This weekend in Maumee Oh i saw a NS GP-40 with the PRR stenciled on it. Anyway i took my grandson right up to it and it was shut down. Maumee is for the most part a Mon thru Fri operation with some weekend work. Does anyone know if the current NS policy is to shut locos for the weekend? thank u
Most railroads have a policy of shutting down units which are not being used, saves a lot of #2 diesel.
Back when Diesel fuel was cheap and emissions weren’t a concern a lot of them were left running. I’d even suspect that RRs might skimp on the batteries (I could be wrong, but I once saw an ICG pickup with a bed full of batteries right after it appeared they had jump-started a loco).
The only time that keeping them running makes sense is during really cold weather. The coolant is straight water and we can’t have that freezing!
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Somewhere there must be rules of thumb or guidelines on when to shut down and when to leave it idling because the engine wastes a lot of fuel when starting from room temperature. Cold weather makes it worse. Also, when starting from room temperature, the engine emits large quantities of unburned fuel in a fine mist. It looks like white smoke, but it’s diesel fuel and very hazardous to people’s lungs.
The latest locomotives automatically cycle on and off when not pulling or pushing, idling just long enough to maintain temperature and then shutting down. A warning bell rings just before they either start up or shut down. This process enables them to stay at operating temperature with less fuel consumption. I would expect a different rule of thumb for this type of locomotive.
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The general rule is, if the locomotive will not be used for more then 15 to 30 minutes, and the air temperature is above 35 degrees, the locomotive will be secured and shut down. The exception is if the locomotive is needed to maintain air on the train, or is tagged DO NOT SHUT DOWN.
Many companies also have rules requiring you only have just enough locomotives on-line to move the tonnage, and any extra locomotives be off-line, and in some cases shut down.
Nick
Not current NS policy it is rule and has been just not inforced until last few years that even in winter if train wont be moved for up to 30 min shut them down. if temp is above 40 shut down and secure at outlying point . even in winter a engine shut down will take several hours before it will freeze. the railroad dont care if your cold or if your hot( summer no air-conditioning) just make them money. but at night its peaceful sleeping star watching while in deep thought with those engines shut down. yes some times its just real relaxing shutting those 4000 hp vibraters down.
You got that right brother!
Like when you’ve hogged out on a early fall night in a Oklahoma siding in the middle of nowhere waiting on the limo, while your young conductor is counting up how much money is making on tow-in.
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“Star watching while in deep thought.” You have a skylight in your cab?
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I lay out on the hood. do it in the daylight also get good suntans
OH YEAH!! Been there, done that.
Hehe trying that on an F-unit, be careful you don’t slip that’s a bit of a drop LOL.
My favourite was the Conrail crew I ran into in New York state once: They had a 2 hour stop because of a switch problem up ahead, so they walked across the street to a store, bought a small grill and some burgers, had a cookout on the porch of their lead SD40-2 while they listened to a baseball game on the radio.
Cheers!
~METRO