Questions about driving trains.

[HarleyDavidson]

And plus, I would rather he rang us (signallers) first before ringing the Phone-a-friend line, and we have the means to patch them through anyway. Nothing worse for a train to sit down, and having no idea why! Although it really isn't unheard of for drivers to ring the wrong people first!


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GSMR has the number pre programmed into it, why patch it through? OK I'll tell the signaller first, but I will still use the direct access number instead of being patched through.
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Hmmm guessing are we? You are obviously not a train driver then. For instance nearly all vigilance/DSD are set to 7 seconds or above. You do not get a TPWS brake demand light if you drop the DSD and it would not be an embarrassing chat with the signal man!
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I may be wrong Harley but I think you are full of it, so how did you diagnose a knackered camshaft and your contingency plan is 2 minutes before you declare yourself as a failure? Sorry Harley but I just don't believe what you are saying!
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That all depends on the traction, the time constraints on the affected line and the fault itself. Every company has it's own contingency plan and it is mainly down to the traction type.

Been driving a long time and I know my units well, I've taught, seen things & know things that most drivers don't. I can usually analyse a fault, especially loss of power within 2 minutes.

I can do procedures that newbies can't, get out of problems that the newbies can't without getting all flustered.

 

[carriageline]

GSMR has the number pre programmed into it, why patch it through? OK I'll tell the signaller first, but I will still use the direct access number instead of being patched through.
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Yeah that's fair enough. I just know we have a nice sticker with how to patch a driver through to phone a friend


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[Strat-tastic]

What's phone a friend? An insider term for putting you through to the AA?

 

[HarleyDavidson]

What's phone a friend? An insider term for putting you through to the AA?

Phone A Fiend as its known is a help desk,basically it logs on the system that a certain train has a problem (big or small), that makes the TIN go to Fleet Engineering for TDA.

You tell them what the fault is and they tell you using a marvellous flow chart,how to get out of it. If you can.

The time I called them I'd already worked out the problem,which was a complete lack of traction (power), because I'd already pressed the overload reset button twice,everything in the cab was normal, MR,BC pressures all within operating norms, all MCBs fine, line volts OK, DSI off, BILs/Hazard lights off, all done within 90s.

That left one of two conclusions, an MCB in the motor coach tripped or camshaft stuffed. As I'd got the guard to check the correct cupboard on his the way through the train, I knew that it was the camshaft. My diagnosis was proven correct by fleet & Phone A Fiend. So done within 2'.

I've only once been baffled by a train a 450 when it stopped suddenly and on the TMS, showed NO COMMUNICATION WITH CCU. Luckily I had Siemens phone number to hand and they told me what to do and I was on the move just 10' later,albeit OOS.

 

[455driver]

And plus, I would rather he rang us (signallers) first before ringing the Phone-a-friend line, and we have the means to patch them through anyway. Nothing worse for a train to sit down, and having no idea why! Although it really isn't unheard of for drivers to ring the wrong people first!

I always ring you first, if the train has lost power I will ring before it has even stopped otherwise its as soon as I have spent about 20 seconds looking for the obvious in the cab.

Last time I used phone a fiend the answer I got was-

'oh I dont know whats wrong with that, you will have to go and find it'

Thanks a bunch, that was 3 minutes wasted!

 

[Strat-tastic]

Thanks Harley

Luckily I had Siemens phone number to hand and they told me what to do and I was on the move just 10' later,albeit OOS.

OOS. Poor you. Out of sorts? Outside ordinary space? On other spoons? Open or shut?

I love this place WAIBANOU

 

[GB]

From set off, how far does the locomotive move before the end of a freight train starts to move aswell?

There is no standard answer to that.

Depends on length of train, type of wagons, how much slack is in the couplings and the gradient the train sits on. The wagons on a freight train can roll backwards over 6 feet as the driver releases the brakes thereby tightening the couplings, so when the power kicks in there is not a lot of delay between the loco moving and the last wagon moving.

 

[Jamesb1974]

There is no standard answer to that.

Depends on length of train, type of wagons, how much slack is in the couplings and the gradient the train sits on. The wagons on a freight train can roll backwards over 6 feet as the driver releases the brakes thereby tightening the couplings, so when the power kicks in there is not a lot of delay between the loco moving and the last wagon moving.

Unless he was doing it correctly and getting his power on before he released the brakes, then it wouldn't roll backwards at all. :roll:

 

[GB]

Unless he was doing it correctly and getting his power on before he released the brakes, then it wouldn't roll backwards at all. :roll:

Thats all well and good and your right, but I was thinking more about after performing a brake continuity test. As I said, there is no standard answer.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Thanks Harley



OOS. Poor you. Out of sorts? Outside ordinary space? On other spoons? Open or shut?

I love this place WAIBANOU

:?

Out Of Service!

 

[Jamesb1974]

Thats all well and good and your right, but I was thinking more about after performing a brake continuity test. As I said, there is no standard answer.

Ah! Now had you said that, I wouldn't have posted quite so flippant a reply.

True indeed. The couplings do stretch. Screw couplings and Instanters more than autocouplers, obviously.

Always a nice feeling when you get that tug or push from a few thousand tons trying to move you in a direction you don't want to go..Not.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Thats all well and good and your right, but I was thinking more about after performing a brake continuity test. As I said, there is no standard answer.

With modern stock, you don't need to do a brake continuity test as the system is self proving.

The brake wire continuity must be good & correct for the brakes to release, any problems within the wire & you don't get a brake release. The only ones that you may need to do a brake continuity test on is the 442's or loco hauled stock when it has been either re-marshalled or an attachment made.

 

[Welshman]

Last time I used phone a fiend the answer I got was-

'oh I dont know whats wrong with that, you will have to go and find it'

Thanks a bunch, that was 3 minutes wasted!

Perhaps you should have tried asking the audience?

 

[jon91]

Perhaps you should have tried asking the audience?

Go into the carriage and ask the passengers?

 

[Jamesb1974]

With modern stock, you don't need to do a brake continuity test as the system is self proving.

The brake wire continuity must be good & correct for the brakes to release, any problems within the wire & you don't get a brake release. The only ones that you may need to do a brake continuity test on is the 442's or loco hauled stock when it has been either re-marshalled or an attachment made.

I think Harley was referring specifically to freight operations where you very much DO need a brake continuity test.

 

[455driver]

Perhaps you should have tried asking the audience?

It was 05:30 so the audience was asleep (or barely awake) and the guard had been productive for less than a week.

It took me about 5 minutes to find both faults and the end result was 17 minutes delay.

 

[Whistler40145]

As a driver, whether freight or passenger, how do you cope with different driving conditions e.g. Daylight/nighttime & weather conditions?

Does it cause problems keeping more alert in adverse conditions?

 

[cossie4i]

I find driving at night more relaxing.

Weather only plays a real role in the Leaf Fall or Heavy Snow, keeps you on your toes.

Any out of course situations keeps you more alert.

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Freight driving at night is easier than in the daytime. Less passenger traffic to contend with. I despise driving in the London area in daytime. There's no real way to cope, you just get on with I guess. Only problem with driving at night is naturally you want to sleep. You can quite often drive for hours on greens all the way and I find that difficult sometimes. Just being looped and having time to jump off for a wander and some fresh air can do you good.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

As a driver, whether freight or passenger, how do you cope with different driving conditions e.g. Daylight/nighttime & weather conditions?

Does it cause problems keeping more alert in adverse conditions?

Fog tends to keep you alert, yet driving in fog at night can give you a nasty headache due to the brightness of the headlight being reflected by the fog.

Leaf fall presents its own challenges, for me I use hand notching & patience on 455's and just incremental power increases on 444/450. I brake earlier & lighter to ensure that we stop OK.

And I think you'll find that there'll always be one time when even doing your best effort won't stop you sliding through or SPADding. But that's where the OTMR will save you or prove your guilt.

It's saved my neck on more than one occasion, when a signal has reverted to danger in front of me at high speed & an overshoot, it came back both times and proven my innocence for the CAT "B" & that I'd followed company policy on the overshoot. Still doesn't do your pants any good though. :roll:

 

[Strat-tastic]

In fog, will drivers always sound their horn on approaching a foot crossing?

The reason I ask is because I use one on my walk to and from work. It has a good long line of site normally so not a problem. But the other day there was quite a fog in the morning, and although the margin of safety was, I estimated, in my favour, it wasn't a huge margin if a train were to emerge from the fog after I'd commited to cross. I'd like to think that trains would announce their imminent arrival at a crossing in such weather conditions, but do they?

 

[RPM]

In fog, will drivers always sound their horn on approaching a foot crossing?

The reason I ask is because I use one on my walk to and from work. It has a good long line of site normally so not a problem. But the other day there was quite a fog in the morning, and although the margin of safety was, I estimated, in my favour, it wasn't a huge margin if a train were to emerge from the fog after I'd commited to cross. I'd like to think that trains would announce their imminent arrival at a crossing in such weather conditions, but do they?

It is down to the individual driver's discretion, but yes, I would tend to sound the horn at foot crossings regardless of whistle boards and time of day if fog has reduced visibility to the point where I consider it potentially risky.

 

[najaB]

It is down to the individual driver's discretion, but yes, I would tend to sound the horn at foot crossings regardless of whistle boards and time of day if fog has reduced visibility to the point where I consider it potentially risky.

Are there many foot crossings that don't have whistle boards?

 

[RPM]

Are there many foot crossings that don't have whistle boards?

Yes, lots of them. Each crossing is individually risk assessed.

 

[Nic nic]

Been a while since this thread has seen any activity sooo let's see if we can get it going again. I can imagine that driving a freight train around London could be quite frustrating during the day is it any better at night?
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whoops just seen that it was covered just above... ok just out of interest what sort of mpg do you get out of a class 66 loaded and unloaded?

 

[Jamesb1974]

Deleted

 

[cerbere22]

Can you detail some fuel efficient driving techniques please ?

 

[Jamesb1974]

Deleted

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Can coast for miles from the bottom of the lickey incline if you release the brakes at the right time.

 

[ASharpe]

When coasting a train are you just cutting off the fuel?

Or is it similar to in a car where you have a clutch to disconnect the engine from the wheels.

Thanks