Also, on FB I was told that the Pan Am SD40-2 I caught on NS 11R (the last train of the video) was the last “legal” one. Yesterday, though, I was told that there were 6 Pan Am SD40-2’s that could run on the NS. This has me very confused, and I don’t want to mislead anyone. What is the deal with “legal” locomotives?
Also here is a video I shot the day before that trip:
The last “legal” SD40-2? I can’t imagine what they mean by that, unless the others have something wrong with them, major or minor, that prevents them from running.
The rule is, “If it’s on the locomotive, it has to work,” and that means ANYTHING on the locomotive, from radios to light bulbs.
Or possibly there was a PTC installation target date on the others that’s come and gone but not on the last one.
Since Pan Am was selling out anyway thay just might have decided to forgo any work on the locomotives. “Let the other guys worry about it.”
I would guess that it’s either PTC and/or cab signal equipped. That stuff is only needed to lead, it’s not needed to trail. I suppose they want it in case the PanAm engine needs to lead. UP exhange engines on run throughs with just about everyone. For now on certain cab signalled lines, the foriegn power can trail but it can’t lead.
For use up in Canada on CN or CP, they’re required to have a hot plate or microwave and a stretcher. I’ve seen UP engines that were equipped for cross border service with said equipment. I doubt NS has a requirement like that.
Thanks for the input guys, I’m getting the feeling someone used my cluelessness to trick me, or it was just a mistake. Oh well, I guess I’ll change the title and caption.
The stretcher such as you’ll see on a locomotive (and such as we have on some of our passenger cars) will be of the two boards and some canvas variety.
While our local ambulance squad, and some fire trucks, carry “back boards,” the primary stretcher/cot used for patient transport weighs in at probably 120 pounds. It’s battery operated for ease of getting patients moved without injuring the medics in the process. It would not be railroad environment conducive.
Some fire departments also carry a basket (stokes) stretcher, which is better suited for such environments.
Remember that it’s often a long walk from a given point on the railroad to the nearest rubber-tired access.
Our local ambulance does have an ATV trailer with a stretcher, but sometimes access for even that would be questionable.