Three step

[tree68]

  To be honest,it's a useless rule.

More than anything else, it's an awareness thing.  It could require the engineer to turn around three times and click his (her) heels together. As long as the employee on the ground requests it and the engineer acknowledges it, then both know about it and the odds of bad things happening is thus reduced..

Ever since I hired on the railroad when a conductor or brakeman didn't say anything you STOP .Simply as that.You never moved until you was told to.That's why theres rules for when theres a loss of communication.

There are times when multiple employees are working on the train in various places.  If all request three-step (or your local convention), then one person is in control of the whole shebang - the engineer.

Think of it as lock-out/tag-out, where every person who wants the circuit shut down hangs their own padlock on the switch.  Until the last worker removes their lock, the circuit doesn't go back on.

It's put alot of unnecassary talk on the radio when crews are trying to switch.And made alot of crews mad when you can't do your work because of all the chatter.

Our tourist road frequently uses hand signals (including 3 step) even though we're the only ones on the air.  Of course, our usual train is 2-4 cars....

[WSOR 3801]

The FRA requires "Set and Centered (job ID)" these days.  CP is a user of 3-point around here.  If in range, hand signals may be used, and are preferred. They want us to gab on the radio, but the batteries on the portables don't hold up, especially in the cold.

[Rodney Beck]

LC is correct on BNSF we use set and centered, it is all the same except for the generator field.

 

Rodney

[mackb4]

  Limitedclear is correct.

 It's another rule from Conrail that the NS has adopted.

 To be honest,it's a useless rule.Ever since I hired on the railroad when a conductor or brakeman didn't say anything you STOP .Simply as that.You never moved until you was told to.That's why theres rules for when theres a loss of communication.

 I also think the c-102 rule is not feasible.If you tie 2 or 20 brakes on a cut of cars,if the air doesn't hold when you cut away,then you have no business in cutting away where you did.

 I'm not against every rule,most are good rules to have.

 But alot of these new rules the railroads or FRA have adapted have taken away from doing your job in a timely manner.And haven't helped anything.It's put alot of unnecassary talk on the radio when crews are trying to switch.And made alot of crews mad when you can't do your work because of all the chatter.

 Sorry for getting off the subject alittle,but I had to get it off my chest  !

[edblysard]

PADave,

What they are doing.

A ground employee, conductor or brakeman, is going in between the cars or between the locomotive and the cars.

Three step, (down here called the Red Zone) prevents the engineer from moving the train or the locomotive with the employee in a position to be harmed by the moving equipment.

He or she may be lacing up air hoses, cutting in the air, (opening an anglecock) or tying/taking off a handbrake, all tasks that require the employee to be out of sight of the engineer and in between the equipment.

 

Only the employee who requested the three step protection or Red Zone may release it, and no one may "piggyback" on someone else's protections.

 

In other words, if I request three step, only I may enter the danger zone on that request, my helper has to ask for his own protection, which the engineer also has to acknowledge, so that if I clear myself, and the helper has not, and I tell the engineer to move the train, he may not do so until the helper releases his protection.

 

As was pointed out, it requires the engineer to apply the train brake and the independent brake, center the reverser, and put the generator field switch in the off position.

With this done, it prevents the alternator (they don't use generators anymore) from providing current to the traction motors, even if the throttle is moved, and because both the train brake and the independent brakes are applied, and the reverser is centered, (neutral position) the train can not move under it's own power.

 

Each one of these steps should disable the locomotive and prevent movement each on its own. Combined, it requires the engineer to do several steps before he can move, which requires him to think about what he is doing.

 

Trust me; nothing is more terrifying that having a train you are lacing up or knocking a brake off of suddenly move, you learn to jump mighty quick and mighty far!

Which is one of the reasons we are required by rule to keep one foot outside the rail when inbetween cars, so you can pull yourself back or step back quickly if there is unexpected movement.

http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/1506

See the FRA recommend practices, and the SOFA (Switching Operations Fatality Analysis) group study here.

[CShaveRR]

We aren't quite as thorough at our end of the UP, but I daresay it's as effective:

Our expression is "set and centered"--brake set, reverser centered.  Brakeman has to hear that before he goes into the "Red Zone".

[Limitedclear]

 The first step is to (as applicable) set the train brakes, then the independent (locomotive) brakes. Then comes the second step, the engineer will put the throttle in idle and third, the selector is put in the neutral position. That will then render the locomotive stationary (at least in theory). The engineer will not release the selector, move the throttle into run 1 or release the independent until he/she is told by the employee that made the request to him/her that this employee is in the clear. Failing to do so will result in disciplinary action for the first "offense". Subsequent slip-ups will be dealt with according to the agreements with the BLE or UTU as applicable.

Nice try, but incorrect. Conrail started this Rule and it was contained in Conrail Safety Rule 1710(e)

STEP 1 : Apply the Train (Automatic and Independent) Brakes.

STEP 2 : Place Reverser in neutral position.

STEP 3 : Open the Generator Field Switch. 

The Engineer must maintain this protection until notified by the employee who requested it that the protection is no longer required.

LC

[PBenham]

 The first step is to (as applicable) set the train brakes, then the independent (locomotive) brakes. Then comes the second step, the engineer will put the throttle in idle and third, the selector is put in the neutral position. That will then render the locomotive stationary (at least in theory). The engineer will not release the selector, move the throttle into run 1 or release the independent until he/she is told by the employee that made the request to him/her that this employee is in the clear. Failing to do so will result in disciplinary action for the first "offense". Subsequent slip-ups will be dealt with according to the agreements with the BLE or UTU as applicable.

[padave]

The CSX local switcher on the Hanover Sub in South Central Pa-wile there switching cars they say Three Step, what are they doing when the say that?

Thanks PaDave

Thanks for the answer on Three Step.

I have another question, when the engineer received the Three Step request does the employee give there name or does the engineer just go by how many requests were made for Three Step when clearing it? How does the engineer know it’s the right person clearing the Three Step?

PaDave