What preparation does an engineer do before a run? I mostly would like to know if an engineer checks current and forcast weather? Is an engineer concerned if it is raining somewhere on the trip? Do wet rails affect the run very much? How far ahead of the departure time do the crew need to be there? Who decides how many locomotives to use? Thanks for any input!
I would have to say that the weather would definitely play an important role. Wet rails limit traction, therefore knowing where and when its raining would definitely make a difference. As far as how many locomotives, the tonnage, miles hauled, grades encountered, etc would all make a difference on how many units to put into the locomotive consist. So I don’t think its a “who” that decides on how many engines, its more along the lines of a “what” that makes that decision.
I am a locomotive engineer no I do not check the weather that is a thing beyond my control I just deal with it, my checks are makin coffee for the trip, getting food and other things I need to do, at the yard office I get all paper work I need get in a cab go to train get on and inspect the locomotives before I accept them.
Rodney
We were given an hour and a half from the time we were called. Yardmaster assigns locomotives.
Also I forgot to say that the power deck in Fort Worth assigns the locomotives that I get on a junk train.
Rodney
As the above posts we on the Union Pacific get a 90minute call I generally get to the yard office before my engineer and have the paperwork up and broken down before the hogger gets to the office, After looking over the orders and noting anything unusal about either the orders form bs new slow orders and any new restrictions due either condtions of our train such as lengh or weight or car placement noting where the haz mat cars are located if we have any . If our train is unusally long I will call the dispacher and give him an addtional heads up about us and that we will have problems parking the train without blocking cfrossings So please remeber there TWO of us in the cab and we are both responisible for the movement of this train Larry