Hi All,
As an UPRR Engineer and Conductor, I'll jump in here on this.
Direction is based solely on the signal giver.
In other words, I'm going to the signal giver or away from the signal giver
Locomotive position / direction has nothing to do with the signals.
I tell new hires, give me the signal the way you want it taken. If you want
me to go fast, then give me the signal fast. If you want me to go slow, then
give me the signal nice and easy / slow.
Also, reguardless of distance, make your signals large. Give them so
there is no
mistake in what your asking for. When I worked a yard switch engine, here in
Cheyenne several years ago, I had one crew foreman, move the first
two ( 2 ) joints
of his right hand index / first finger, for his stop sign.
All the ground crew has to do, is to stay visable to the engineer.
Yes, every locomotive does have an F on the end, that has been designated as
the front. Just so everyone talks the same talk. The various
Railroads designate
which end will be the front. UPRR uses the cab end as front. NSRR for
along time
time, used the long hood end as the front. I believe that the BNSF,
also uses the
cab end as Front.
One other tidbit. If any other crew members are between the signal
giver and the
head end ( locomotive ), the signals are to be, automatically
relayed. That's how in
the olden days, a crew member could be 80 to 120 cars back and the
engineer knew
what to do and how fast. In other words, before radios.
Thanks for your time.
R L ( Robert ) Sherwood, UPRR 4th Dist Engineer / Former Conductor
Cheyenne, Wyoming
NASG Engineering Committee Chairman
From the S Scale List:
At 08:58 PM 9/5/2008, you wrote:
>A question about the "Railroad Hand Signals" website that Tom Hawley posted:
>
>I'm curious about the "Proceed" and "Back" signals as they'd apply to
>switching operations. Since the flagman is presumably some distance
>away from the locomotive, the locomotive may be facing toward or away
>from the flagman's position, and there may be cars coupled to to both
>front and back of the engine when the signal is given, which way is
>"Back"?
>
>JR Hill
JR Hill asked a good question regarding signals:
> which way is "Back"?
The FRA mandates that every locomotive have an "F" placed on the forward
direction, or front, of the locomotive. That, and that alone, determines
whether you signal/instruct a manned locomotive to go "forward" or "back".
Further, the poor ground crew has to keep up with locomotive orientation in
view of all the ahead/couple/back/uncouple/down another track, throw the
switchback, move this way, move that way, swapping ends, etc, etc.
There's a LOT more thinking to railroading than it would appear at first.
You see that all over again when dealing with new hires. It is MONTHS
before a new hire truly begins to know what he/she is doing. National
average is two years to become "seasoned".
FWIW: The "magic numbers" in regards to probabilty of a railroad
casualty/fatility is 2/20. That is, those with less than two years
(inexperienced and make a fatal mistake) and over 20 years (been there, done
that... I know what I'm doing I won't get hurt).
Andre Ming
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