WHAT ARE THE WORK CONDITIONS INSIDE THE CAB OF A LOCOMOTIVE?

[CSXrules4eva]

This has been a very interesting thread, but no one has said anything about noise. I would guess that with horns, engines, air brakes and who knows what else, the cab is a pretty noisy place. Or are they insulated and isolated well enough to be comfortable? 

Yes some of the cabs are very noisey; for instance some of the first generation diesel locomotives like the FP7 &, E9 so on so forth were verry noisey. Every time the engine was throttled up you could really hear and feel the virbration and noise. To me it seems like the train crew was in a turbine room, it was that loud.

The more modern locomotives like that of the SD80MAC, AC6000CWs, SD70ACes so on so foruth have what I like to call the Isolatetd Wisper Cab, which is a modernized cab, designed to be quiet for the train crew.

Just as an example the SD80MAC has it's noisey dynamic brake box at the rear of the locomotive also  near the noisy 4 cylinder air compressor, and the noisy radiator fans. This eliminates some of the noise generated by these componets in the cab. From what I was told the SD80MACs have a very smooth, quite, and comfortable ride.

[tree68]

We run several vintage locomotives, including an SW1 and an RS3.   They were built for utility, not comfort.  A 60+ YO SW1 in N7 or N8 is a less than pleasant ride, however exciting for the thrill of riding in something that old....

The RS3 isn't too bad, but primitive compared to the cabs of today.

 

[SFbrkmn]

Not very many, but some mainline freights do operate w/a brkmn. These are mainly jobs that will have scheduled work enroute. At Newton,KS on BNSF all trains operate w/a brkmn.This is is one of very few brkmn xtra bds on the system. Wish all stns had a brkmn bd but that is wishful thinking. As for the inside of the cab, most of the time it is plain miserable.

[WSOR 3801]

LOUD.

The loudest air is on the ex-CSX motors.  When you take air, pssssht-SCREEEEEEEE-groan (bailing off).  The horn is right over head.  A couple motors have had the restrictors in the air horn removed.  Enough to wake the dead.

We don't see those newfangled jobs too much, except when they come in for paint.

The E-units aren't quiet either.  Even with the front engine shut down, it's still loud.  The brass bell is under the engr, the electric bell is above the conductor.  Yes, WSOR 10C has two bells.  It is kinda tight inside, as it has been rebuilt with a modern control stand.  Comfy seats, though.