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CBz Virtual Diesel Locomotive Tour, Kind of...
Please note that as comments are submitted, this post will reflect the updated information. To date, only one information update has been received from Chief Ted Bownas. Thanks to chief officers such as Ted, outstanding information has been made available for those interested enough to click on a link for the simple purpose of learning something new...
Photo 1: UPRR Diesel Locomotive
Photo 2: UPRR Diesel Locomotive Engineer and Track Foreman
Photo 3: UPRR Diesel Locomotive Driver's Seat...
Chief Bownas Comments: I'm by no means an expert, but I work on locomotives for a living, and from the cab layout on the one in your photos, I can see it's a GE unit, with similar controls to our GE's out here in NY, although ours are passenger units and this one's a road switcher, or "freight hog". I'll add captions to your photos to help with the controls, but the thing to remember is that on a road train, there should be a train crew whose job it is to control the train for you. They will usually be more than glad to secure the train for you, and you should let them do it. That said, I'll describe the console controls:
Chief Bownas Comments: The controls, from left to right, are the directional control (or reverser), the throttle, the automatic brake (which controls air to both the locomotive and the cars), and the independent brake (which controls air to the locomotive brakes only). The ones for you to worry about are the throttle and the automatic brake. In a rail emergency where you have to work around the equipment, you'll want to make sure the throttle is all the way forward in the "Idle" position. Then make sure the automatic brake (which controls the trainline air to the cars) is pushed all the way forward to the "Emergency" position. This will "dump" the air from the brake pipe line and fully apply ALL the brakes on the train. Again, this need only be done by firefighters IF the train crew has been somehow incapacitated by the emergency. Otherwise, let them do it. It's their job, and their train.
Photo 2: UPRR Diesel Locomotive
Photo 2: UPRR Diesel Locomotive View Out The Front Window
Photo 2: UPRR Diesel Locomotive View Out The Right Side Window
Photo 2: UPRR Diesel Locomotive View Out The Rear Window
Photo 2: UPRR Diesel Locomotive Cab Electrical Control Panel
Chief Bownas Comments: As you can see from the labels, these are the switches and circuit breakers that control the locomotive's main engine. The only ones we really need to worry about, or ever mess with, are the "Emergency Engine Shutdown" button on the upper left; and, in the cabinet below this panel (both of which are on the wall directly behind the engineer's seat), the main battery knife switch. The main battery knife switch is a BIG two-bladed knife switch with a Bakelite handle, and pulling it out will remove all battery power to the locomotive's circuits, isolating the batteries. Again, I can't stress enough that a firefighter should only do this if the train crew is for some reason unable to secure the train for you.
The only other thing I would recommend doing is applying a parking brake or handbrake to the locomotive and at least one car. On the locomotive, this may be done either by a valve next to the engineer's seat, or a ratcheting handle or handwheel on the outside of the cab. It will be marked with "Apply" and "Release" legends to show you how to operate it. On the cars, there will be a ratchet handle or handwheel at one end of every car, and they will likewise be labeled with the direction to operate them for "Apply" and "Release". Typically, handwheels will apply clockwise and release counter-clockwise, and ratcheting brakes will have a large handle that cranks the brake on, and a small handle that releases it.
Last Updated 02-27-2010
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Participants included individuals from fire service, law enforcement, emergency medical, emergency management services and private industry. This free “hands-on” training was part of Dow Chemical and Union Pacific Railroad’s 2007/2008 TRANSCAER Training Tour.
The module-based training curriculum was designed to meet the needs of the wide variety of stakeholder groups attending. The six modules included: General Awareness for Non-Responders, Locomotives and Tank Cars, Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH) Materials & Flammable Gasses, Capping Kits, Leaks Approach, Investigation and Mitigation, and Tank Truck Module.
TRANSCAER is an integral part of Dow’s long-standing commitment to local protection of human health and the environment, one of the foundational tenets of Dow’s 2015 Sustainability Goals, announced in 2006.
These tours included safety-training cars from the Firefighters Education and Training Foundation http://www.thesafetytrain.org/ , as well as equipment, provided by Union Pacific.
(All-day session)
Locomotives and Tank Cars
Learn what safety precautions to take when responding to a rail emergency, how to identify different types of tank cars, and how to interpret tank car markings, placards, and train manifest (consist) information.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on
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We had a day long hazmat coarse mostly pertaining to an anhydrous chlorine (FORGIVE SPELLING ) A quick trip through R/R emergencies gave us just enough info to see how much more we needed . This post is great thanks. We were taught that there is fuel shut offs(BIG RED KNOBS ) half way down engine each side and the same on the engineer's side in the cab.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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Notice the total lack of a steering wheel in the cab. Amazing as it may seem, there still are a lot of folks who don't realize this fact, and expect that trains can veer out of the way.
A couple of other safety tidbits from memory:
Even though the train is stopped, unless there is someone from the railroad who can state otherwise, assume that the train or locomotive may move at any time.
Where there is more than one track, always expect a movement of cars on one of the other tracks.
Never step on a rail; always step over.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Thanks so much Ted for sharing your expertise. Actually having a firefighter who works on locomotives is such a treat for anyone clicking this post to learn more about diesel electric locomotives. I have interjected your comments into the body of the post to make sure people see the information before reading comments.
This is good solid fire training and the price is right for volunteer agencies or FFJR's who want to learn more. Take this information and share it with the railroad folks in your backyard to see if everything jives.
"Failure to prepare is preparing for failure..."
CBz
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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Excellent post Capt!!! Great info here that I couldn't have gave out on my post about loco fires. Thanks to you and Ted both for the info!!!! I have a little experience with locos but mine is just small switcher engines, nothing like these behemoths going up and down the tracks across the U.S.
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This is total Unified Command at work... We've got a Deputy Fire Chief from New York, a Captain from Indiana and one from California. I'd say we have a good cross section. It was fun piggybacking onto your post, as well as editing the initial discussion post to include links and your original post on Diesel Electric Locomotive fires.
"You would be amazed at what you can get accomplished if you don't care who gets the credit..." Ronald Reagan
TCSS Brother,
CBz
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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Really nice post cap! I've learned alot about locomotives and safety around them the last couple weeks!
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Thanks to all the participants .I have learned a lot and appreciate the opportunity this post has afforded me.
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I would have to agree! If this isn't a total Unified Command at work, then I don't know what is!!! LOL
Stay safe everyone!!!
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Permalink Reply by Beverly on
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If you can get a chance to take the CSX class in person it is excellent. I realized quickly how much I didn't know and how much there is to a railroad incident...definately a multi agency response.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Dudan on
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This is great information. Thanks CBz, Capt 70, Ted, and Mike. Our coverage includes two major sections of RR currently run by Norfolk Southern. I have not been on in a while so Capt 70's post is next!
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We, being 70, Ted and myself are working together under a unified command concept to answer questions, provide good solid answers and explanations as well as top notch graphics. All to make sure that we all get to go home the next morning!
TCSS,
CBz
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Hey Ted, is there any way you could post some pics of the control stands and other components in the cabs of older locomotives? The one we were in was an EMD SD-60, which has the controls on a stand and cabinet. This was the layout that I'm more familiar with. I've never had the chance to run one of the newer wide bodies yet. You're right, they were labeled as to what one was what but I think it would be kinda cool to let everyone else see just what it looks like in the older locos as well as the newer models.
Take care and stay safe everyone!!!
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