Nudge:

For this train, Niles Canyon IS the initial terminal. UP can send an army of car toads out there if they want to. And they might. What they are going to find is a train made up and air tested. They will find that each piece of equipment has a fresh COT&S, fresh ABDX brake valves, new brake shoes, piston travel adjusted, safety appliances in place, leakage tested and noted on the form, no run-around hoses, no cars cut out, hand brakes inspected and lubed, all steps, grab irons and other safety appliances in place and properly secured, with the proper hand clearance, No derailment damage, no cracked or shelled wheels, etc. All they will need to do is hang a FRED, do a set and release, test the emergency feature on FRED, and go.

If they want to double the work and do it all again, which they might, it's their priviledge. If they want to do it all yet again at San Jose, fine. If they want to be really stupid and do it again every mile or so, that is also fine. At Watsonville, as soon as it gets on SC&MB trackage, it is no longer UP's problem nor their jurisdiction. SC&MB might want to do it all again, too, before they let it leave Watsonville. In fact, if they change locomotives at Watsonville, they will have to make an air test.




Nudge Wrote:
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> Earl,
>
> I know they would have to make the air test at the
> original departure point. This would be the
> standard air test like picking up cars en route.
> There isn't a proper terminal for the brakes to be
> tested at the "pick up" location per the rules
> unless UP sends the needed equipment and Car Men
> down to the interchange point.
>
> That is why when they get to the first terminal
> that employs car knockers, the entire train must
> be tested. That is where the rule comes in that
> ALL cars, engines, etc must have working air
> brakes before leaving a terminal.
>
> The term "Hospital Train" is used with equipment
> that is unable to pass a standard air test, such
> as a derailed equipment, wreck equipment, etc.
> They usually have an air hose around the car or
> cars, engine or engines involved.
>
> Well, the first place would be San Jose. I don't
> know who UP employees at the Jct. and what it is
> listed with the FRA. That is why they will need to
> get a waiver to get the stuff moved. I know we had
> to sit in the hole at Castroville for 5 hours,
> waiting to get a waiver to take the junk from the
> wreck at Tunnel 7 thru Wat. Jct. and San Jose to
> Oakland. (We died there and a new crew took it the
> rest of the way)
>
> Then again, things may have changed over the last
> few years. Being retired I don't have to keep up
> with daily BS.
>
> Nudge