Western Railroad Discussion > End of Train Device Question

Hi all,

Do ETDs used in the United States contain a video camera for monitoring of a train by the crew?

Posted from Android

No.

Posted from Android

The next generation of EOT devices will, as well as being more integrated with PTC to for it to better know where the end of the train is.

Don't know what good a camera would do, especially for PTC. A GPS receiver to provide an accurate location and speed data would be of more use to PTC.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't know what good a camera would do, especially
> for PTC. A GPS receiver to provide an accurate
> location and speed data would be of more use to
> PTC.

It would do great for shoving moves.

In territory with many curves one duty of employees in a caboose was to examine the track behind the caboose.
They would look for any signs of a derailed wheel or dragging equipment.
I don't think the video resolution or the diversion from attention looking forward would make this an option now.

A shoving move with the EOT in place? How about just any reverse move?

Out 

On some railroads, with permission from the dispatcher, reverse moves between specified points are allowed without anyone being on the rear.  

If you have block authority on CTC controlled track the DS can give you permission for a reverse move, many of
those in this day and age are to back up to pick up your conductor.

Out 

callum_out Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A shoving move with the EOT in place? How about
> just any reverse move?
>
> Out 

Many shoving moves are not reverse moves, but yes, I would include reverse moves as well.

Thank you for the reminder.

         The possiblility of a camera in the EOTD is NOT for the use of the engineer or conductor, it is for the computor operator in the future who is going to be running the train from a 1000 miles away.

The one rule I avoid using whenever possible is 6.6. We hit stuff all the time moving forward even with headlights, ditch lights, and horns to warn everyone. Back-up movements are silent and stealth. Whoever came up with 6.6 never set foot on the ballast. Hate it. 

trainjunkie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The one rule I avoid using whenever possible is
> 6.6. We hit stuff all the time moving forward even
> with headlights, ditch lights, and horns to warn
> everyone. Back-up movements are silent and
> stealth. Whoever came up with 6.6 never set foot
> on the ballast. Hate it. 

They'll probably have to kill a couple of people before they do something about the rule.

You still have to know train is complete/integral. GPS on ETD with PTC will not solve all.

Posted from iPhone

trainjunkie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The one rule I avoid using whenever possible is
> 6.6. We hit stuff all the time moving forward even
> with headlights, ditch lights, and horns to warn
> everyone. Back-up movements are silent and
> stealth. Whoever came up with 6.6 never set foot
> on the ballast. Hate it. 

...getting to a point I made in another thread - it's against the rules and you'll be canned for violating until they find out the rule costs them money. Then it's fine, not a problem. All the history of being unsafe is erased. Maybe when they change a rule for profit and convenience like that, anyone who did time for doing what used to be unsafe and now isn't should get back pay for the time they were off doing penance.

I got into a big fight with a trainmaster over leaving main line switches wrong when cabooses were taken off. The only way for a train to and from the BN Sumas branch to line back was to leave the junction and go for miles beyond the crossings to a place they were off the crossings but accessible to a taxi. It's a small town with (at the time) a taxi. It was an expensive and time-consuming trip. The trainmaster instructed the dispatchers to tell the crew to leave the switch wrong. Everyone complied except (can you guess?)...
me.


I was working third trick and apparently he was up waiting for me to tell 144 to leave his man and wait at Thornwood. The phone rang instantly. The trainmaster told me to tell them to leave the switch and go on to Sumas. I told him no. After a few cycles of this, he was screaming and threatening to have me fired for insubordination. I pointed out that I don't work for him...try something else. He told me he had authority to supersede the rules, so do as I was told or he would have me fired for insubordination. I told him that I just looked in my book and the name written on the first page wasn't his...and the officer appeared to be higher than a trainmaster. He started screaming. I hung up. It took a couple of weeks for a new rule to come out, allowing main line switches to be left wrong.

TAW

So where are we going to watch the camera images at?

 

Not sure where that rumor came from, but no.

Also there is confusion on what is going on when a train is moving in its opposite direction.

Shoving, reverse moves, back up moves are all different and so are it’s requirements and purposes.

The current generation EOTs that hit the market in the last 2-3 years have cell modems, GPS and other electronics.

A few years back there was all sorts of butt hurt by some railroads on the charges incurred when other railroads “stole” EOT’s form others.

Now they can be tracked and billed more accurately similar to locomotives off property accumulating billable hours.

TAW or another member years back did a nice right up (and I think one in TRAINS) on how railroads then and now charge for their equipment when it goes to another road.

57A26 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So where are we going to watch the camera images
> at?
>
>  

Not saying backing up on camera vision is the 'big leap forward' in railroading (I always see myself at the Grand Canyon when I hear this...), but in parts of Europe an engineer is more and more working as an operator of a movable plant with all those screens, so pick one...

---

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>          The possiblility of a camera in the
> EOTD is NOT for the use of the engineer or
> conductor, it is for the computor operator in the
> future who is going to be running the train from a
> 1000 miles away.

And to count the over-the-road trucks on adjoining highways that are competing.  😂

It seems the highways are getting more loaded by the day with these 18-wheelers that provide door-to-door service that the railroads used to care for.  
What I want to know is, will the new electric trucks running on a 600+ mile charge be able to tackle the mountain grades at that milage charge rate? 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/20 22:00 by rrman6.

@TAW: On the SP Coast, switches are left reversed all the time, and protected with a Warrant [and ABS also]. Check Box 12 on UP's TWC form.