Is it safe to say that all new North American locomotives both passenger and freight type equipped with onboard toilet?
Karn[:)]
I just have to ask. What about steam engines, no toilet in the cab. Was there something in the tender or did they hang off the side?
That is what bushes and forests were for. Not just steam engines, even the famous GG-1!
well what is your definion of “toilet”… alot of NS power dont have “real” crappers… you just dump in a plasic bag…and as far as toilets on the engins… i dont and wont use them…unless i have to… at least when i have to make a set off… and when i do use them for a dump… i try and “hover”…lol… some of the toilet compartments are realy nasty…not to mention the toilets themself…you might get something that even AJAX wont take off from a loco toilet…
csx engineer
Most of the toilets on road power are filthy beyond you worst dreams.
If I were to allow my house cat’s litter box to get to the same condition, the SPCA would remove the cat, and issue me a ticket.
Sad, we have laws that express more concern about the condition of a house pet’s toilet, than the conditions a train crew has to endure.
Like csxengineer98, I try not to use them.
The bushes are cleaner, the smell and air quality is much better.
Ever have to use a Porta Potty at a crowded place?
Compaired to the “cans” in most locomotives, they are nice and clean.
The fact that most crew members carry a roll of toilet paper in their bag tells you how well these things are serviced.
Ed
NS used a bag until the late 90’s but now all NS units have toilets exept switchers.
What do you mean?? You use the bushes??? Do you have to make an emergency stop on the way to use the natural toilet?? How about in the winter? ha ha.
I don’t think I could ever do that bag thing, that’s pretty damn sick.
What are you supposed to do with bag when you’re done?
Pssst - he lives in Houston and works in a yard. Does that answer your questions?
Mook
Does OSHA cover dirty potties? Surely we must have some department or committee that covers this for the working people…??? And when they hired women, did that change anything in the situation, or is it just keep your foot firmly against the door, don’t mind the filth?
Hope that TP is camoflaged during hunting season!
I remember reading an article by a disgruntled NS man, that at first, the crews dumped the bags along the line when they got near the end of their runs. But when the neighbors expressed disenchantment with this practice, NS required all bags to be signed for before trips and turned in upon return.
Actually, until very recently, the toilets in cabooses and passenger cars simply emtied right onto the roadbed. (This is why passenger cars had signs telling people not to flu***he toilets while in station.) I happened onto one of these on an Amtrak train in the mid-1980s.
Yup, I remember when I used to ride the Royal Hudson, the old Canadian Pacific Maroon Coaches would dump right onto the tracks, and that was still the mid 90s.
I remember they would lock the doors 15 minutes from the stations.
Sounds like that could be a SHOCKING experience!!
LC
Ns used the bag system in the 90s that is when they took them out then was forced to put them back in. the bag was a orange in color with a NS tag that had a serial number it was recorded who had this number and if it was found by anyone they called the 800 number on there and it was picked up by track men and the employee was delt with… there was a bucket on the engine that held these bags for dumping at terminal by the shop personell. Now as gross as this might sound. think about what these guys have said about the conditions of toilets on road engines. now take the same little room with a chair that has a hole in it. you place your bag in the hole draped over the seat so its clean do your biz. tie it up and put it in the bucket. cleaned up and ready for the next person. Now think back to a toilet …full of what ever and the persons who wont sit on it and let it go all over. now which sounds cleaner to go in when you haft to?
this will give you an idea of what a loco crapper looks like…
http://www.csx-sucks.com/pictures/?2273hole.jpg
keep in mind…this is down in the short nose of the engin…
unless its in a dash 7 GE…and its a small compartment off the electrical cabinet…just as small as the nose toilets…but at least you dont have to duck down all hunched over to get into them…
csx engineer
…Well that sure is a good rendition of it and the unkept condition…
Question: Isn’t the Union a strong organization…Why doesn’t this become an issue when contract time comes around…? Unions tackle all kinds of problems and I’d think this seems a pretty important one. Surely someone can come up with a sensible solution.
lol…union strong…thats a good one… the csx contract says that a nasty toilet is not a shopable offence…you can refuse to take a unit if the toilet stincks so bad that it smells the cab up…but most of the time they will just send someone out with a can of air freshener…and send you on your way… only other thing you can do…is switch the power out with another unit …if the unit is ok for lead…
csx engineer
Those pictures are absolutely disgusting, I am amazed that toilets are allowed to get that bad, I can’t even picture sitting next to a mess like that for hours on end.
If they are going to be that bad, why even have them on board - nobody in their right mind is going to use them.
YUCK! [xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(]
…Seems like the contract is not addressing the issue strong enough…Can’t it be an issue on the table the next time around…