This is obviously my first post in this forum and my first step in becoming a railfan (I think anyways). Other than realizing that I like to watch trains and admitting that I am very ignorant about trains, to put it simply, I was wondering if there is a resource somewhere that I can read to familiarize myself with much of the jargon and terms and general information on trains? I dont have any specific questions regarding terms until I see them in a post or something and my other questions are probably very basic and simple (like why do I see locomotives at the front of a train facing different directions, and why do trains use multiple locomotives?).
Anyway if this information is covered somewhere on this forum, please forgive me but I could not find it, and thank you in advance to anyone with some helpful advice
Welcome to the forums! In short time you’ll know most all you need to be a railfan (and about train IDs, and locomotives). Your first question, why do they face different ways? Well, say you are on a straight track all the way to some town, and you get there, grab some more cars, and then there is a run around track (your train is right beside the runaround, it parrallels it and then switches back onto the mainline) now your engine that was leading the trip is no facing trailing towards the rest of the train. Now, you have a set of engines that go front-back, so now your back (or trailing) unit is leading so all you have to do is switch your engine and your back in the lead. Sorry if I wasnt very clear, but maybe someone else can state it better. Its pretty much just easier because no matter where you go one of your engines is facing the right way.
There isn’t really one source - most of us know what we know as the result of (sometimes) years of experience. You’ll get there, too.
In the meantime - stick around the forums - lots of information here.
Don’t be afraid to ask a question - there was a long running thread here a couple years ago entitled “Nora’s Stupid Question Thread.” Nora is now a railroad employee, and may make another try at becoming a conductor. It doesn’t hurt to search the forums first, but that can be chancy - if you don’t use the ‘right’ keyword, related threads may not come up, just like any search engine. Ask your question - if there was a thread, someone will remember it and point you in the right direction.
Finances permitting, subscribe to railroad publications - Trains, Classic Trains, and a host of others have information and stories about railroading today, yesterday, and in the future.
Pay a visit to your local library - they often have a wealth of information about your area, as well as other general interest books.
Learn what there is for railroads in your area. That might be just one line, or a host of them, large and small. Study up on their history. With the mergers that have occured, you may find a “fallen flag” that piques your interest.
Again, finances permitting, and once you know what railroads operate in your area, get a scanner and listen in (there’s plenty of sources for finding out what frequencies you should listen to).
Most of all, remember that you’re in it for the enjoyment.
I’ll take a stab at your second question- most trains have more than one loco because just one doesn’t have enough horsepower to pull a typical 100+ car train, and even if it did, it pays to have more than one in case of an engine failure. Plus, you’d be surprised at some of the grades (hills) that railroads, even in the midwest, have to deal with. One loco may be able to pull that train on a straight and level section of track, but it gets alot more difficult when you start dealing with curves and inclines/declines.
On the Trains.com home page, on the right side under “Trains.com resources” are a couple of “Glossary” entries. If there is a term someone uses that you need defined, chances are it is in one of these.
I was surprised at how mamy “odd” entries there are in them that I didn’t figure anyone would think to add to them (A1A-A1A).
But, then, I am also surprised at what is missing (Whyte system)!!!
And Egide Walschearts first name is misspelled! (‘d’ and ‘g’ are swapped in the glossary.)
As for multiple engines.
In the steam engine era, multiple locomotives meant multiple crews to pay and the inherant problems of coordination between them, so one big engine was better if you wanted to move a whole train as one unit. Or lots of shorter/smaller trains (known as second [and third, etc.] sections) were used with smaller locomotives. Each section carried markers or flags to indicate that another section follows.
Today, Diesels can be “MU’d” (Multiple Unit), or controlled from one control stand in one cab, so only one crew is necessary. Some RRs have flirted with using just one really big Diesel as power, but if that one engine dies then the whole train stops. With multiple engines, it is possible the train can continue to move, even though it will probably be slower (much slower). They don’t usually assign additional power just for insurance that the train can continue if one breaks. That would be needless expense and tie up resorces with little payback. They have to play the probability game… what are the chances an engine will break and what will it cost to recover from it.
Not only do you usually need more engines for HP, but also, you use LESS fuel when you have 2 units running in notch, 5 lets say, instead of one unit in notch 8.
Obviously this website and message board will be a huge resource as you learn the ins and outs of railfanning. There are no stupid questions, and we all remember when we didn’t know the things that we do now.
For jargon, you might try the Wikipedia list of US Rail jargon:
notches are like gears.1 is slow and 8 is wide open.so if you have your train at notch 5 and have 2 units working together to balance the load you will save fuel.
I have to differ slightly with Joe - the ‘notches’ are in the throttle, hence analogous to the gas pedal in your car. The traction motors’ gearing to the axles is not variable, like your car. Depending on the gear ratio installed, x revolutions of the traction motor will always cause y revolutions of the axle. There is some “shifting” done, but it is electrical in nature.
Just as an example, the chart shows an SD60 in Run 8 (Notch 8) using 184.7 gallons of fuel an hour. Two SD60’s in Run 5 will use 173.8 gallons of fuel per hour (86.9 GPH each).
You also have to factor in time - two locomotives in Run 5 may be able to hold track speed, while one locomotive in Run 8 may be struggling to do so (has to do with the horsepower to ton ratio - how many horsepower the locos have vs how many tons they have in the train). A train that is underpowered may need two crews to complete a given run while a properly powered train will likely get there within the 12 hours a crew can work.
Actually, Mr. Krug has put together an interesting and informative website - it’s not the be-all and end-all, but you’ll come away a better informed railfan for having spent some time there.
