Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX adding “DP” decal.

Noticed CSX has added “DP” in a circle sticker to the nose. The area on all the units I saw today had been cleaned for the application of the decal so it was recent.

Of 5 trains I saw today in Berea, Oh only 3 units did not have the decal applied.

Guessing the DP stands for distributed power.

DP  Dead Power,  Dog Power,  Doesn't Power,   Doubtful Power,  Delayed Power,   Dillusional Power

Seriously,  Do they really make up a train and figure out that the engine 65 cars deep doesn't have DP?   Dumb Power

Huh ???????

How about it means that the engine with the DP decal can be used as a DPU

Tominde Wrote:
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> DP  Dead Power,  Dog Power,  Doesn't Power, 
>  Doubtful Power,  Delayed Power,   Dillusional
> Power
>
> Seriously,  Do they really make up a train and
> figure out that the engine 65 cars deep doesn't
> have DP?   Dumb Power

Less work for a guy in an office to assign ad lib and have the crew discover it after the next shift in the guy's office has started.

TAW

Believe me, it happens. A lot.

Posted from iPhone

Drknow Wrote:
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> Believe me, it happens. A lot.
>

I had an engineer  come to work at Pasco to find two B units. That's it. Two B units.Pasco roundhouse foreman and I finally hit the last straw (assigning power was Chief Dispatcher work by contract, which they repeatedly violated and warned about insubordination) and didn't argue. We put the engineer on the phone with diesel control and he was ordered to quit complaining and just take the assigned power. I busted the call, paid 50 miles, left him first out, told Overland PArk to bust the train- it wasn't running, recalled the train, and we got a new power assignment from the next shift in the Throne Room. Same crew (4 guys back then...cost a few bucks), new power, same train, half day pay richer.

(Fake sinister German accent) We have ways.

TAW

What large road units on CSX’s roster are not DP capable?

Of the three units that didn’t have a sticker was #17 (still in YN2 paint) leading I-008

The other two were 3000 series gevos which I’m assuming just have not gotten a sticker yet.

howeld Wrote:
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> What large road units on CSX’s roster are not DP
> capable?

I personally am not knowledgeable with this topic but I remember reading someone's message elsewhere who is.  Back in December he said "Most of the AH are going through software mods to make them all DP capable.  Was just 800’s, 900’s, and 3000’s.  Now, 5100’s and a lot in the 500’s are DP capable.".  Not sure if he was talking about the SD70AH's or the CW44AH's, or both.  No doubt others who are much more familiar with CSX's fleet would know.

To start, nothing with 26 air is DP capable. From there it’s a software issue, I think. Coming from a guy that longs for the days when SD40’s roamed the land. Best freight engine ever built, IMHO.

Correction welcome.

Regards.

Posted from iPhone

howeld Wrote:
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> What large road units on CSX’s roster are not DP
> capable?
>
I don't think any of the "light" non rebuilt AC4400s are.  I don't think the ES40DCs are either.  And of course, SD40 fleet is not as well. 

Typhoon Wrote:
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> >
> I don't think any of the "light" non rebuilt
> AC4400s are.  I don't think the ES40DCs are
> either.  And of course, SD40 fleet is not as
> well. 

This is why, despite the first response to the OP, these stickers are a good idea.  We are at a point where various units in certain classes have DP software added, and some do not.  The 500 and 5100 series CW44AHs are currently undergoing modification to add DP software.  The handful of rebuilt 4500-series SD70ACs have DP software added.  I have seen information that CSX will add it to the ES40DC fleet soon, as well.  So there are several fleets which have smatterings of units with DP software, and those without.  Sure is a lot easier to know while standing in the ballast rather than having to climb up into the cab and figure it out.

 

ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
-------------------------------
> This is why, despite the first response to the OP,
> these stickers are a good idea.  We are at a
> point where various units in certain classes have
> DP software added, and some do not.  The 500 and
> 5100 series CW44AHs are currently undergoing
> modification to add DP software.  The handful of
> rebuilt 4500-series SD70ACs have DP software
> added.  I have seen information that CSX will add
> it to the ES40DC fleet soon, as well.  So there
> are several fleets which have smatterings of units
> with DP software, and those without.  Sure is a
> lot easier to know while standing in the ballast
> rather than having to climb up into the cab and
> figure it out.
>
>  

Exactly! With no real external sign that something has DP capability, this is way easier than having to climb up on to figure it out. Always thought this would’ve been a good idea for CSX and NS to use on the units that were cab signal equipped as well. I’ve seen on more than one occasion a cab signal equipped leader added to something that didn’t need it because they thought the original leader didn’t have them. The railfan community takes stuff like this for granted, like how could they not know when we know, but the fact of the matter is a lot of employees probably don’t know, or care to know, what to look for as far as external equipment looks like for stuff like that. I remember hearing a story of an NS crew that once had one of the ex IT GP38-2’s in the consist and the ‘surprise’ they got when they found out it didn’t have dynamic brakes, and externally that’s a way easier thing to figure out than whether something is DP capable.

The first thing I saw them on was one of the new 70MAC repaints, but have since seen them added to a bunch of stuff. They’re not obnoxious, they fit well with the scheme, and most importantly they make a lot of sense in an era when most stuff doesn’t. Think of them as 21st century ‘Radio Equipped’ stickers.

Scooter

Posted from iPhone

I wonder if this was a result of the rebuilt units going into the 7000 series and causing confusion. Prior to those, the only dp equipped locos were 700 -999 series and 3000+ series locos along with the 8900 series. I find it ironic that I first noticed the stickers this morning and an hour later swap this thread. I thought the sticker was kind of ridiculous since most of the confusion and errors that were made were back when the first big push for distributed power was mandated. Literally years later, the stickers start appearing when everyone that needs to know, already knows what is equipped.

I wonder if this was a result of the rebuilt units going into the 7000 series and causing confusion. Prior to those, the only dp equipped locos were 700 -999 series and 3000+ series locos along with the 8900 series. I find it ironic that I first noticed the stickers this morning and an hour later swap this thread. I thought the sticker was kind of ridiculous since most of the confusion and errors that were made were back when the first big push for distributed power was mandated. Literally years later, the stickers start appearing when everyone that needs to know, already knows what is equipped.

Posted from iPhone

Drknow Wrote:
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> To start, nothing with 26 air is DP capable. From
> there it’s a software issue, I think. Coming
> from a guy that longs for the days when SD40’s
> roamed the land. Best freight engine ever built,
> IMHO.
>
> Correction welcome.
>
>

No correction needed. SD40’s were the best. Took them for granted. Wish I could run them again.

“It’s all crap now.”

As a non-railroader looking in, these stickers seem to make a lot of sense to me. Whether they're later than they should be and most everyone already knows which units are distributed-power-ready and which are not, it's a convenient aid to assuring that you have a good consist.

Years ago when I drove for Greyhound, selection of the proper bus for the schedule it was going to be on was surprisingly important. Not for seating capacity: almost all were 43 seats, and the "shorties" and rear-freight-section "combos" that weren't regular capacity were obvious enough. Nor for other equipment or passenger service reasons. But for operational territory reasons relative to licensing and diesel fuel proration permits. All of the very complex legal details have long faded from memory. But I do recall that it was very important that certain coaches operated only in certain territories and routes.

By the time I drove, operations were basically Eastern, Western and Southern. At "border" terminals between territories, like Chicago, St. Louis and Memphis, coaches from any of those territories that also were technically ownership subsidiaries, could come into the terminal. I worked into Chicago regularly, a very busy place at the time. When I'd get my call at the company dorm (which was also a huge garage and maintenance facility), and after getting ready, I'd call the dispatcher on a direct phone. He'd often say something like, "Bring me an Eastern car", which meant to go out to the long ready-line (up to 50 or so buses), find an Eastern Greyhound Lines coach,  and drive it over to the terminal.

That's when the fun began, and when an ID sticker like those "DP" stickers would have been worth its weight in gold.

Make a selection by parking area or place? Nope. Buses were constantly moving in and out, and there was neither the room for grouped parking, nor was it operationally feasible (it had been tried, and failed, several times). Make a selection by license plate? Nope. Greyhound licensed most buses for Eastern and Southern (and even some Western coaches) in Mississippi for tax reasons. Choose one by type or number? Nope. Number series were assigned by coach types, but also divided up into groupings for each territory -- and remembering the breakdowns was near impossible (though there were guys who claimed they could do it). Some other fleet designation? Nope.

So how to know? You had to unlock the door, climb up onto the coach, and pull out the licensing and fuel proration certificate pouch from a cubby up in the baggage rack. And then look at the subsidiary ownership information on the fuel permit card. Sometimes you'd get lucky on the first or second try. Other times, you'd go through 5 or 6 or more coaches thinking they were "Eastern cars", but they were Western Greyhound Lines ownership and fuel permits. Not only was this a hassle, but it took time. The dispatcher expected you to do this quickly, and get that coach over to the terminal. He wasn't happy if you didn't.

We drivers would have just about killed to have a simple sticker like those "DP" stickers applied to rear of the coaches as we walked down the line where the coaches were parked head-in. A simple: E, W, or S. That's all that would be needed. The time savings would have really added up, as well as avoiding the occasional error (yes, they happened). And a lot less hassle for us drivers as we started our trip. The suggestion had even been made to the company by the union, and my understanding was that it was getting favorable consideration. I remember it even being discussed at my local's meeting. But other events intervened, and my time with the company ended. And not long after that things really started to change overall. I have no idea if the suggestion was ever implemented.

I'm just a dumb railfan who has worked in another transportation industry. To some here on TO, I therefore have no standing to even be making this comment. And yes I know that an ownership sticker on a bus is a whole different thing than one indicating a functional capability on a locomotive. But I can also say from another perspective that sometimes a simple visual aid like those stickers can really help you to do your job more easily, efficiently and accurately. Hopefully that counts for something. Either with buses or locomotives.

MC

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/22 21:24 by ironmtn.

Off-pending Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Drknow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > To start, nothing with 26 air is DP capable.
> From
> > there it’s a software issue, I think. Coming
> > from a guy that longs for the days when
> SD40’s
> > roamed the land. Best freight engine ever
> built,
> > IMHO.
> >
> > Correction welcome.
> >
> >
>
> No correction needed. SD40’s were the best. Took
> them for granted. Wish I could run them again.
>
> “It’s all crap now.”

Ditto and amen.

Regards.

Posted from iPhone