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Posted: 5/16/2001 7:15:01 AM EDT
As railroader myself, I've been following the saga of the runaway/unmanned CSX train in Ohio with some interest. My first impression is that some train crew definitely screwed up in not properly securing their train by applying the necessary number of handbrakes before leaving the train unattended. You can bet you ass that both the CSX and the Federal Railroad Administration while be investigating this incident VERY thoroughly and some people are likely to get their nuts dragged over hot coals. That the train crew responsible will serve some sort of suspension is virtually a foregone conclusion.

That being said, I've also heard numerous online reports that a police officer from somewhere in Ohio was actually shooting at the train to try and stop it. Has anyone else heard this? Real smart. To his credit, some of the reports I have read say he claims to have been trying to shoot the Emergency Fuel Cutoff switch on the side on the locomotive, but I'm not sure I'm buying it. First off, that switch presents a target a couple of inches in diameter at most, compounded by the fact that it was moving laterally at probably 20-30 miles an hour. How good of a shot does Officer Rambo think he is? Secondly, the switch must be depressed for a few seconds to function, simply striking it with a bullet would have probably just rendered it useless and ineffective. I have heard other reports that he was shooting at the fuel tank with the hope of causing the locomotive to run out of fuel. Wow, another ingenious idea. How long do you think it would have taken all of the diesel to leak from a couple of .40 caliber holes in the 3,000 gallon fuel tank of an SD40-2 locomotive? Yeah, that's what I thought, too. Duh. In the end, this guy was probably lucky that his shots didn't ricochet off of the steel (locomotives are built remarkably tough) of the locomotive and strike him in the head, although I have to wonder how serious such an injury would have really been to him. If this guy knew enough about trains to be shooting at them, he should have known to either shoot at the main air reservoirs or try to shoot the air hoses in between the cars with a shotgun or something. If you can rupture a charged air brake system the train will automatically go into an emergency brake application and come to a stop. I doubt that this cop had much knowledge about trains and I hope he gets at least a light reprimand along with some retraining for what at this point I can only consider a negligent discharge of his weapon.
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 7:56:02 AM EDT
[#1]
"The situation in the cab reported by the trainmaster: run 8 throttle, 20lb reduction on the automatic, and full application on the independent."

Boomer, the above comes from another board.  As you can see, the wide open throttle position is very troubling.

I have also heard speculation that the yard job was switching the cut without air, but the reduction on the automatic seems to render that incorrect.  But, I wouldn't think one unit would be able to make that kind of time with 47 cars and the brakes drawn down.

Also there has been statments made that beanbag rounds were being fired at the emergency fuel cutoff switch.  Regardless, firing anything at it would not have worked since, as you say, it has to be held down until the primer mover stops completely.  Looks like a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing.

Officer Rambo indeed...




Link Posted: 5/16/2001 8:04:47 AM EDT
[#2]
Conjunction, jucntion.... what's your function?  Hookin' up words and makin' them function.
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 8:17:41 AM EDT
[#3]
licky?
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 8:21:56 AM EDT
[#4]
Originally Posted By Gun Toter:
licky?
View Quote


Okay, okay... I've gone back and corrected my mistake. I'm a railroader, not some office monkey caged in a cubicle. You didn't expect perfect typing ability, did you?
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 8:38:29 AM EDT
[#5]
They should have called out the swat team to do simultaneous dynamic entries on the train and the yard station.
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 8:46:57 AM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
"The situation in the cab reported by the trainmaster: run 8 throttle, 20lb reduction on the automatic, and full application on the independent."

Boomer, the above comes from another board.  As you can see, the wide open throttle position is very troubling.

I have also heard speculation that the yard job was switching the cut without air, but the reduction on the automatic seems to render that incorrect.  But, I wouldn't think one unit would be able to make that kind of time with 47 cars and the brakes drawn down.

Also there has been statments made that beanbag rounds were being fired at the emergency fuel cutoff switch.  Regardless, firing anything at it would not have worked since, as you say, it has to be held down until the primer mover stops completely.  Looks like a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing.

Officer Rambo indeed...


View Quote


Once upon a time I was a switchman.  Never was an engineer so pardon my ignorance (I also only heard a little about this) but; can the automatic not show a reduction without cars connected?  As far as switching without air, we used to air up a couple of cars when coupling up tracks/putting trains together if the size of the cut so warranted so that could be a possibility.  With the throttle in run 8 but the independent fully applied it sounds like sabotage or perhaps some kid wanted to play engineer when nobody was looking.



Link Posted: 5/16/2001 8:46:59 AM EDT
[#7]
Hey! Who's drivin' that thang? Hells bells I thought you was a drivin' it. Well I reckoned you was a drivin' it. Wer'nt me. Wer'nt me neither.
Uh-oh.

Dumb ass cops? DUMB ASS RAILROADERS!
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 8:47:32 AM EDT
[#8]
Isn't the throttle lever detented with a lock mechanism? I would have thought that the throttle would have been set aat a low idle detent with brakes applied before anyone got out of the control area of the engine.

I confess that about the only work I have ever done pertaining to railroad stuff was during high school on spring break. I worked with an independant contractor replacing ties and regraveling on a really long straight stretch of line in Oregon between Eugene and Portland.

Shooting at the train eh? Perhaps the COP watched too many old westerns.... ride em cowboy!

I know that the air pressure hold the brakes open so yes I would agree that an open line in the air system would have stopped the train and I guess a guy could shoot the rubber hoses.

Looked pretty wild on the news though.


[rail]Railgun....
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 9:18:47 AM EDT
[#9]
Originally Posted By uncle buck:
Hey! Who's drivin' that thang? Hells bells I thought you was a drivin' it. Well I reckoned you was a drivin' it. Wer'nt me. Wer'nt me neither.
Uh-oh.

Dumb ass cops? DUMB ASS RAILROADERS!
View Quote


Hey Andy, somethin' jest don't look quite right about dat der' train! Yer right, Barney, better get to shootin'!

Hey Buck, I'm by no means trying to excuse any failure on the part of the railroad employees. The facts have yet to be fully ascertained and a cause pinpointed. Sabotage has not been ruled out. Trust me, if the crew were indeed dumbasses about this, they will face much harsher punishment than cops are generally subjected to when they screw up. If you can't comprehend the stupidity of Barney Fife using his gun in an attempt to bring down or reign in thousands of tons of steel thundering along the rails, well, I guess the theory of "shoot first and ask questions later" is still alive and well in some law enforcement circles.[;)]
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 9:22:06 AM EDT
[#10]
What do you have to do to get a "ride along" in a train locomotive? I've been in love with trains (and planes) since I was a kid.

Wanna trade some gunwork? D.
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 9:24:37 AM EDT
[#11]
Yeah Boomer, everybody does somthing stupid at least once in their lives. It ended well and we can have a good laugh about it.
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 9:26:42 AM EDT
[#12]
My guess is that he probably was getting revenge for all the times that trains on that line have blocked roads for hours.  I've got to admit I was tempted to pop some .303 rounds into the freight cars when I lived along that line.
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 9:28:05 AM EDT
[#13]
I thought trains has switches on them and if the engineer didn't flip every minute or so it went into emergency.  What happend to those?
Link Posted: 5/16/2001 9:46:30 AM EDT
[#14]
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