BNSF Railway has a "Mechanical Desk" in Fort Worth, TX. If train crews have a problem with a locomotive, the call "Mechanical", 24/7, on the radio, from wherever they are. It seem that "Mechanical" can solve the problem, on the radio, in about 95% of the cases. Doesn't matter what kind of loco is in trouble, who owns it, whatever. Truly amazing! Maybe Fred Fraley could do an article about it. I wonder if they have "mock-ups" of loco cabs, or are they simply geniuses. Good job, guys, whomever you are!
BNSFwatcher BNSF Railway has a "Mechanical Desk" in Fort Worth, TX. If train crews have a problem with a locomotive, the call "Mechanical", 24/7, on the radio, from wherever they are. It seem that "Mechanical" can solve the problem, on the radio, in about 95% of the cases. Doesn't matter what kind of loco is in trouble, who owns it, whatever. Truly amazing! Maybe Fred Fraley could do an article about it. I wonder if they have "mock-ups" of loco cabs, or are they simply geniuses. Good job, guys, whomever you are!
The recent TRAINS magazine special issue LOCOMOTIVES 2009 includes an article on BNSFs management of it's motive power that covers this...
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
Diesel doctor here , broken locomotive ? call me 24/7 .. If I can't help you I am obliged to commit suicide in the manner prescribed by company policy on Hari Kari.
As a 24/7 scanner monitor, a BNI shareholder, and an old Army Security Agency soldier, I am always alert to what is "going on". I think that most of our problems, in Shelby, MT, stem from the locomotive crews not being adequately instructed/schooled/trained in the nuances of 'Distributed Power' hook-ups/add-ons. Now, with the "Jimmy Junk" coming up from the coal fields, it can only get worse. Grab some more coffee! You will not sleep tonight!!!
An interesting concept. The trucking industry(starting with the truck leasors Gelco/Ryder/Hertz, et al) for something aproaching 30+ years have operated centralized Road Maintenance operations from centralized locations. Read ALWAYS available 24/7/365) that have proved very successful. And the OTR trucking industry has come along with similar concepts, as well, with whatever level of coverage the particular operation wanted to maintain for their operation.
Services that instructed drivers where to fuel, closest repair/mechanical, dispatch of wreckers, accident inspection personnel, and so on.
So why not the same for railroads. The concept of centralized control is proven and economical. The engineers are connected with their Dispatchers, and other supervisors, so why not having a "Diesel Doctor" available to diagnose and direct road break downs as well?
TRAINS Newswire carries a story of a RailAmerica Dispatching Operation for a pair of railroads in SouthCentral Mississippi that are being handled by dispatchers in Vermont.
Ain't technology wonderful! WHEN IT WORKS!
CSX has been using the concept for several years. The advice and instructions are the kinds of things that experienced Engineers have accumulated in their knowledge banks....however, in today's railroad...the Experienced Engineer is hard to find so that knowledge has to be disseminated in other ways.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
stem from the locomotive crews not being adequately instructed/schooled/trained in the nuances of 'Distributed Power' hook-ups/add-ons.
When I hostled they just handed me a pamphlet and said "Qualified".. ABTH rules has it step by step to link up and unlink.But they neglect one status message that pops up and says clear pcs.You dont have to. You have to wait till the light goes out and hten continue. SO the first couple times it took me a bit.
In class we did some on a simulator but most engineers dont have to link and unlink a lot so it can confuse them.
Mechanical has a set of computer screens that run a flow chart of if problem is this then do this. That work? etc etc.Last I heard there was like a couple guys a shift working that desk. So they get cranky when your trying to get a hold of them.
No mine is a bit more old school. I just call the roundhouse and bring baleing wire and bubble gum.
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
route_rock stem from the locomotive crews not being adequately instructed/schooled/trained in the nuances of 'Distributed Power' hook-ups/add-ons. When I hostled they just handed me a pamphlet and said "Qualified".. ABTH rules has it step by step to link up and unlink.But they neglect one status message that pops up and says clear pcs.You dont have to. You have to wait till the light goes out and hten continue. SO the first couple times it took me a bit. In class we did some on a simulator but most engineers dont have to link and unlink a lot so it can confuse them. Mechanical has a set of computer screens that run a flow chart of if problem is this then do this. That work? etc etc.Last I heard there was like a couple guys a shift working that desk. So they get cranky when your trying to get a hold of them. No mine is a bit more old school. I just call the roundhouse and bring baleing wire and bubble gum.
At least you got a book they give us guys on the NS a faded copy on 2 or 3 papers then say your qualified and then send us out in the rain so the rest of the ink runs off the paper. And you know the NS its safty first so they wont give us wire its DUCT Tape. big rolls of it. tape everything.
Could have been me at one company that I drove for OTR. Our Road Service was what ever we could get called ourselves. Try finding a company to come fix a broken truck in the Middle of South Dakota in the middle of WINTER at -40 with a windchill of -75 and you got a busted air line on your trailer. Called I dug out a pair of straws and 2 rolls of HEAVY DUTY DUCT TAPE. Needless to say I managed to get to the company shop in IA with out needing a service call.
Called the Road Mantanice guy belived a breakdown WAS NOT HIS JOB TO HELP THE DRIVERS TO FIX.
LOL I had a TM one night ask " How darn hard can this be?" He found out the hard way! Heres your pamphlet ( we finally got some that were laminated) and let me know when you want help.
Yuck to SD and winter!! I luckily never had a break down there.Knocks on wood real hard lol.
CN just cut all but 2 diesel doctors for the entire CN network. They are located at Woodcrest. Heard this from the now out of a job Edmonton Diesel Docs.
The standard response from our desk...
Shut the engine down...pull all the breakers...wait five minutes...start back up.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
Sounds just like a standard MicroSoft-type 'reboot' . . .
- PDN.
I have a hard time remembering when I was'nt getting called at all hours for locomotive issues ....
95% of the time my a$$!
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LOL Jim. BNSF likes everything above 90%. I did have a Microsoft "reboot" once. Shut it all down and trip the computer. It did work but it took them 30 minutes to suggest it lol.
i agree with Jim I'd love to have a 95% success rate. I usually wind up going out and doing the hard boot more often then not. for all the fellow railroaders out there, when dropping the computer breaker fails, if you can park, shut the whole thing down and pull the knife switch, wait 30 sec. and bring it back up. that will fix 90% of the issues on a C45AC, and 50% on a C44AC.
Yeah, it seems that more and more you have to stop and just kill the whole thing just to get it going again. A far cry from just sticking a fusee in it to get up the road.
Ah yes. Or knock on it with a hammer a couple times.
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