Switcher Saturday! 1-9-21

@jhz563 posted:

Omg, in the space of a few years I had a Winnebago pull out in front my train one time, and another time was coming uphill into a grade crossing with the safeties popping off and the whistle screaming and at the last second a car ran in front of me so close the rear corner of the auto had to have been in the space between the front of the coupler and the pilot beam. ( The car came from the opposite side of the cab.  The fireman and brakeman riding along had called all clear.  As I was getting into the crossing the guys started shouting.  Since I had one hand the whistle,  the other killed the throttle.  By the time I got my hand to the brake to try to slow down it was pretty much over as the car had emerged across the front of the engine and was exiting the crossing.   And I was not not slow with my hands!  I ended up barely touching the brakes and rolling through the crossing.   The passengers never knew how close it was.)

When backing up we had a conductor on the rear with a full size rr headlight,  air horn and an emergency brake.  As we got close to a crossing at night one time I remember hearing " four cars to crossings,  crossing clear all right back.", Soon the horn would start sounding and in between the first and second blast I heard " Two cars to crossing,  crossing clear,  alright back."  The horn would continue and the I heard the same thing for 1 car to crossing, and 1/2 car.

The last horn was longer than usual.

The next radio transmission I heard was " That guy had brown hair, brown eyes,  and an earring."  Apparently the car dashed in front as we were entering the crossing,  too fast for the conductor to dump the air anyway.

Unbelievably, I never actually had an accident.   There are some things I don't miss.

You had a significant responsibility with passengers and all.

On occasion, we would relieve road crews with a 100+ car coal drag with multiple engines, usually SD40 lead units, en route to the Presque Isle or Lakefront docks to unload.  At speed, it would take quite a distance to stop something like that if need be!!  😬

Yeah I never had more than 4 or 5 loaded passenger cars with the itty bitty Porter steam locomotive we used.  I had a little experience with diesel mu service but not much. The most cars I ever moved was 16. Although the cars were loaded tankers.  Being told about tank car sloshing when I was training was one thing, feeling it push me around was something else!

I digress from switchers, but there's a Virtual Railfan video up on their youtube channel from  LaGrange Ky., of a delivery driver hopping onto a moving flatcar of a manifest freight to get back across the tracks to his truck. How would one explain that in an accident report.

I'd post it her but it would be a TOS violation. Go search for it if interested.

@RSJB18 posted:

I digress from switchers, but there's a Virtual Railfan video up on their youtube channel from Ashland Va., of a delivery driver hopping onto a moving flatcar of a manifest freight to get back across the tracks to his truck. How would one explain that in an accident report.

I'd post it her but it would be a TOS violation. Go search for it if interested.

You can always post a link

@jhz563 posted:

You can always post a link

It was La Grange Ky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi9EguGS6cM