The right-of-way at my favorite train watching spot includes a slight upgrade. Often times I hear the trains coming long before I can see them. As they pass it is clear the locomotives are working hard. The noise level seems high.
What is the noise level like inside the cab of a hard-working locomotive?
Is the crew required to wear ear plugs or a similar device?
Does the periodic medical examination for crew members include a hearing test?
For engineers and conductors in the US, hearing tests must be performed as part of a FRA required requalification process that typically takes place every three years. I imagine something similar is in place in Canada.
As for interior cab noise, it is going to vary a lot based on the age and style of equipment. I run vintage locomotives on a scenic RR, and the noisiest are F units in notch 8. Our Alcos also make a fair amount of noise in high nothches but for whatever reason, the noise seems to penetrate the cab less than the F’s. We are supposed to wear hearing protection when running in high nothches, but that can create other problems, like clearly hearing the radio communication.
Honestly it depends on the locomotive. When I worked for UP on the Roseville Service Unit we were required to wear earplugs when we were outside of the cab. Inside usually wasn’t any worse than a car going down the highway. The isolated cab SD70ACes were bad because the rubber bushings squeeked constantly!
Rubbing hands together anticipating Bob Smith’s reply to this question…
You’re making me feel like some sort of celebrity.
Hearing loss is a occupational disease among railroaders. Hearing tests are part of our periodic medicals in Canada too (we go every 3 or 5 years depending on one’s age, or every single year if you are over 65), and I have no idea how some guys manage to pass them, a number of my older co-workers are deaf to point of being unsafe, as they cannot reliably hear radio conversations when switching.
CN stocks foam earplugs at yard offices (unless someone forgot to order them), but so far the use of hearing protection is not mandatory. Some guys have bought their own noise-cancelling headphones, but those may run afoul of the ban on personal electronic devices while on duty.
As has been said, the cab noise level greatly depends on the type of locomotive. Units with the original EMD WhisperCab (SD60I, SD70I, SD75I, and some SD70MACs and SD90MACs) are by far the quietest, and that is a big part of why our SD75’s are my favourite units to operate. The Phase II WhisperCab (some SD70M-2 and SD70ACe’s) is not as quiet as the original version, but is still far better than the non-isolated ‘ThunderCab’.
I never thought anything could be louder than a GP9 or SD40-2 until I got out of the yard and started riding our SD70M-2’s on a regular basis, those Phase II ThunderCabs are absolutely horrible. I’ve actually had the earplugs vibrate right out of my ears on several occasions.
In tests, the EMD WhisperCab has been shown to be quieter at full throttle than a ThunderCab is at idle.
GE started using a isolated powertrain (the engine, generator etc are rubber-mounted instead of the cab) with the introduction of the Evolution Series circa 2005. Previous GE units have no cab soundproofing whatsoever, and while they don’t seem quite as loud as EMDs the 4-stroke chug translates into a terrible rattle that shakes everything loose i
I should have mentioned that the locomotives appeared to be GE Dash 9s. One of them appeared to have been just recently painted or given a thorough bath.
I usually have to look up the locomotives when I get home. Which is what I did, and they match the pictures of the GE Dash 9.
As mentioned, on the UP ear plugs are required when outside the cab or with the windows open. Years ago, crewmen were prohibitied from wearing hearing protection. I’m sure the FELA lawsuits about hearing loss over the years changed the railroad’s minds. The required hearing exams not only look for minimum requirements, but also changes in hearing. Two exams ago, my hearing got better just by changing examiners. There is a field test for those who’s office exams are questionable.
I’ve never really had a problem with the engine (prime mover) noise. Moving the horns off the cab and onto the long hood was a big improvement. The newest EMD SD70Ace variant (I haven’t kept up with all the sub identity alphabet soup) to me is too quiet when the window’s are closed. I listen to changes in the engine’s pitch as it revs up or down.
I wear my earplugs from the moment I leave the originating crew room until I reach the terminating crew room. Or get in a van to be transported to the final tie up location.
About those earplugs that make it hard to hear the radio or other normal railroad sounds. Where do you get those because the ones we use aren’t that good.
Jeff
Now there’s a complaint that I can honestly say I’ve never heard before!
Our pumper has headphones with mics for the two front seats. I’m kind of surprised the railroads have not adopted them (price notwithstanding).
The headsets serve as hearing protection and an intercom - no yelling across the cab. The radio also comes over the headsets. If we need to talk on the radio, we push a button on one of the earcups. Incoming volume is also adjustable on the headset.
The conductor would be able to copy directives from his seat.
With the 1010J the turbos are at the rear of the engine. Which I’m sure is a welcomed change for T&E folks such as yourself. Many years ago before the Conrail breakup. I was in the cab of a SD50 in Run 8. Loud as all hell. I recall looking out the hoggers window, and the grab rails were vibrating like a tuning fork.
They do now…?
For those of you running on Class 1’s, what style of radio microphones are typically found on the radios mounted in the cab these days? Are they telephone handset style, a handheld pushbutton mic, or no external mic at all (mic embedded in the radio itself)?
This is a bit off topic but perhaps not too much. If a train is on a long hold, e.g. waiting to get into the yard, is the crew allowed to read a book, say on a Kindle, or read a newspaper, say on a tablet?
I grew up in Altoona. My dad was not a railroader, but he had a friend that was an engineer who spent most of his time, if I remember correctly, working the yard. He was one of the best-read persons that I ever met. He told me that when he had idle time in the locomotive, he would read.
There is a blanket prohibition on consumer electronic devices, almost hysterically enforced in the wake of the 2008 Metrolink wreck that gave us the PTC mandate. No device of that kind can be used.
Depending on railroad you might not be allowed ‘personal reading’ even on ‘non-proscribed media’ during nominally on-duty time … you should be watching for danger (or something in the Company interest like learning the rules better and better) rather than amusing yourself.
See the evolving controversy about power naps during these extended stops.
As Overmod stated the 2008 Metrolink crash resulted in making the operation of any and all private electronic devices verboten. Weed Weasels enforce it. If the crew becomes involved in any incident - personal electronic devices are among the first things that get checked to see if the crew has been in compliance.
Other than company required reading material - all else is also verboten.
For the last few years of Michael Ward’s reign on CSX train crews, after being informed of a a extened hold, in addition to shutting down power other than the lead unit for fuel conservation had ‘authority’ to take a upto 45 minute power nap - one at a time. The EHH regime abolished the napping.
Speaking of power naps… Jeff, are UP still making this available to crews?
We had a rule in the book (it’s probably still there - I’d have to dig) that even limited print reading materials to “company materials.”
So, I think Conrail SD60M 5544 was the first “Whisper Cab”. The FRA rules allow 85dB in the cab, but OSHA and lots of other data showed that 80dB was max you could endure for 8 hours, day in and day out, without hearing loss. So, Conrail’s Director of Equipment Engineering decided to push EMD to get to 80dB. The first order under this policy was the Spartan cabbed SD60s. The lead time for the engineering was insufficient, so all they got was some rubber flooring and the horn relocated to the middle of the long hood instead of over the cab - which was good for a few dB.
The next EMD order after that was the SD60Ms and the last unit of the 1991 order had the prototype Whisper Cab. It got under the 80dB limit using a whole host of tricks including not having the frame mounted walkway handrails attached to the cab. They just stub-ended an inch from the cab.
The biggest complaint on the noise was that it was hard to hear the horn with the windows shut.
Yes.
All three can be found in use. The radios have a built in mic and there are jacks for hand mics for both (usually) the engineer and conductor. That doesn’t mean the jacks are always connected.
I’ve seen the handsets marked with initials from BNSF, CSX, and NS. I think I may have seen at one time, a SP handset. I haven’t seen a UP handset. Some of the pushbutton mic types had a keypad, but I don’t see them too often anymore on locomotives. They’re still used on the radios installed in vans and MOW equipment.
Jeff
The rule book still allows it, but I think some Service Units may not.
Jeff