Has anyone ever seen Norfolk Southern run a 9-40CW or SD-70 long hood forward? I have had people tell me theyve seen it, anyone have a pic of this by chance?
I would think the field of view would be horrible, especially down the long hood (and past the huge radiators) of the big Dash 9s. Still be neat to see I guess; is that why they have ditch lights on both ends?
I seen a SD70 with a spartan cab run long hood forward but,it was on a local and on its “home trip”.
NS had a collision at Butler Indiana at the CSX Diamonds where a NS train running long hood foward, SD60 with a student engineer, missed an approach signal as it was blocked from his view by the long hood, engineer and conductor were distracted and missed it as well and the train slid into a CSX train and derailed with the conductor lossing his life in the derailment. . After this accident, NS put out a directive against running long hood forward with engines not designed or set up for this direction. And you dont see many of the older SD40’s and SD40-2s or even older GP’s in the lead anymore. It does happen, but very very rarely. Most yards have the ablity to turn the engine, either on turntable or on the wye.
Oh, eek. I never heard about this.
That explains that, thanks much.
Back when I worked for NS in '98 we had a Dash9 long hood forward in heavy fog at night. Talk about a misrable trip! You couldnt see past the bat wings and then it was a wall of white from the headlights/ditch lights. Mike
When I lived near Hagerstown Maryland, I used to see NW - NS high-hood diesels at what is now called Vardo Yard - many would be running long hood forward.
I don’t have any immediate documentation in front of me but I think that NS has removed most of the dual control stands its older locomotives had installed. The dual ditchlights are interesting and makes one wonder if there is a basis in fact for running long hood forward in this day and age.
The original concept was carried over from the steam days and to have the crew have protection in the event of a grade crossing accident by running the long hood forward.
So much for that if they hit another train like that which was described by the other poster.
The only justification I can think of for having the ditchlights at both ends would be for on line switching during nocturnal hours, but its a interesting feature.
The engines having ditch lights on both ends are to make them bi directional when need be. But running long hood forward is frowned on heavily by both mgmt and crews alike. With the GEs, even with the windows closed you are down wind of the stack and get constant diesel fumes sucked into the AC intakes. Along with the visablity issues of the long hood. Actualy being long hood forward is bad if you hit a Gasoline tanker at a grade crossing (ever train mans worst fear), being short hood forward you have a better chance of punching thru before the gas ignites. Mike
While I have never seen modern NS 6-axle power run long hood forward, I have seen it occasionally on CSX around north Georgia. Usually on locals or short switching moves. If you Google the following phrase…
“dash 9 long hood forward”
…and click the Images link in the search results, you will see lots of photos of this (including many NS units).
Jamie
Hang out along the Pokey in WV and the mine branches that run into KY. Nothing gets turned so if they are running short hood up, it’s long hood back. Search rp.net for NS and WV, there has to be some examples over there, probably from my camera.
Here’s a 70 running LHF in WV.
More likely, this SD70M is a DPU shoving on the rear…there’s no presence of an engineer at the control stand/desk and there are no lights on if it is a leading unit …I would expect that the rear headlamps woul be on dim if it is trailing though.
Rick
Even way down here in central Louisiana there are NS trains coming through and every so often a leading -8 or -9 unit will be running long hood forward. It’s usually noticeable right away even at a glance as they almost always run short hood forward.
I’ve seen NS SD70’s run through here long nose forward a fair number of times—
And yet NS was always bragging about winning the Harriman Safety Award for all those years.
That’s a work train tied down on an interchange track. That’s the reason for no engineer and/or lights. The only DPUs NS runs are the PRB coal trains I think. Never seen a DPU ballast train but NS is always full of tricks.
Other examples:
another work train
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=323294&nseq=4
a 39-8
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=325770&nseq=0
a 70
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=316254&nseq=6
another 70M
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=315221&nseq=7
a 40 with a nice user comment on employee health risk doing this
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=307975&nseq=10
another 40
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=304712&nseq=12
another 70M. I like this shot
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=256156&nseq=36
Just search for NS and “long hood”, there are pages and pages of examples out there.
Here’s a video form a friend of mine. He has a couple of videos of “long hood forwards”. These engines are a NS C39-8.