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Re: Kicking Cars @ SP’s Desert Yard 1990
Author: Dr Zarkoff
Date: 04-28-2018 - 11:12
> If you were a railroader then I'd say you must've been an instructor, tutor or rules writer based on your comments. >aticipating the crew's actions: if you anticipate incorrectly, two things can happen // You as engineer/driver follow their instructions (to the letter) because...
> I guess you hadn't understood why I had written >..we learned to anticipate the Shunter's move and regulate the move accordingly, key word there mate: learned.
It sounds like there might be usage/semantic differences between Kiwi English and US English. If you are using "anticipate" to mean "predict", as in the E stopping or starting when he thinks he should, rather than when the crew instructs him to, serious problems can and will arise. On the other hand, if you're using the word to refer to the process of gaining an overview of the day's work and what will probably be occurring throughout the shift, that's different, but some readers will become confused (such as myself). My point is that the E/D operates (starts/stops) the engine per the instructions of the ground crew, not the other way around, and definitely not on his own initiative.
In US railroading, that station agent tells the crew the train its OK to leave, then the crew instructs the E to start the train moving. The agent (or DS) may call the E on the radio and say words to the effect of "get going", but actual movment of the train must await the ground crew's say-so.
> didn't just blindly bash the slack in on your ease-ups and kicks, got on the brake without whipping the slack when he waved you down,
How to kick cars (in the US): switchman gives kick sign, E opens throttle to run 8 and releases engine brakes; switchman gives stop sign, E applies engine brakes (fully) and shuts off throttle. With double and triple cutting, you can switch out on the order of 300 cars per shift using this type of control operation (as they say, BTDT many times, occasionally using the 2686).
If you are shoving cars, be a little more gentle applying the engine brakes, particularly with long cuts, because otherwise you'll be stretching the arms of that poor guy riding the point.
> I guess you hadn't understood why I had written >..we learned to anticipate the Shunter's move and regulate the move accordingly, key word there mate: learned.
It sounds like there might be usage/semantic differences between Kiwi English and US English. If you are using "anticipate" to mean "predict", as in the E stopping or starting when he thinks he should, rather than when the crew instructs him to, serious problems can and will arise. On the other hand, if you're using the word to refer to the process of gaining an overview of the day's work and what will probably be occurring throughout the shift, that's different, but some readers will become confused (such as myself). My point is that the E/D operates (starts/stops) the engine per the instructions of the ground crew, not the other way around, and definitely not on his own initiative.
In US railroading, that station agent tells the crew the train its OK to leave, then the crew instructs the E to start the train moving. The agent (or DS) may call the E on the radio and say words to the effect of "get going", but actual movment of the train must await the ground crew's say-so.
> didn't just blindly bash the slack in on your ease-ups and kicks, got on the brake without whipping the slack when he waved you down,
How to kick cars (in the US): switchman gives kick sign, E opens throttle to run 8 and releases engine brakes; switchman gives stop sign, E applies engine brakes (fully) and shuts off throttle. With double and triple cutting, you can switch out on the order of 300 cars per shift using this type of control operation (as they say, BTDT many times, occasionally using the 2686).
If you are shoving cars, be a little more gentle applying the engine brakes, particularly with long cuts, because otherwise you'll be stretching the arms of that poor guy riding the point.
