged? Third, locos today come without "pole pockets"--correct? Have you or any other switchmen poled in the last 10 years or so? (You might need to take the 5th on the last question, if so I understand.) The switch engines used today are many years old (how old and which do you use) did they come with pole pockets? Is there a modern day alternative that takes the place of poling? In the steam days were pole pockets "standard" or an option? What was the last loco to come with pole pockets. Did just switch engines have poll pockets or mainline locos also? (I can't count past three so I stopped numbering.) Ok , well this should keep you busy for a while and create some interesting reading.
This is not a test, just a chance to educate myself and others. [:)]

[Anonymous]

Ed a question that is right up your alley. [:)]

Poling--a lost art--quick but dangerous. First, you might explain it for those who have not heard of it. Second, was it outlawed or just discouraged? Third, locos today come without "pole pockets"--correct? Have you or any other switchmen poled in the last 10 years or so? (You might need to take the 5th on the last question, if so I understand.) The switch engines used today are many years old (how old and which do you use) did they come with pole pockets? Is there a modern day alternative that takes the place of poling? In the steam days were pole pockets "standard" or an option? What was the last loco to come with pole pockets. Did just switch engines have poll pockets or mainline locos also? (I can't count past three so I stopped numbering.) Ok , well this should keep you busy for a while and create some interesting reading.
This is not a test, just a chance to educate myself and others. [:)]

[edblysard]

Poling is where you take a pole, piece of lumber, just about anything you can find, and place it between a locomotive and a car on a adjacent track, and shove the car out of the way.
You do this only if you cant make a coupling to the car in the way, say it is fouling just enough, or is in such a sharp curve you cant couple into it.
No, new locomotive do not have poling pockets, is a good way to get killed, and is now against the rules.
We use MK1500Ds, no pockets.
Older switchers and road switchers like the geeps have them, it was common pratice to pole cars.
It was also common pratice to get hurt, the ploe snaps, and the brakeman holding it in place gets smacked by the broken pole, or hit by either the car or the locomotive.
Yes, I have poled a car or two.
Last time we had a car roll out behind us, from the track just beside us, it came out just enough to prevent us from coming out of the track, it was fouling the lead by a foot or two.
Took a piece of 4x4 lumber braceing from a flat car, stuck it against the edge of the coupler pocket, had the engineer back up against the other end.
Got just enough pressure to hold the pole in place, got out of the way, and the engineer gave it a kick.
The car rolled up the lead behind us, when it cleared the switch, I lined it back, and the car rolled back and coupled into the rear of our locomotive.
Of course, we had to do a drop to get the car back in the track it belonged in, so we got to do two illegal moves for the price of one.
Done right, poling works great.
Done wrong, someone goes to the hospital, and the locomotive goes to the shop.
I highly reccomend no one try this at home.
Stay Frosty,
Ed
ps, sure your bell hasnt been rung before?

[edblysard]

Poling is where you take a pole, piece of lumber, just about anything you can find, and place it between a locomotive and a car on a adjacent track, and shove the car out of the way.
You do this only if you cant make a coupling to the car in the way, say it is fouling just enough, or is in such a sharp curve you cant couple into it.
No, new locomotive do not have poling pockets, is a good way to get killed, and is now against the rules.
We use MK1500Ds, no pockets.
Older switchers and road switchers like the geeps have them, it was common pratice to pole cars.
It was also common pratice to get hurt, the ploe snaps, and the brakeman holding it in place gets smacked by the broken pole, or hit by either the car or the locomotive.
Yes, I have poled a car or two.
Last time we had a car roll out behind us, from the track just beside us, it came out just enough to prevent us from coming out of the track, it was fouling the lead by a foot or two.
Took a piece of 4x4 lumber braceing from a flat car, stuck it against the edge of the coupler pocket, had the engineer back up against the other end.
Got just enough pressure to hold the pole in place, got out of the way, and the engineer gave it a kick.
The car rolled up the lead behind us, when it cleared the switch, I lined it back, and the car rolled back and coupled into the rear of our locomotive.
Of course, we had to do a drop to get the car back in the track it belonged in, so we got to do two illegal moves for the price of one.
Done right, poling works great.
Done wrong, someone goes to the hospital, and the locomotive goes to the shop.
I highly reccomend no one try this at home.
Stay Frosty,
Ed
ps, sure your bell hasnt been rung before?

[Nora]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Of course, we had to do a drop to get the car back in the track it belonged in, so we got to do two illegal moves for the price of one.

So...what's a drop?

--Nora

[Nora]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Of course, we had to do a drop to get the car back in the track it belonged in, so we got to do two illegal moves for the price of one.

So...what's a drop?

--Nora

[mudchicken]

dutch or gravity?

[mudchicken]

dutch or gravity?

[edblysard]

Oh Boy, me and my big mouth!
Ok, I will try to explain a simple drop.
Lets say you have a car behind your locomotive, and you need it in front.
You have two tracks, with a facing point(the points of the turnout face you) turnout conntecting the two, but no way to cut off and run around your car.
Solution.
Drop the car into the other track, then back up past it, and couple into it.
Heres how.
Drop off the switchman at the switch, (make sure the switch operates easily) and leave him there, he lines the switch for the straight route.
Back up a good ways, cut the air brakes out of the car and bleed the air off.
Conductor gets on the rear of the locomotive, gives the engineer the high sign, and the engineer takes off towards the switch at a fast pace.
Once you get to speed, the conductor will signal the engineer, who cuts the throttle back, allowing the slack to run in, at which point the conductor uncouples the car, signals the engineer, who opens the throttle wide to out run the car, which is now rolling free behind you.
You pass the switch, and the switchman you left there, and keep going, so if it goes wrong, your not in the way.
The switchman lines the turnout for the siding or other track, and catches the car, or mounts up on the end with the hand brake.
When the car is far enough into the other track, he will apply the hand brake, and stop it.
Now all you have to do is back up past the switch, and then go into the sideing or other track, and couple up to the car you just "droped" into that track.

This is a quick way to get a car from behind you to in front of you.
Its also a quick way to get fired if it goes wrong, you have to trust each other to do their part, or you can make a mess real quick.

A gravity drop is what we did when the car we "polled" out onto the lead had rolled back and coupled into our locomotive.
Problem, we now had a car behind us, that has to go into a track thats ahead of us, our locomotive is in the way.
Soultion.
Our switching lead is sloped away from our main, downhill.
We backed up some, past a higher track, then gently kicked the car behind us up the lead, and pulled our locomotive into the higher track than the one the car belonged in, lined the switch behind us for the lead and when the car slowed down, gravity took over, making it roll back downhill again, picking up enough speed so that it went past the track we were in, and into the track where it belonged, with the car now in front of us, we could back out of the higher track, and couple or shove it in more if needed.

A dutch drop is a modified drop, where the locomotive goes into the sideing, the cars goes on down the straight track, and when it gets past the locomotive, you back out of the sideing, and chase the car down with the locomotive, and couple back into it.

Done right, drops are a quick way to solve a problem, and done correctly, they are not too unsafe, if you make sure all the components and people involved work correctly and know what to do.

Can you get a lick of sense out of all of that?
Its easier to do than to explain..
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[edblysard]

Oh Boy, me and my big mouth!
Ok, I will try to explain a simple drop.
Lets say you have a car behind your locomotive, and you need it in front.
You have two tracks, with a facing point(the points of the turnout face you) turnout conntecting the two, but no way to cut off and run around your car.
Solution.
Drop the car into the other track, then back up past it, and couple into it.
Heres how.
Drop off the switchman at the switch, (make sure the switch operates easily) and leave him there, he lines the switch for the straight route.
Back up a good ways, cut the air brakes out of the car and bleed the air off.
Conductor gets on the rear of the locomotive, gives the engineer the high sign, and the engineer takes off towards the switch at a fast pace.
Once you get to speed, the conductor will signal the engineer, who cuts the throttle back, allowing the slack to run in, at which point the conductor uncouples the car, signals the engineer, who opens the throttle wide to out run the car, which is now rolling free behind you.
You pass the switch, and the switchman you left there, and keep going, so if it goes wrong, your not in the way.
The switchman lines the turnout for the siding or other track, and catches the car, or mounts up on the end with the hand brake.
When the car is far enough into the other track, he will apply the hand brake, and stop it.
Now all you have to do is back up past the switch, and then go into the sideing or other track, and couple up to the car you just "droped" into that track.

This is a quick way to get a car from behind you to in front of you.
Its also a quick way to get fired if it goes wrong, you have to trust each other to do their part, or you can make a mess real quick.

A gravity drop is what we did when the car we "polled" out onto the lead had rolled back and coupled into our locomotive.
Problem, we now had a car behind us, that has to go into a track thats ahead of us, our locomotive is in the way.
Soultion.
Our switching lead is sloped away from our main, downhill.
We backed up some, past a higher track, then gently kicked the car behind us up the lead, and pulled our locomotive into the higher track than the one the car belonged in, lined the switch behind us for the lead and when the car slowed down, gravity took over, making it roll back downhill again, picking up enough speed so that it went past the track we were in, and into the track where it belonged, with the car now in front of us, we could back out of the higher track, and couple or shove it in more if needed.

A dutch drop is a modified drop, where the locomotive goes into the sideing, the cars goes on down the straight track, and when it gets past the locomotive, you back out of the sideing, and chase the car down with the locomotive, and couple back into it.

Done right, drops are a quick way to solve a problem, and done correctly, they are not too unsafe, if you make sure all the components and people involved work correctly and know what to do.

Can you get a lick of sense out of all of that?
Its easier to do than to explain..
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Oh Boy, me and my big mouth!
Stay Frosty,
Ed

Ed I believe my question was a twofer, two for the price of one. Not only did you eloquently answer my question but you were allowed a bonus question and answer. Not many of our forum member are presented with such a unique opportunity and handle it so well.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Oh Boy, me and my big mouth!
Stay Frosty,
Ed

Ed I believe my question was a twofer, two for the price of one. Not only did you eloquently answer my question but you were allowed a bonus question and answer. Not many of our forum member are presented with such a unique opportunity and handle it so well.

[edblysard]

Mookie said I had to make up for the Snacca(er) joke, and the crack about my cousin in California...
Stay Safe this weekend,
Ed

[edblysard]

Mookie said I had to make up for the Snacca(er) joke, and the crack about my cousin in California...
Stay Safe this weekend,
Ed

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Mookie said I had to make up for the Snacca(er) joke, and the crack about my cousin in California...
Stay Safe this weekend,
Ed

I enjoyed both comments. Others around the forum did too. [:o)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Mookie said I had to make up for the Snacca(er) joke, and the crack about my cousin in California...
Stay Safe this weekend,
Ed

I enjoyed both comments. Others around the forum did too. [:o)]

[Anonymous]

Speaking of switch engines, today i saw a switcher pulling a passenger train full of people. Is that normal?

[Anonymous]

Speaking of switch engines, today i saw a switcher pulling a passenger train full of people. Is that normal?

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Alaskaman

Speaking of switch engines, today i saw a switcher pulling a passenger train full of people. Is that normal?

the toledo lake erie and western uses an old baldwin switcher to move railfans.
stay safe[:)]
joe

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Alaskaman

Speaking of switch engines, today i saw a switcher pulling a passenger train full of people. Is that normal?

the toledo lake erie and western uses an old baldwin switcher to move railfans.
stay safe[:)]
joe

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Alaskaman

Speaking of switch engines, today i saw a switcher pulling a passenger train full of people. Is that normal?

Fifty or sixty years ago it might not have been but today it sure seems a little odd. Was it a railfan trip? [?]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Alaskaman

Speaking of switch engines, today i saw a switcher pulling a passenger train full of people. Is that normal?

Fifty or sixty years ago it might not have been but today it sure seems a little odd. Was it a railfan trip? [?]

[wabash1]

ED

when you drop your car why wasnt you on the car itself. this way the brakeman wouldnt haft to get on the moving car and if the hand brake wasnt working properly the engine could came after you be the switchman being at the switch to let the engine out . dropping cars or ( as called here running switches) isnt against the rules here.. the way we do it is to have the car going into the siding, this way if something goes wrong with the switch, we can use the engine to stop the cars and back up to try it again with out damage, see we can get the engines speed matched to the cars and couple lightly. then shove back. and yes you need to trust the guys you work with nobody can be in a hurry, the worse thing is have the first trucks of a engine go over the switch and the brakeman throw the switch to early and derail the rear of the engine.. this act will get you overtime ( not payed) and a few days off with out pay,

[wabash1]

ED

when you drop your car why wasnt you on the car itself. this way the brakeman wouldnt haft to get on the moving car and if the hand brake wasnt working properly the engine could came after you be the switchman being at the switch to let the engine out . dropping cars or ( as called here running switches) isnt against the rules here.. the way we do it is to have the car going into the siding, this way if something goes wrong with the switch, we can use the engine to stop the cars and back up to try it again with out damage, see we can get the engines speed matched to the cars and couple lightly. then shove back. and yes you need to trust the guys you work with nobody can be in a hurry, the worse thing is have the first trucks of a engine go over the switch and the brakeman throw the switch to early and derail the rear of the engine.. this act will get you overtime ( not payed) and a few days off with out pay,

[edblysard]

We have only 2 ground men, someone has to pull the pin, and the other line the switch.
We have droped cars with the pin puller riding the car, but only if the hand brake is on the end facing the motor.
Went to CSX.com the employee gripe site, in their picture section is a great shot of just what you described, one set of trucks in one track, the rear set in the next one, sideways switch motor in the middle.
Havent had the fun of that kinda of vacation, but one of the officals in the photo looks like he wants to give whoever did this a good long one.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[edblysard]

We have only 2 ground men, someone has to pull the pin, and the other line the switch.
We have droped cars with the pin puller riding the car, but only if the hand brake is on the end facing the motor.
Went to CSX.com the employee gripe site, in their picture section is a great shot of just what you described, one set of trucks in one track, the rear set in the next one, sideways switch motor in the middle.
Havent had the fun of that kinda of vacation, but one of the officals in the photo looks like he wants to give whoever did this a good long one.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[Anonymous]

Boy! What a thread for me, who knows so little it's embarrasing.

My grandfather worked for the NC&StL, among others, starting at 14 years old. He didn't tell me much about his days on the line, so I remain largely ignorant.

For many years I lived across the street (separated by a jungle) from the L&N mainline and yard in Marietta, GA. Never forget the night the water tower caught fire and burned about half up!

Today's stupid question : what do the last letters of reporting marks signify? The only one I know is that X means a leased car. Thus, CSX usually marks cars CSXT (not leased). Can some kind and knowledgable soul enlighten me (and, probably, most of us?

Mungo

[Anonymous]

Boy! What a thread for me, who knows so little it's embarrasing.

My grandfather worked for the NC&StL, among others, starting at 14 years old. He didn't tell me much about his days on the line, so I remain largely ignorant.

For many years I lived across the street (separated by a jungle) from the L&N mainline and yard in Marietta, GA. Never forget the night the water tower caught fire and burned about half up!

Today's stupid question : what do the last letters of reporting marks signify? The only one I know is that X means a leased car. Thus, CSX usually marks cars CSXT (not leased). Can some kind and knowledgable soul enlighten me (and, probably, most of us?

Mungo

[JoeKoh]

They played around with diffrent forms when CSX came together from C hessie system(B&O C&O WM) and the S eaboard system (sal acl L&N).the X is a multiple symbol.while all the fillings in washington was going on they (lawyers) had to put the name on all those wonderful documents that didn't conflict with other companies so thats how csx came to be.
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

They played around with diffrent forms when CSX came together from C hessie system(B&O C&O WM) and the S eaboard system (sal acl L&N).the X is a multiple symbol.while all the fillings in washington was going on they (lawyers) had to put the name on all those wonderful documents that didn't conflict with other companies so thats how csx came to be.
stay safe
joe