My preferred method of starting a train was to increase the throttle only as much as necessary. As the slack started to reach the rear and the trin was about to be fully moving,I would reduce the throttle until that happened, sometimes going all the way back to idle and letting the momentum of the moving part of the train finish the job.
Sometimes the caboose started so gentle the rear end crew didn't even realize they were moving. Much better than putting thr conductor's head under the stove, which could be hard on the stove! Then we had this safety supervisor try to instruct us on how to enter a caboose and keep the mandatory safety glasses from fogging up, which was fine, but I always wished the slack would run in on him while he was standing in front of a hot stove! boB Nicholson _________________________________________________ --- In [email protected], "Bud Rindfleisch" <BlackDiamondRR@...> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], Bob Werre <bob@> wrote: > > > > My wife used to work at a credit life insurance company. Over the > > years, during the dying days of the caboose, a number of > > brakemen/conductors were injured by the 'jerks' that happened with slack > > action. Some injuries were fakes and some were real. > > > > A former studio-mate of mine called me one day. He had been on a jury > > deciding a case brought against the SP by an employee. By the time the > > case was closed he had learned all kinds of terminology of the trade. > > He said I would I have fit right in. > > > > So that's the other side of slack action that I'm sure Bud, Bob and Gary > > can attest too. > > Bob, Don't forget Andre! You could always tell a good engineer from a bad > one by the care the good ones took in starting their train "one car at a > time". A good engineer can actually "feel" each and every car by the very > slight tug as the throttle is advanced and doesn't run 'er up until all that > slack is out. It is true though about some injuries being real from the > caboose "crack the whip" effect. Almost as dangerous as spilling hot coffee > fresh from the pot belly stove! The indignity of it all! > Bud Rindfleisch > > > > Bob Werre > > > > > > > > On 9/13/12 8:06 PM, prorr@ wrote: > > > > > > Gent's, I guess if your modeling a 100 car multi level auto carrier > > > train the KD802/808's would be right on the money. I always have a > > > good chuckle when this debate shows up. As equipment wears , > > > especially cushioned control types, the amount of slack can be way > > > beyond the specs of the manufacturer. As for the longitudinal > > > movement of the cabin car, just model the Penn Central or other beat > > > up roads. You haven't lived till you went though East Conway > > > interlocking[and several others including Jacks on the middle PRR > > > middle div] at track speed. Anyway's, carry on guy's, I'm enjoying the > > > show. > > > Gary Carmichael > > > In a message dated 9/13/2012 12:58:12 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > > > rnk2202@ writes: > > > > > > Jim King wrote: > > > > > > "His design permits Kadee centering without the annoying slack > > > action." > > > > > > Annoying?? One of my favorite memories is seeing NYC Mohawks > > > (Mountains for you non-NYC fans) starting a 100-car train. The > > > loco would back up about a car length, bunching up slack. Then it > > > would pull forward, ever so slowly, taking out the slack car by > > > car. You could hear the clunk! clunk! clunk! as each coupler > > > became fully extended and each car leapt into slow motion. The > > > Mohawks' replacements, Alco FA/FB lash-ups, did the same thing. > > > Thankfully, this is one of the aspects of running trains on my > > > layout that I really enjoy -- starting a freight train and > > > listening to the slack take-up as the locomotive gradually moved > > > forward. > > > > > > Lest you rebut by observing that the Kadee 802/808 centering > > > springs cause the caboose to constantly bob longitudinally, I > > > refer you back to my oft-repeated (in print as well as via > > > electrons) but little-heeded recommendation (supported by Kadee > > > themselves!) to substitute a knuckle spring for the too-stiff > > > centering spring. > > > > > > Dick Karnes > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
