Hello all,
Been an avid follower here for a while, always looking for information. Today I had a chance to watch Standale lumber swap out a few cars. While watching, I noticed something I've never seen before. As they pulled the empty centerbeam away from the spur, the wheels were not turning. The air hose was coupled, but I'm assuming the wheel brake was still on. My question is how long is too long pushing and pulling on a car with it's handbrakes set before you get flatspots on the wheels? Although I'm sure it NEVER happens that a car is put in the consist and dragged back the yard that way too Anyways, thanks for the feedback in advance!
BNSD402 wrote:Hello all,
Been an avid follower here for a while, always looking for information. Today I had a chance to watch Standale lumber swap out a few cars. While watching, I noticed something I've never seen before. As they pulled the empty centerbeam away from the spur, the wheels were not turning. The air hose was coupled, but I'm assuming the wheel brake was still on. My question is how long is too long pushing and pulling on a car with it's handbrakes set before you get flatspots on the wheels? Although I'm sure it NEVER happens that a car is put in the consist and dragged back the yard that way too Anyways, thanks for the feedback in advance!
A small flat spot can happen in as little as a couple hundred feet.
"Back a car to tie 2667......good joint..drag ahead 5"
Some roads now, have a rule that you can't even move a car with out air on the car...Its a good thing they don't have any hump, or big yards nothing would get done.
I watched CSX pick up 2 MIGN GPs from the C&M/GRE one night years ago with the hand brakes set. The wheels were sparking before they got to Alpine Ave. Dragged them all the way to Wyoming Yard. I heard that the CSX machinist's spent quite a bit of time with a hand grinder getting them acceptable to move to Ohio.
Better is when the V.P. of Operations is the conductor and the V.P. of Safety is the engineer. The conductor did the right thing and tied down the car left on the main line while they set out the other car. He just forgot to release the hand brake after making the joint and tying the air hose.
Shockingly there was loud screeching when the engineer notched out. Shall we say that the conductor did not enjoy the trip home that evening.
Brake either "ON" or "OFF" nothing in between when moving cars. Damaged rail wheels are a big expense on the railroads. That is why there are rules on most railroads about moving rail cars with the brakes released/off. Which brings up another point. All the new guys that they are hiring these days want to put a hand brake on every car they put into a track , but some how never seem to remove any before putting cars on top of the ones with brakes on them already ! I spend 6 hours a day removing hand brakes.
I can recall getting the cars together for either a drag or a freight pickup. "CHECK THE HANDBRAKES" was the standard practice. At some yards a aBrake might have to put on the first car set into an empty track if there was a grade there.
Anyways, thanks for the feedback in advance!
