Retarder Operations questions !?

I'm trying to learn about hump yards and in particular, Retarders. I just joined the forums because my curiosity it sparked and you guys seem like the smart ones when it comes to railroads. I have a few questions if you guys can help me.
1. How widespread is the usage of retarders in hump yards? How many are usually used, and with what frequency and or pattern?

2. How expensive are these things? I realize there are a few different types of retarders but what is a normal price for these that railroads are paying for them?

3. Are these retarders typically stand-alone systems, or do they have to be constantly monitored and adjusted? Do they have to be controlled at all times for each different car load or can some just be left as-is to do their job?

thanks for any info you guys have, it's appreciated

gazbacho wrote:I'm trying to learn about hump yards and in particular, Retarders. I just joined the forums because my curiosity it sparked and you guys seem like the smart ones when it comes to railroads. I have a few questions if you guys can help me.
1. How widespread is the usage of retarders in hump yards? How many are usually used, and with what frequency and or pattern?

2. How expensive are these things? I realize there are a few different types of retarders but what is a normal price for these that railroads are paying for them?

3. Are these retarders typically stand-alone systems, or do they have to be constantly monitored and adjusted? Do they have to be controlled at all times for each different car load or can some just be left as-is to do their job?

thanks for any info you guys have, it's appreciated

Question 1.
A retarder is used 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year as long as it is serviced and keeped up in shape. Many railroads are closeing up there hump yards yet some are reopening after being dead for some time.

Question 2.
Not sure what they run in price to install a retarder but I would guess half a million?

Question 3.
Retarders have to be monitored and adjusted for each car(s) in order to keep them from rolling eather to fast or to slow into the yard. A fast moveing car can damage outher cars, turn outs or even the load it is hauling if alowed to move to fast. A Slow Moveing car may only make it half way down the track its suposed to go to. I have read storys about the locomotives working the Hump haveing to run there locomotives up and over the hump to push the car the rest of the way down the line.

One book to pick up on hump yards is to get "North American Rail Yards" by Michael Rhodes it retails for about $34.95 U.S. 24.99 Pounds U.K. and $55.95 Canadian. This book is about Hump Yards and how they work for each of the major Railroads in the U.S. and Canada. There are many blue prints and photos as well a few of the Blue Prints are not 100% correct compared to the real blue prints but it can be over looked.

I lived for several years about 2 miles from a major switching terminal with a hump with retarders. The noise from that place -- especially in the summer -- was unbelievable. Some nights it seemed the cars were coming right in the bedroom! Screeeeech! Crash!

Retarders are loud. Dangerously so if you are close to them. Maintainers are required to use the most effective hearing protection when working near them in use.

For a while I was an instructor at a locomotive engineer school near Pittsburgh. Our office was located under the eastbound hump, and across fom the westbound hump at Conway yard. The sound from retarders -- even with all doors and windows closed -- was overwhelming. I believe I may have lost some of my high frequency hearing because of this sound.

They tell me the high-pitched squeal is akin to rubbing your finger around the rim of a crystal stemware glass -- except at a much higher volume.

I use to live about 1/2 mile from old dewitt yard.. I noticed the silence more than when the hump was in operation. Living there for 20+ years before hump closed, I never was bothered by it. ..I liked the activity in the yard.. It is a ghost town now...

I can rember watching cars going over the hump at Selkirk years ago but don't recall hearing any sounds outher than cars wineing and grunting as they moved freeley when near by the hump. I also rember staying the night near the North end Yard Offce/Crew Quarters office on Top End and it seemed quite to me outher than the occational departing train passing by.