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by shortlinerailroader
I might need to open my timetable (not GCOR), but I thought a light engine was permitted max speed for freight (60MPH in my territory) unless otherwise restricted; under 12 axles being prepaired to stop at signaled X-ings in case they were not activated.
Last edited by shortlinerailroader on Mon Feb 11, 2008 9:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
--Why did it say "84 axles" when we have 20 cars?
--It counts the engine, too
--It counts the engine, too
by DutchRailnut
Also engine speeds are given in Time table, not in rulebooks.
To go at higher speeds with a single light engine is stupid.
A] no brake redundancy.
B] no warning if brakes do no longer work(see A).
C] Compressor failure will fail the brakes.
The engine system is not like a rail car were air is set in a reservoir and a leak will set the brakes. on Engines the brakes work Equalizing vs Main reservoir and even a sticking air dryer can render a engine without brakes, or just a slight debris hit.
Multiplke engines have a little more redundancy but still have the main reservoir factor in picture, have a MR hose come apart and kiss the brakes goodby, slowly but shurely.
To go at higher speeds with a single light engine is stupid.
A] no brake redundancy.
B] no warning if brakes do no longer work(see A).
C] Compressor failure will fail the brakes.
The engine system is not like a rail car were air is set in a reservoir and a leak will set the brakes. on Engines the brakes work Equalizing vs Main reservoir and even a sticking air dryer can render a engine without brakes, or just a slight debris hit.
Multiplke engines have a little more redundancy but still have the main reservoir factor in picture, have a MR hose come apart and kiss the brakes goodby, slowly but shurely.
If Conductors are in charge, why are they promoted to be Engineer???
Retired Triebfahrzeugführer. I am not a moderator.
Retired Triebfahrzeugführer. I am not a moderator.
by jz441
shortlinerailroader wrote:I might need to open my GCOR, but I thought a light engine was permitted max speed for freight (60MPH in my territory) unless otherwise restricted; under 12 axles being prepaired to stop at signaled X-ings in case they were not activated.Every railroad has their own rules and restrictions.... GCOR doesn't say a word about light engine speeds... This is listed in the System Special Instructions, or in some cases in the Timetable.
On BNSF light engines can operate 70 mph, and 45 mph when operating with the long hood forward (desk top controls only).
It's fun to do 70 light engne...
by Grump
I know on NJT, Conrail, and Amtrak the special instructions give locomotive only speeds for single lite(normaly 30) and multiple lite(normally 50)....
Attention ladies and gentlemen, we are being held to allow for the same Amtrak train that passed us at Secaucus and Newark to pass us again for the third time. We thank you for your patience.
by GN 599
HermitNS wrote:I gotta beat this dead horse too so here it goes. It sounds like you are a troublemaker. Evidenty you dont know what restricted speed means. Rearending another train is something that is something that should never happen. And then going around ratting people out? Come on get real. A real man would have found out who didnt tie handbrakes in that situation and talked to him about it face to face. As a local chairman all I can say is people like you just cost the union money due to our obligation to protect employee's who get into trouble and always have some hard luck excuse. Sounds to me like you don't belong out here anyway so in the off chance they let you come back I would resign anyway. Because nobody is going to want to deal with this kind of behavior and it will look better on your next resume instead of ''fired'', which will happen eventually.DutchRailnut wrote:Now you claim to have excellent record but having two restricted speed violations (rear ender) and Banner test is not a good record in my opinion? Am I missing something ??As far as showing up for work, proper, accurate and efficient customer service (I have been "tested" by railroad officials after spotting auto facilities and have NEVER received less than a 98% compliance...and that is usually due to mismatched deck heights...something I have no control over). I am also "the guy" who is held over (usually close to going on the law) to complete the work that "senior" workers fail to complete in their EIGHT hour (or less) shifts.
I AM a troublemaker in that I reported sexual activity between contract workers DURING shift and on moving locomotives.
I reported a senior engineer who trains jr conductors to run the engines then allows those conductors to operate said locomotives WITHOUT the engineer being physically onboard the power.
I report EVERY cut of cars with insuffucuent or NO handbrakes applied. (one such cut rolled out of the yard recently and narrowly missed a moving outbound train. The impending accident was averted by a conductor I trained who VIOLATED the boarding moving equipment rule so he could bust the air that was bottled by the same crew I mentioned in the above paragraph) ETC, ETC, ETC.
Maybe I shouldn't go back because it's an antiquated and archaic form of management that I can't deal with.
The wreck??? Accidents can/do happen. I bet you can't find a report on it though. Looking for NS 7131 accident reports in the FRA files and I can't find it anywhere. Is a coverup WORSE than an accident? My mentality? I ran the flightdeck of an aircraft carrier for my squadrons on several deployments.
You make the call here.
What a long strange trip its been.
by HermitNS
I re read this thread with an open mind and I don't convey my views very well...
As for the accident, in MY mind..I place the blame on one of three others even though I know what the rule reads like...
As for the banner, definately my fault, I gave the orders that the track was all clear to the stop board then proceedeed to review my switchlist....should have kept an eye on the rail and my ass in the seat but I didn't. I was too gung-ho to get to work and get 'er done. There was a section of track about 80-100 feet in length that I couldn't see the rail....I WOULD have seen a railcar but that's not up for debate.
As for my reputation, 90% of the folks, contract or management, on the property like me. I DO all the work even if I bitch that it's unfairly distributed. Not that THAT bothers me so much as just one or two folks with "seniority" just don't tote their share of work. They already have the best work hours and shift choices as well as roll options when things get slow. That's fine, they earned those but this is a JOB and I expect someone working for a living to WORK for their pay. I don't care if every damned rock on the property has your toe print on it, YOU know if you're screwing off or not. I can also understand AND APPRECIATE sitting in the sidetrack while more important freight gets handled. That's the only way to work with so few rails and so many cars. Getting off on a deadend spur here..
As for this socalled SCAB or RAT rep I have now. I can't understand how you "brothers" tolerate some of the infractions I listed in my first couple of rants. Yea, this is a VERY EAY job and you're getting paid for your back (knees, ankles etc) not your brain, but the infractions that peave me the most are those that can KILL folks. I don't care if the idiot conductor gets himself pinched between cars. Thats HIS FAULT and all men die. There is no cure for death. Now, the wife, kids, parents, friends etc who were enjoying an afternoon together and now are suddenly dead because an ammonia cloud from a damaged tankcar that was improperly secured, parked in the foul, run into by an unlicensed conductor piloting a locomotive without a qualified engineer onboard, or a switch was missed because the engineer was "getting his" from his conductor etc....HELL YES I am going to rat that crew out every time and I WILL take my chances getting fired for that because these actions are not only unnecessary but also flagrant and dangerous violations that jeopardize everyone within reasonable distance.
OK rant over. Lets keep this civil (unless YOU are the rules breakers I listed above, then it'll just be a bunch of the same old fingerpointing) and tell me again how bad I am.
I won't go into a tizzy trying to dismiss my guilt in the accident (of which, i STILL feel wasn't my fauly even though the rules clearly say so. And we KNOW the rules were written to protect the workers interests and not the companies.) and I have accepted responsibility for the banner so lets try to leave these out. I obviously feel like a passenger while riding the locomotive. I can do 1 of 2 things...voice my concern to the engineer (and how many 25+ year engineers want to listen to a 2 year conductor) or pull the brake (at 20 MPH while on straight track and approaching a grade crossing ) because I think there MIGHT be a train ahead. I know that sounds dumb especially because there WAS one but what if I HAD done my job, there WASN'T a train ahead and we derailed loaded rock cars on straight track. NOW WHAT. Rat out the engineer because I FELT he was going too fast and didn't have control of his train?
Yea, I know, err on the side of safety. BUt then I would be the only one doing so.
Save your breath guys, I wouldn't go back now even if they tripled the salary. The more I write here, the clearer it becomes I'll just give myself a heart attack worrying about 2 or 3 idiots that have 1 soft minded official in thier pocket. Guess I'll return to aircraft where standards and regulations mean something more than just the bottom line.
Now bring on the concern that my aircraft will fall from the sky because ignore protocal.
As for the accident, in MY mind..I place the blame on one of three others even though I know what the rule reads like...
As for the banner, definately my fault, I gave the orders that the track was all clear to the stop board then proceedeed to review my switchlist....should have kept an eye on the rail and my ass in the seat but I didn't. I was too gung-ho to get to work and get 'er done. There was a section of track about 80-100 feet in length that I couldn't see the rail....I WOULD have seen a railcar but that's not up for debate.
As for my reputation, 90% of the folks, contract or management, on the property like me. I DO all the work even if I bitch that it's unfairly distributed. Not that THAT bothers me so much as just one or two folks with "seniority" just don't tote their share of work. They already have the best work hours and shift choices as well as roll options when things get slow. That's fine, they earned those but this is a JOB and I expect someone working for a living to WORK for their pay. I don't care if every damned rock on the property has your toe print on it, YOU know if you're screwing off or not. I can also understand AND APPRECIATE sitting in the sidetrack while more important freight gets handled. That's the only way to work with so few rails and so many cars. Getting off on a deadend spur here..
As for this socalled SCAB or RAT rep I have now. I can't understand how you "brothers" tolerate some of the infractions I listed in my first couple of rants. Yea, this is a VERY EAY job and you're getting paid for your back (knees, ankles etc) not your brain, but the infractions that peave me the most are those that can KILL folks. I don't care if the idiot conductor gets himself pinched between cars. Thats HIS FAULT and all men die. There is no cure for death. Now, the wife, kids, parents, friends etc who were enjoying an afternoon together and now are suddenly dead because an ammonia cloud from a damaged tankcar that was improperly secured, parked in the foul, run into by an unlicensed conductor piloting a locomotive without a qualified engineer onboard, or a switch was missed because the engineer was "getting his" from his conductor etc....HELL YES I am going to rat that crew out every time and I WILL take my chances getting fired for that because these actions are not only unnecessary but also flagrant and dangerous violations that jeopardize everyone within reasonable distance.
OK rant over. Lets keep this civil (unless YOU are the rules breakers I listed above, then it'll just be a bunch of the same old fingerpointing) and tell me again how bad I am.
I won't go into a tizzy trying to dismiss my guilt in the accident (of which, i STILL feel wasn't my fauly even though the rules clearly say so. And we KNOW the rules were written to protect the workers interests and not the companies.) and I have accepted responsibility for the banner so lets try to leave these out. I obviously feel like a passenger while riding the locomotive. I can do 1 of 2 things...voice my concern to the engineer (and how many 25+ year engineers want to listen to a 2 year conductor) or pull the brake (at 20 MPH while on straight track and approaching a grade crossing ) because I think there MIGHT be a train ahead. I know that sounds dumb especially because there WAS one but what if I HAD done my job, there WASN'T a train ahead and we derailed loaded rock cars on straight track. NOW WHAT. Rat out the engineer because I FELT he was going too fast and didn't have control of his train?
Yea, I know, err on the side of safety. BUt then I would be the only one doing so.
Save your breath guys, I wouldn't go back now even if they tripled the salary. The more I write here, the clearer it becomes I'll just give myself a heart attack worrying about 2 or 3 idiots that have 1 soft minded official in thier pocket. Guess I'll return to aircraft where standards and regulations mean something more than just the bottom line.
Now bring on the concern that my aircraft will fall from the sky because ignore protocal.
by DutchRailnut
pinlifter wrote:hey dutchrailnut if your really an engineer you would know that when moving engine light you never use the air (unless its an emergency) to slow the locomotive. ever hear of dynamic brakes?[/quote]
Not all engines are equal, on passenger engines there is not always separate dynamic brake.
On our engines for example we only got blended brake, were dynamic is controlled by brake handle.
Also in cab signal territory the automatic brake is sometimes required to suppress ATC down grades as the Independent brake will not register.
If Conductors are in charge, why are they promoted to be Engineer???
Retired Triebfahrzeugführer. I am not a moderator.
Retired Triebfahrzeugführer. I am not a moderator.
by slchub
johnnynick wrote:According to my 5th edition of the GCOR eff. 03APR05, the NECR has adopted the GCOR.CSX Conductor wrote:CSX has it's own rules
The other railroads which operate under the same group of rules in the NorthEast operate under NORAC. No GCOR around here.
Pretty sure NECR is GCOR. Back on the road huh?