Nostalgia & History > How to "Drop" a Train.

A recent thread discussed and showed a picture of a pushing helper dropping off after shoving a train up a heavy grade:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4945697

There were several alternatives in method for using helpers, of varying consistency in interpretation of safety and rules compliance.

First decision is whether the helper will be assisting from the rear as shown, or coupled to the front.  If there is a siding or spur at the top where a helper could duck in and let the train pass, the helper may be at the front.  A pusher could return more quickly since he didn't have to wait for the train to pass before returning.  It was usually felt that a train with a rear pusher could move a few more cars than if at the front.

If the move is entirely within yard limits no authority, such as a train order, need be issued to the pusher.  Outside yard limits something else would have to give him authority.  If the train he's assisting is on the timetable his train order might read simply "ENG 1234 RUN EXTRA EAST BAKER TO ABLE", since the timetable already requires him to stay out of the way of the train.  If the train he's assisting is an extra he might get order "AFTER EXTRA 55 HAS ARRIVED AT BAKER ENG 1234 RUN EXTRA BAKER TO ABLE".  A really sneaky trick would be for the helper engine to leave a red light on the main track at the Able yard limit to serve as a marker for the train.  No other train could follow until Eng 1234 returned to Able and removed the marker, and no train order would be needed.  Some signal systems could also offer protection for the reverse move.

The move could be made with or without the air cut in.  With the air cut in the pusher engineer could better read what the road engineer needed.  Communication.  Without it the helper engineer had to guess what the road engine needed.  With the air cut in and he felt the train slowing a check of his air gauge (the air gauge still functions even with the brake cut out) to determine if this is a stall and he should add more power if he can, or if the road engine is actually needing to slow or stop.

But, with the air cut in some method of shutting the angle cocks needs to planned.  The road engine could stop the movement and the rear brakeman or the pusher fireman could turn the angle cocks and make the cut - but that sorta defeats the reason for adding the pusher in the first place.  Sooooo---

Case 1:  Don't couple the air hoses.  Then at the top cut off the helper on the fly.  Though not seen in the original picture linked post, most older cabooses had top operated coupler mechanisms with a chain from the lift pin to the handrail on the back of the caboose so the rear brakeman could make the cut on the fly.  Without that chain, the pushers fireman could go to the front of his engine and pull his pin, as seen in the original post.

Case 2:  Couple the air hoses and open both angle cocks, but leave the caboose angle cock not quite fully open - that is, do not open it enough to allow the angle cocks handle to drop into the latched position.  Then, when ready to separate, the rear brakeman seats himself on the rear platform and closes the caboose angle cock with his heel.  He then stands up and pulls the pin on his caboose with the chain.  When separated, the pusher engine is allowed to dynamite, but the pusher engineer can supress that with his independent brake to prevent sliding his wheels.  Some cabooses had an extension rod attached to the angle cock so a cutoff could be made without having to sit on the end sill.

With the helper on the front, you'd think a stop would be required to cut off the helper.  But, Not So!

Every day an 80 to 100 car Milwaukee Road train headed by triple headed 2-8-2's stopped at the west end of the St. Paul Union Depot awaiting clearance.  When they whistled off all three engineers would put the throttle in his lap, because in only 2000 feet the engines would start climbing the "Short Line", pictured below (it was double track then).  The air was not cut in on the first locomotive.  The worst part of the grade was about 4 miles, then eased off a bit.  When it eased off the first locomotive's fireman would climb over the tender and down the back ladder.  He'd pull the pin on the fly and the engineer would speed up to get ahead of the train.  Another mile ahead and he'd stop just over the switch to an industrial park called Macalester.  Line the switch, back in, realign the switch and let the two engines and train pass, then return to the main and back down the grade back to St. Paul Yard.

I know of two other places on the Milwaukee where similar operations were made.  I'm sure there were more across the country.

-LD

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BTW.  Note that the Q caboose 13535 has a cushion underframe, thus the angle cock is almost 4 feet from the end sill.  Not even my long legs could reach to kick that angle cock closed!  DO NOT get the "bright idea" to step out onto the sliding center sill extension to better reach the angle cock!!!  BAD idea!

-LD

On the B&O we would couple the air hoses between the caboose and the helper, leaving the angle cocks open. The brakes on the helper were controlled like any other car on the train. When it was time to cut off the helper we would use the T handle attached to the caboose angle cock to close it, pull the chain attached to the uncoupling lever of the caboose to open the rear knuckle, signal the helper to slow down, helper would slow causing the helper to seperate. The brakes on the helper would go into emergency stopping the helper. The train would continue without stopping.

C. Rogers, B&O Conductor, retired.

The Rio Grande's steel cabooses had the handle for the angle cock up on the railing of the platform and a chain going the the cut lever for the coupler.
The brakeman could close the angle cock and uncouple all from the safety of the rear platform of the caboose.

I can't believe how many air brake and train handling rules violations are touted in this post. Some are just dangerous.

The brake pipe of the helpers is required to be cut in with all angle cocks open. The feed valves on the helper locomotives must always be cut out so the helpers are not adding air to the train line.

As long as the helpers are part of the train they do not need a separate train order. Once they are cut out of the train a specific train order must be issued to get them back to the home terminal unless they cut into another train.

fbe Wrote:
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> I can't believe how many air brake and train
> handling rules violations are touted in this post.
> Some are just dangerous.
>

I agree. That's the way it was.