Hi;
On real trains, when there are three or more locomotives pulling freight cars, why do they reverse couple, one or two locomotives, {not pointed forward like the first locomotive}; and what is the advantage to this procedure?
thanks,
MrCPR
By having locos facing opposite directions, they don’t have turn the engines at the end of the run - just run them around & the crew gets into the engine facing the “right” direction. Not that many turntables around these days! (They may have to shift loco positions so the lead engine is facing the “right” way)[8D]
Sometimes the second or last locomotive is turned pointing the opposite direction so the last locomotive can also be used as the lead locomotive on a return trip. Othr than that, they are turned which ever way the locomotive was pulled off the engine yard track.
Oh, and [#welcome] to the forums.
I take it that you are talking diesels?
When more than one diesel run together they are usually worked “In Multiple” with a single crew in the lead loco. This depends on there being connectors between the locos to carry the control signals from the lead cab.
If you see a lash up of locos with a break in the chain of connections/jumpers the locos trailing the break will either have a secon crew on the lead loco of the second group or be being Hauled “Dead in traffic”… which is just relocating them not under power to somewhere that they are needed. (If you need six locos to go west and four to go east you end up with an inbalance of locos at one end… is the simple way of explaining it).
Diesel locos have a “front” and a “back”. Depending on era and RR which end is which varies.
Early era diesels were mostly “Long Hood is front”. then it became “Short Hood is front” and very soon they started making the Short Hood a “Low Nose”… With a “Low Nose” Short Hood you get windows right across the front of the cab… With a “High Nose” Short Hood you get the short hood the same height as the long hood (or nearly if it’s an Alco - in some cases)… With a high nosed short hood you only get windows each side of the hood… so visibility from the cab is reduced and the loco would normally be required to have a two man crew (at least) out on the road (correct me if I’m wrong someone).
Then again there are “Wagon tops” - things like F3s and E8s - “Cowls” - mostly Canadan I think… possibly some of the Amtrak locos???.. looks like a boxy F7 or E6 but has a different structure inside…
Low noses are Short Hood is front. (Unless they have dual controls)
Having got to Low nosed short hoods most loco design went to “Comfort Cabs” / “safety cabs” and “Wide cabs”… basically t
Dave,
The N&W also stuck with steam long after everyone else. I suspect all those coal burner pilots liked the familiar feel of a big, bulky ‘something’ between them and the nitwits trying to beat the train across grade crossings [:-^].
Of course, N&W also ran rear end pushers (usually Y’s) tender first when coupled behind a train. That way, the Mallet was running pilot first when returning to the bottom of the hill - nice, since the visibility was a lot better that way. When pushing, visibility was a non-issue.
Chuck
thank you!
MrCPR
I hate to disagree, but when did anyone ever see an N & W pusher pushing tender first? This one shocked me. I saw the Bonsack pusher when it was a Y Class (and when it was 3 new GE diesels in 1997-1998), and the Montvale pusher, and the Christiansburg Hill pusher too, and neither one was ever going anyway but forward going UP the hill. I have never even seen a picture of an N & W pusher pushing backwards.
When under high load, the steam exhaust lifted the combustion products (smoke) high and away from the engine. When driting it could hang close, so it was much better to drift backwards.
I read somewhere that the Richmond, Fredricksburg and Potomac set up its diesels so that odd numbered locomotives faced south and even numbered locomotives faced north (or maybe it was the other way round) - you could tell which way the train was heading just by reading the number of the lead locmotive.
-George