I was thinking of adding an Engineer & perhaps a Conductor figure to some MP15’s. I have two Atlas DC’s & an Athearn AC that I need to paint up.
My Question is; do they have reversable seats/controls so the crew can go in both directions?
Are they commonly only manned by just an Engineer, or is there also a Conductor in most situations? I have heard that Conductors are being dropped from a lot of train movements as of late, & I am modelling 2k+ era. I also know it may be more railroad company specific as well…
I am interested in your thoughts & suggestions, thanks in advance, I appreciate it!
The last time I was in Pensacola FL I spent quite a few hours watching train movements at a small CSX yard. I would talk to the crews between movments and on break as I could to learn what I could. All switchers had 2 man crews, the engineer and a brakeman/conductor. The engineer was in the engine of course and the conductor ran the show from the ground via radio to the cab letting him know what to put where. The conductor also was the guy pulling the pins and setting the brakes as needed. I dont know about other yards but this is now the little CSX yard worked.
As of late I have heard on the news (ok, I know, I really should believe them!) that there have been only one person involved in derails. One that comes to mind is an Indiana Rail coal train a couple months ago. I didn’t think they would let a unit train go with just one person, but I donno… Until then I alway thought there were two or more folks (traing/observer) in there.
The sets reverse so the engineer can see both ways, but the control stand is fixed.
Depending on your era and what the engine is doing, there could anywhere from 4 people to no people in the cab.
If you are modeling the 1970’s, 1980’s there could be an engineer, conductor/foreman and 2 brakemen/switchmen.
If you are modeling the late 1980’s, 1990’s there could be an engineer, conductor/foreman and 1 brakemen/switchmen.
If you are modeling the late 1990’s until there could be an engineer and conductor/foreman.
If you are modeling anything and the engine is switching would be just an engineer (everybody else is on the ground lining switches and working with the cars).
If you are modeling the last 10 years or so there could be nobody in the cab because its radio controlled, there is no engineer (everybody else is on the ground lining switches and working with the cars).
That was precicely what I was after! Thanks for the excellent explanation!
I’m modeling mid-to late 90’s to current, but for me they are on short runs & grain elevator jobs & such, so the two person remote crew would fit perfectly with what I’m doing. If I do put one in my ladder yard, I’ll (hopefully) place figures out to mechanize the scene.
The seats swivel, so the crew can look in any direction needed. The WSOR MP15ACs have 3 seats, one on the engineer’s side, two on the fireman’s side. The control stand/electrical cabinet is right in the middle of the cab, so there isn’t much room to move around, about 14-18" around it on the ends. Crew is pretty visible on these, lots of glass area.
There is experimentation in unit trains with Distributed Power (DPU) and single operators, an engineer. Have also seen many pics over the net of no one in the cab, with the engineer on the ground toting around his radio engine control box. Presumably there was another crew member down the line doing some work.
Mike, Thanks, I like all that glass & I won’t be able to just use the ‘busts’ in there for sure, thanks for the info. Even if my units are staged, I’d rather have crew in them for when they are in action… Or, I could try to cut & assemble these little PE RC/EOT antenna PhotoEtch parts that like to zip across the room… They are nice when they turn out!
BerkshireSteam, yeah I’ve seen those too, interesting, but I’m still one that likes live crews, & in my case they are making short locals, not just yarding, so that was a big driver in my decision. With all the suggestions, I am almost feeling I need to do some RCD units with figures manning switches, but wouldn’t those me remote (now?) as well? (There is no end to it, is there?)
Keep in mind it depends on what you’re using your MP-15 for. These engines are essentially switchers with road-style trucks, so are really “road switchers”. An MP-15 could be used as a yard switcher, but could just as easily be seen on a freight train, either by itself or m.u.ed with a couple of other engines.
For example, the Soo Line took over the MN&S line that ran in front of my house (in Richfield MN, now operated by Progressive Rail) about the same time the Soo and Milwaukee merged. It was common to see freight trains with a high-nose Soo GP and a Milwaukee MP-15 running back to back on the train.
Dave H,You can add a fireman as late the 70s on some roads.You can add a swing brakeman when needed on extra long locals.
There is still lots of engineers in the cabs of locals and some yard jobs.I would like to see NS local L70 with a single man crew-its to long…In fact several locals uses 3 men crews as does some busier short lines.
A lot of locomotives was equipped with three seats for engineer,fireman and head brakeman.
When discussing modern railroading one must be aware of what’s going on and keeping up can be a hassle if one doesn’t converse with knowledgeable railfans and railroaders and on line research.Of course there’s nothing like first hand observation.
In the Soo / ex-MNS example I cited, that was until the late eighties / early nineties a four man crew -engineer and fireman in the lead loco, and conductor and brakeman in the caboose. When the Soo bought the MN&S there was some stipulation about MNS employees getting preference to bid on jobs on ex-MNS lines, not sure if that involved contracts re continuing to use cabooses and four man crews or not. When CP took over the Soo they eliminated cabooses, and today Progressive Rail just has one engine and a two-man crew.
