It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 6:13 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Calling out Diane Katz of the Heritage Foundation
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 10:21 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:05 pm
Posts: 1053
Location: MA
I read your article on Red tape http://blog.heritage.org/2011/06/07/tal ... egulation/ and found your opening statement amusing "Most folks would reasonably think that a railroad engineer or conductor would be able to distinguish the front of a train from the back of it." I only have one question. What end is the front of this locomotive? I have edited out the "F" because, after all it is redundant.

Note: Photo Ⓒ Kevin the Krazy 1


Attachments:
F_ront2.jpg
F_ront2.jpg [ 84.95 KiB | Viewed 5364 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Calling out Diane Katz of the Heritage Foundation
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 10:42 pm 

Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 6:45 pm
Posts: 258
What about an EMD F or E b-unit? Alco PB or FB? I believe the rule dates to the timeframe of the early roadswitchers, when you didn't necessarily know which way was forward on a particular locomotive. Dual control stands didn't help. Heck, Norfolk Southern has SD60s with dual controls that are low short hood, but still have the long hood designated as the front. Its not a good idea to have to guess which way you will go if you put the reverser in forward.

Actually, the GE above may be easy to determine forward, I think it only has one set of controls, however some have two, as I recall.

_________________
Restoring MILW X-5000: The Milwaukee Road's Dynamometer car

Restoration website


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Calling out Diane Katz of the Heritage Foundation
PostPosted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:53 am 

Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:41 am
Posts: 3911
Location: Inwood, W.Va.
Bulby wrote:
What about an EMD F or E b-unit? Alco PB or FB? I believe the rule dates to the timeframe of the early roadswitchers, when you didn't necessarily know which way was forward on a particular locomotive.


Actually, I think it goes back a good deal further, to the era of box cab electrics and the diesel electrics of Ingersoll-Rand:

http://www.protocraft.com/images/193.jpg

http://content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-b ... DMROTATE=0

What would those "libertarian" or "conservative" types say about this Alco unit? It has ends designated 1 and 2, and sides labelled A and B, in addition to the F above the 1 on the No. 1 end:

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/nyc1550.jpg

What about this long-lived classic?

http://www.trainweb.org/railpix/miscpix ... -10-98.jpg

They aren't too common, but it's not like double-ended locomotives have completely disappeared:

http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/21/46/76/46 ... 28x471.jpg

http://www.hebners.net/amtrak/amtAEM7_9 ... t900bL.jpg

http://www.trainweb.org/chris/photos/iowatr31.JPG

Then there are light rail cars and streetcars that are double-ended, too.

I think the idea that railroad equipment is bidirectional and in some cases double-ended is alien to people who are satisfied with flying and driving and who have no knowledge of railroading and no desire to acquire any knowledge, either.

It wouldn't surprise me if some characters would use this sort of thing to argue that railroads are out of date!


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Calling out Diane Katz of the Heritage Foundation
PostPosted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:46 am 

Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 6:45 pm
Posts: 258
You're probably right J3a, I was just looking at the "why" of the rule, and forgot about those early boxcabs. However, I would still say the focus of the rule was single cab engines. As something I mentioned earlier, Norfolk Southern has SD60s with dual control stands (former SOU) with the long hood being "forward". If you put one of the former southern units next to, say, a SOO SD60 and put them both in forward, one will go the way you expect; the other will not. (Unless you pay attention to the conveniently placed "f'

J3a-614 wrote:
I think the idea that railroad equipment is bidirectional and in some cases double-ended is alien to people who are satisfied with flying and driving and who have no knowledge of railroading and no desire to acquire any knowledge, either.


Well than why don't they leave us alone and let the railroads police themselves? The AAR does more for safe operations than Congress ever has.

_________________
Restoring MILW X-5000: The Milwaukee Road's Dynamometer car

Restoration website


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Calling out Diane Katz of the Heritage Foundation
PostPosted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:01 pm 

Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:26 am
Posts: 26
J3a-614 wrote:
Bulby wrote:

<Snip>.......What about this long-lived classic?

http://www.trainweb.org/railpix/miscpix/prr4800-fullside2-8-10-98.jpg
<Snip>




That's easy. Just look for the train heat boiler exhaust. Oh, wait......"Rivets" had her boiler pulled circa 1960 and was made a freight-only unit.

Never Mind. - E. Litella

PS: I quit reading the Passenger Train forum on Trainorders because of all the conservative-libertarian-Republican bashing that goes on there.

Can we refrain from that sort of thing here?


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Calling out Diane Katz of the Heritage Foundation
PostPosted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:56 pm 

Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:29 pm
Posts: 1899
Location: Youngstown, OH
This could be picking nits but she referenced a "train" not a "locomotive" and except for push pull operations its rather easy to distinguish the front from the rear.

_________________
From the desk of Rick Rowlands
inside Conrail caboose 21747


Offline
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


 Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: