EOT devices on NYA trains

Hi. Are EOT devices required on NYA trains? Never seen them on the LIRR. Thanks

Yes, they are. Flashing yellow light device on coupler of last car. Hell of a lot better than the wooden stake with a red rag tied to it I saw wedged into the coupler of the last car, a green North Louisiana & Gulf boxcar, of an E/B LIRR freight leaving the Hicksville Yard behind Alco Century 420's 222 & 223 with MP-15ac 160 back in the summer of 1987.

Prior to the EOTD or commonly known as "FRED" the standard code rule red flag by day red light by night was followed.
At night and when passing through tunnels (not the under-jumps or overpasses) a red light is to be displayed.
during the day all that was required was a red flag on a poll shoved into the last cars knuckle.
If the train had a hack on the back if equipped with markers they would be used if not then the flag by day and light by night would be used.
This was practiced for many years and not shut down with the mandatory use of our friend "FRED".
Should "FRED" die and not be revived then the old flag and lantern may be used.

FRED
Flashing Rear End Device.
EOTD
End Of Train Device

FRED came along way since he killed the hack from the back

O.k, thanks!

There's a difference between an end of train device and a marker or FRED. A marker is just a simple thing to distinguish the end of a train (a flag, lantern, or flashing light typically). An end of train device also incorporates a flashing light to indicate the rear of the train, but it also communicates with the head end of the train, relaying the brake pipe pressure reading on the rear of the train to the front of the train. Class 1 railroads tend to use the EOTD, as well as some short lines that handle long trains. On the LIRR (and NYAR), the trains aren't usually all that long, so it doesn't take all that long for a crew member to walk to the back of the train to read the gauge to check the pressure on the rear.

NYA uses just the one with the air guage connected to the back. Jamming a flag in the rear was pretty common. Might still be used occaisonally today. All trains would use a marker at night. Sometimes the ones w/o air hose hookup would not be there when you got to Fresh Pond. They would fall out of the rear knuckle in transit.

NY state requires electric marker light day or night on passenger trains, work trains and freight or wreck train.
only time a red flag is allowed is if move originates at a in between point.

Quote DutchRailnut Re: EOT devices on NYA trains
by DutchRailnut » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:47 pm

NY state requires electric marker light day or night on passenger trains, work trains and freight or wreck train.
only time a red flag is allowed is if move originates at a in between point.

I'm sure of it, I've seen a reflective vest or shirt to denote the end of a train also. We used to jam a red flag in the rear at the initial terminal quite often. Like around 2004/5 after the runaway 160 and the Granitville, SC incident things tightened up a bit. The engs were required to have a minimum of 10 fusees also. Those made for a good marker at night also for about 10 mins or so....

On my old freight railroad, we'd shove a fusee into the coupler when we were switching at night with another crew for visibility, when one crew would send a train backing up towards the other crew, so that the sending crew member could remain by the switch, and the other crew member could wait and then grab the train as it got closer.

plenty of moves are made illegal, untill someting happens and the Conductor hangs, (after all he is in charge)
again NY state law requires electric markers at all times.

Ironically the markers were made in Ridgewood, Queens. I think the corporation was McDermott or something like that, right around the corner from the NYAR main office in Glendale. I think the LIRR and Metro North use these also. Conrail/CSX always came down with the EOTD. It would have to be removed sometimes so NYA yard crew could pull the train off for the engines to get back up to East End of the interchange. Usually with alot less motive power than what brought it down.