I have noticed our local freight road (Providence & Worcester) uses multiple engines even on what appears to be fairly light consists. I presume this is to avoid run around moves. Does anyone know if crew members are in both engines at the same time or does the crew changes engines as needed?
Probably the answer is “yes” depending on assignment, what the engineer had for lunch or dinner, need to switch wherever, need for cab forward in direction of mainline move, who cant’ stand who, etc.
Since we are in the world of the 2 man crew, most rule books require the Engineer & Conductor to occupy the cab of the lead locomotive when making a sustained moves. When making switching moves the engineer will normally occupy the locomotive that provides the best sight lines of the on ground personnel for the moves being made.
If there are more than 3 crewmen, the excess will occupy the 2nd engine. (This will occur when there is OJT taking place with engineers and/or conductors being trained). Some (rare) assignments are 3 man crews to start with as brakeman is added to the normal 2 man crew for specific local reasons. If there are more crewmen than there are seats available on the locomotive consist, someone of the ‘qualifying’ crew will have their job start busted and be instructed to go home (in most cases that will be the qualifying train service employee as getting more engineers qualified is a continuing priority for most carriers).
Depends on the situation. Most of our local jobs have brakemen. So when we have a CT or LET or both, everybody except the conductor, engineer, and LET will go to the rear unit.
P&W tends to run an engine on either end of local freights in RI because operating on the Northeast Corridor (AMTRAK line) requires that a unit with Automatic Train Stop/Cab Signal systems be on the head end of a train at all times.
However, they also commonly do this on lines such as the East Providence Secondary that don’t require using the AMTRAK safety systems, in that case to avoid run-around moves, exactly as you surmised. The locomotives on the locals aren’t really “M.U’d” as the unit at the end of the train is just towed along. If you see a P&W train with multiple units working together on the head end in RI it usually means it is a road train running to or from Worcester, with either Davisville yard in North Kingston or Valley Falls Yard in Cumberland as the RI terminal.
It also makes all switching and set out moves with no differentiatin of facing and trailing points, so no dutch drops need be discussed by the train crew.
The P&W calender has some of the very finest rail photography and should be sought by anyone interested in New England railroading. It does demonstrate the question.