"Bottling the Air"

[NW Mailing List]

Bruce

Your reproduction of these rules reminds me of an interesting feature of dispatching coal trains east out of Bluefield that I has been related to me at some time in the past.  In order to make the initial terminal air brake test, which involves applying and releasing the brakes while the train is sitting on the side of the mountain (about a 1.6% downgrade), the prescribed number of handbrakes is set on the cars and the engine brake is applied.  After the brake test is completed the prescribed 12 psi (aka pounds) reduction (about half of a full service application from a 80 psi brake pipe) is made to hold the train while the handbrakes are released.  I have been told that if this holding brake were released the train might build up too much speed before the dynamic brakes would become effective, or before the train could be recharged with air for another application, so the procedure was to release only the engine brakes.  If the train did not start moving when the engine brakes were released, power would be applied to start the train moving while the holding brake was still applied.

Can anyone confirm this rather unique situation of starting a train underway while there was a fairly heavy brake application on the train?

Gordon Hamilton


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: NW Mailing List 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 6:11 PM
  Subject: Re: "Bottling the Air"


  I dug into my archives last night and found an old timetable and slapped a couple of pages on the scanner to add to the discussion.
  To wit:


  Norfolk and Western Railway Company
  Radford Division Timetable No. 1
  Effective Sunday, March 1, 1981


  The first part of Rule 304 seems to indicate that I'm not losing my mind in my old age, but that there at least in 1981 was ground air at the east end of Bluefield Yard:


  "304. Special Road Train Air Brake Test and Instructions Applicable to Eastward Heavily Loaded Trains Dispatched from Eastbound Forwarding Yard.


  When train has been pre-charged and pre-tested, inspectors shall inform enginemen that the test has been made and the amount of brake pipe leakage noted.


  When train is not pre-charged and pre-tested from ground air supply, enginemen shall perform all requirements of rules pertaining to Initial Terminal Road Train Air Brake Tests, and after completion will follow all instructions of Part No. 1 or Part No. 2, whichever is applicable to the operation."


  It still doesn't answer all the questions about just how this all worked, but at least it documents that the process of readying a train for departure by using a stationary yard compressor was a practice and may still be a practice. Here is the whole section from the timetable on the yard and what it took to get a train moving east onto the Radford Division, now the NS New River Division.


  Bruce in Blacksburg


  -----------------------------------


  BLUEFIELD YARD 


  300. The assigned direction of traffic on the Radford Division pull-in track is westward. Trains receiving written instructions over signature of the Asst. Superintendent Terminals to make an eastward movement on this track may do so without their own flag protection. Yardmasters and others receiving such instructions by telephone must repeat them to the person issuing, and will then deliver one copy each to Conductor and Engineman, preserving a copy. ln case of accident, party receiving instructions over telephone will be held responsible, unless he holds copy of written instructions. 


  301. The overhead bridges across Bluefield Yard will not clear a man standing on top of cars. Trainmen and others riding on cars must keep a sharp lookout for these bridges when moving through Bluefield Yard. 


  302(a). Westward Radford Division trains will not pass engine service house without a proceed hand signal or instructions to proceed from the switchtender on duty at Mercer Street, Bluefield. Radford Division trains yarded in Grant Street Yard will not foul ladder at west end of this yard without a proceed hand signal or instructions to proceed from the switchtender on duty at Mercer Street. When instructions are given by radio, positive identification must be made. During the hours of darkness, the switchtender must use a green light to give a proceed hand signal. 


  (b) Speed is restricted to 10 miles per hour through crossover between Radford Division pull-in and westward main track at Mercer Street. 


  (c) Radford Division trains yarded in Allen Street Yard will not foul the ladder at the west end of this yard without a signal from set-over brakeman. 


  (d) All tracks in westbound forwarding yard are equipped with derails at west end of tracks. 


  303. HAND BRAKES TO BE APPLIED


  The following is the minimum number of hand brakes which must be applied at the east end of cuts of cars or trains standing unattended:
  Tracks in Eastbound   +100 cars or
  Forwarding Yard            more             -35
        and                      + less than      -Hand brakes applied
  Main Track east of        100 cars         on one-third of the cars
  East Yard Office 


  +EXCEPTION: Cuts of grain of 100 cars or more must have 45 hand brakes applied. Cuts of less than 100 cars must have hand brakes applied on one-half the cars. 


  Tracks in Grant Street      100 cars or 
  Yard and                          more           -25 
  Main Track west of           Less than    -Hand brakes applied
  East Yard Office              100 cars       on one-fourth of the cars


  Cuts of cars or trains standing unattended in Allen Street Yard or in the Westbound Forwarding Yard must have at least the following number of hand brakes applied at the west end: 


  Tracks in Allen Street      100 cars or      -Empties-15
  Yard and                         more                Loads or loads and
                                                               empties-20
  Main Tracks at Allen        Less than       -Empties-One-sixth of the
  Street Yard                     100 cars cars  -Loads or loads and empties
                                                               -One-fifth of the cars


  Tracks in Westbound       100 cars or     -Empties-20
  Forwarding Yard               more             -Loads or loads and
       and                                                  empties-25
  Main Tracks at West-       Less than      -Empties-One-fifth of the
  bound Forwarding            100 cars          cars
  Yard                                                    -Loads or loads and
                                                              empties-One-fourth of the cars


  Applicable to all tracks in Bluefield Yard


  Whenever a portion of the cars are removed from a track, it must be determined that the required number of hand brakes are applied on the cars left in the track. This may be determined from the Yardmaster on duty.


  When the engine is to be detached from equipment to be left standing unattended, the required number of hand brakes must be applied before:
  The engine is cut off; or
  The air brakes are released from the engine.


  304. Special Road Train Air Brake Test and Instructions Applicable to Eastward Heavily Loaded Trains Dispatched from Eastbound Forwarding Yard.


  When train has been pre-charged and pre-tested, inspectors shall inform enginemen that the test has been made and the amount of brake pipe leakage noted.


  When train is not pre-charged and pre-tested from ground air supply, enginemen shall perform all requirements of rules pertaining to Initial Terminal Road Train Air Brake Tests, and after completion will follow all instructions of Part No. 1 or Part No. 2, whichever is applicable to the operation.


  If road locomotive clears yard track derail after coupling to pick-up or main train, derail will be restored to derailing position until pick-up or train is ready to move east.


  If road locomotive does ot[sic] clear yard track derail, Dispatcher will keep No. 17 derail in derailing position until train is ready to depart.


  Part No. 1


  WHEN TRAIN IS ON ONE TRACK


  Item One:
  35 anchor hand brakes will be applied at the east end of the train when train is being assembled.


  Item Two:
  After road locomotive is coupled to train, rear trainmen will commence to release all hand brakes, other than the 35 anchor brakes. If train consists of more than 200 cars, rear trainmen will leave hand brakes set on eight cars on rear of train. 


  Item Three:
  When brake pipe pressure supply from road locomotive releases air brakes on train and after proper signal is given, enginemen will make a full service brake pipe reduction with automatic brake valve. When it is noted that the full service reduction applies air brake on the rear car, release signal will be given to the enginemen by the inspector. 


  Item Four: 
  After release signal is given and air brake has released on rear car, rear end inspector will note brake pipe pressure on the caboose gauge. When caboose gauge pressure rises to 55 pounds and remains 55 or higher for a period of seven minutes by watch, inspector will signal enginemen to apply holding brake. A holding brake is a service brake pipe reduction of 12 pounds. 


  Permission will be obtained from the dispatcher for train to depart, and when route is lined, holding brake will be applied. After the route is lined and holding brake applied, head brakeman will release hand brakes on the head end of train and rear brakeman will release hand brakes on rear of train. When all of the anchor brakes are released, train may depart.  


  Item Five:
  If the train starts to roll out prematurely, enginemen will make a brake pipe reduction necessary to stop the roll-out. Yardmaster must be notified of the train's premature roll-out, and he will in turn notify all concerned. 


  After sufficient anchor hand brakes are re-applied, rear end inspector shall be notified and all concerned will commence again with instructions of Item Four, Part No. 1. 


  Any cases of roll-out must be reported to the Radford and Pocahontas Division Superintendents and to the Master Mechanic at Bluefield.  


  Part No. 2 


  WHEN TRAIN IS ON MORE THAN ONE TRACK 


  Item One:
  35 anchor hand brakes will be applied at the east end of the main train when the train is being assembled. 


  Item Two: 
  Required number of anchor hand brakes will be applied at the east end of the pick-up when pick-up is being assembled. 


  Item Three: 
  After road locomotive is coupled to pick-up and brake pipe pressure supply air from road locomotive releases air brake on the rear car of the pick-up, and when proper signal is given, enginemen will make a full service reduction with automatic brake valve. 


  When it is known that the full service reduction applies air brake on the rear car of the pick-up, inspector will signal the enginemen to release air brakes. After the air brake has released on rear car, inspector will wait seven minutes and then signal enginemen to apply holding brake. For a pick-up, a holding brake is a reduction of six pounds. After holding brake is applied, permission will be obtained from the Christiansburg District Dispatcher to double over. After permission to double over is obtained, hand brakes will be released and the double over movement to the main train made. 


  After coupling to main train, instructions given in Items Two, Three, Four and Five of Part No. 1 will apply.  


  305. The procedure as outlined in the proceeding rule will also apply for eastward heavily loaded trains dispatched from Grant Street Yard, with the following exceptions:


  The number of anchor hand brakes required for the main train and for the pick-up will be in accordance with Rule 303 in this timetable.


  The holding brake may be applied and the anchor brakes released before the route at the east end of Bluefield Yard is lined for the train to depart, if the locomotive of the train is at least 75 car lengths west of the east end of the yard.  


  306. Eastward two-position advance indicators are in service at east end of tangent track west of Mile Post N-361 East Bluefield Forwarding Yard. These indicators are installed on right side of track for which they give indication. Aspects displayed by these indicators are as follows:  


  Aspect-Lunar White. 
  Indication-When track ahead is unoccupied, derails and switches in the route are properly aligned and the eastward signal governing movement through the interlocking at east end of Bluefield Yard is displaying a proceed indication.  


  Aspect-Yellow-Proceed at Restricted Speed. 
  Indication-Track ahead may be occupied and/or derails, switches and interlocking signal are not properly aligned.  


  The absence of a light on these advance indicators will have the same meaning as if a yellow light were displayed.  





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