Perhaps this has been mentioned here in the past, but I just wanted to share something really interesting that any railfans in the Iowa area should be on the lookout for. We recently hosted a safety workshop at my workplace, and among the guest presenters were David and Kit Huntley,who are representatives of Operation Lifesaver in this area (and David is a longtime UP engineer). They manage a special simulator housed in a trailer that allows people to experience what it’s like to engineer a locomotive. It displays a video that was shot from the engineer’s perspective on an operating UP train; and the person sitting in the simulator seat gets to “control” the train speed, operate the bell and horns, etc. as it passes through cities and through countryside, past stopped trains, etc. It’s a great tool for lay persons to get some hands-on perspective of just what all is involved with operating a train, and the many safety-related details that have to be performed; and even if you’re an old hand with railroading, it’s still a lot of fun. The program is supported by the State of Iowa. They bring the trailer to many scheduled Operation Lifesaver presentations, and I also bumped into them with the trailer on an overnight stop for the UP 844 steam locomotive in Boone, Iowa during its recent tour. If you ever run into the Huntleys and this simulator, be sure to say hello (they’re really nice folks) and take a turn with the simulator. It’s really great.
Hmmm, I wonder if they have any schedule info on a website somewhere. It sure would be neat to at least virtually get a cab ride.
They would have no probelm getting me into the simulator. Getting me out… well lets just say that could be a bit more difficult.[;)]
CC
There’s a simulator down here too. It has a control panel from an SD40-2. The “video” is from a Conrail locomotive and lasts 2-3 minutes with the same scenerio and same ending everytime (you can’t stop the train fast enough before hitting the car). The UP simulator sounds better.
Railfan1:
I suspect that you are referring to the Georgia Operation Lifesaver Mobile Unit…It was originally a CONRAIL unit used by them, until about 2000 when it was aquired by a local Atlanta area railroad equipment company, who had blind purchased it in a auction lot of CONRAIL equipment…They did not know what it was til it arrived there in Georgia!
The company then allowed it to be used by the local OLI group, as a display for publicity in appropriate area events. Back then, one of the Roadway Express Safety Managers/ and Georgia motor Transport Assn. representatives who drove the truck to OLI events, and stored it for OLI when it was not being used. The company I was with, on ocasion ran it thru our truck wash and provided some other services for OLI’s unit.
There is a mock up locomotive cab, and video presentation area in the front of the trailer, which allows participants to watch/operate the locomotive in various scenarios. If you get a chance to see it, it is a very interesting and informative display.
Georgia is very fortunate to have such an active and diverse group of participants in their Operation Lifesaver program. Your state director has done a marvelous job of melding a group from all areas of surface transportation and its local law enforcement community. At one time, and I hope still, the trucking industry was well represented and cooperative with Georgia OLI through the Georgia Motor Trucking Assn.[2c]
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We have one too. Former WC engineer training simulator. Its the real deal, run a WC or D&H train for 15 minutes, or an hour! Whatever suits you.