If you were operating a locomotive what would be your cab of choice, either the older traditional cabs found on early hood units or the newer “wide” cabs like those found on modern units. So what will it be?
Thanks!
Depends on what we are doing. If we are on a through freight or passenger train then I would prefer a newer wide-nose cab. More leg room and space to put your grip.
If we will be doing a lot of switching I would prefer the old-style Spartan cab. You have better visibility with those, in particular it is much easier to see your fellow crew members on the ground around the locomotive or on its front steps.
For both I would also absolutely prefer a unit with the old-style or modern AAR control stand beside the seat. I find desktops uncomfortable, particularly so when switching.
Too many factors for one answer. What am I doing, where am I going, and what am I hauling?
Honestly, I can use whatever. From old high-hood GPs to the latest ES44ACwhatevers. Just have to know what you should and shouldn’t do with each one.
Ive never been a road engineer, but the wide bodies with the desktop stand seem to be the worst at everything, especially when switching a shop. Road guys seem to dislike them as well. My preferance was always the old regular cab, great places to put your feet up and just enjoy the work. I dont mind the wide body cabs that much, but i still prefer the old ones.
I agree with tha “Dude”. Especially about the desktops! They suck…period.
I don’t mind desktops.
I absolutely hate the NYAB ccB26 (or whateger they are called) electronic air brake valves. The damned service zone is like 2mm wide. Breathe on the stupid handle and you get a 20# reduction. Sucks for local work.
I don’t care for them (electronic brake valve) either. Although I feel a bit different on them. They seem so stiff trying to go from the minimum set to the (small) service zone that you make a bigger application than what you want.
I don’t mind the desktops, but I do like the old style control stands. I will say some of the wide nose cab layouts are now getting cramped. The SD70ACe variants are the worst for the engineer, at least for me. They have some bolted on foot rests that make it hard to stretch your legs out and are about worthless since they have a shelf for paperwork, etc right above them.
Jeff
I agree. I didn’t like the SD70 cabs because of this. If I could have had my way, I’d put a GE cab on an SD70 so I could stretch out…and it wouldn’t have a desktop either. Having to hunch over a desktop made my back ache!
My favourite cab design is the CN version of the original EMD whispercab, found on our SD70I and SD75I units:
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/187943/
Depth perception is off a bit in the photo, in reality there is quite a bit of legroom in front of the control stand. One can also turn the seat around and still easily reach the controls when running in reverse.
The conductor’s side features the largest desk of any of our units, with ample space to store paperwork. It also has good legroom.
These units are not bad to switch with either, the teardrop windshields and inward angled nose make it a bit easier to see the ground in front of you compared to other wide-nose units.
I have yet to find a brake valve that beats the original 26L. And when the pressure-maintaining feature fails (a regular occurrence now) just change it from freight to passenger mode. Problem solved.
I had never had any kind of problem with the maintaining feature, ever.
However, there were quite a number of times that I had a problem with the equalizing reservoir leaking down on the 26L system. If you are on a district where you will need to use the air to maintain control of the train, you know how frustrating it is to set up the brake perfectly only to have it leak down on you and messing with your set up.
It only took one visit from the shop forces to find the most common cause of this problem. That was a small defect in that little bitty O-ring that fits on the pressure gauge cock. If that O-ring was bad the Eq.Res. would leak down, the rate being proportional to the defect.
There were times that I would catch the leaking Eq.Res. in the terminal and would get the shop forces out to fix it. If I was on a run through train and I found that there was a problem out on the road, I would fix it myself by taking the face off of the gauge stand and swapping the gauge cocks around, hoping the other cock had a good O-ring.
I do like the tearddrop windshields. Beats the rectangular ones the newer ones have with that awful glare.
still don’t understand why we can’t have real electric wipers, though.
The WABCO brakes like the 60-80ms had are pretty nice. Big ol’ service zone so you get exactly what you want.
That sounds exactly like the problem I was thinking of. Everyone at work has always referred to anything like that as “failing to pressure-maintain properly”, sounds like that is not the right name for it.
Today no one fixes stuff like that themselves, if you did it wrong you would get hauled in for tampering with the unit.
Changing the automatic from freight to passenger mode has fixed the problem in most cases I have experienced, but it seems like only CN’s units give you that option. The ex-Oakway SD60’s and leased units I have been on do not have a passenger mode option, the automatic is simply cut in or out.
The problem that I see with changing from “Freight” to “Pass” is that “Pass” is graduated. If you happen to move the brake handle in any way toward the release position it will put air into the BP and release the brakes. I have been on quite a few locos that had that feature. I even tried it out one day in the terminal while waiting to make a brake test and that is exactly what happened, moving the handle back (not all the way to release) graduated the air in the BP and knocked the brakes off. I would suggest you stay away from that practice. Then again, I haven’t been on your units, so, what do I know?
I agree completely about graduated release, gotta make sure to never bump the handle! Anytime this topic comes up for discussion at work that hazard is mentioned.
The only times we end up running with it in passenger mode are if the failure occurs enroute, and I have heard the MSREP (Diesel Doc) suggesting the change on several occasions when the problem is reported to them.
I would have to look more closely at our rulebook, but I do not believe a lead unit is allowed to depart the location where the train originates without the automatic working properly in freight mode. Of course, if the leaking off is slow enough it may not be noticed during the shop track brake test of the locomotive consist.
Would you prefer a Cab Unit or a Hood Unit?
Which Unit is easier when it comes to Maintenance and Servicing?
Cab Units require you to climb up the side ladders to reach the cab. Whereas on a Hood Unit, you walk up the steps to the front porch, unlock the nose door, open it, walk up a mini entry and your inside the locomotive.
Some friends of mine told me they could climb up and down from a Cab Unit on a daily basis, while others said they’d injure themselves and might fall.
I think Hood Units are easier to enter than Cab Units, but since the locomotives always rotate every day, you’ll never know what you’ll get next.
I was told that the FRA allowed “0” leakage on the Equalizing Reservoir. So, if it leaks, it’s a defect. You need to call the roundhouse.
And, just to make things clear, what I have been speaking of is 26L brake with the pneumatic gauges. Since they are “duplex” gauges, each gauge has two knurled knobs that unscrew. The O-ring is on the end of the knob. It’s this O-ring that may be bad and causing the leak. If you unscrew it, the only thing that happens is that the gauge needle goes to zero until you screw the knob back in.
I’m sure you had some of those 5000 gp38 high hoods with those knee buster steps. Big platform step, then the littel middle step, then the platform. It’s like the worst of both ladders and steps.
Yeah, there were a few of those steps around. Never did understand the reasoning for those.