--- In BRHSlist@y..., PSHedgpeth@a... wrote:
> Bill and list
>
> I have never been in engine service, and don't know all of the
rules
> pertaining thereto, but on some roads, perhaps all, the fireman on
a
> passenger train was required to be in the cab at all times when
the train
> was moving.....however he was also expected to check on the
engines from time
> to time, as well as to restart a balky engine which would be KGR
(kicking
> ground relay), shut down because of overheating etc. Another big
problem in
> the days of steam heated trains was the steam generator which had
a way of
> malfunctioning and would have to be "blown down" or restarted
manually. How
> about a fusee dropped in the top Wes Haas.
>
> The rules were fine for classes and disciplining errant
employees...but no
> fireman was going to let his train get cold and freeze up because
the steam
> generator shut down in zero weather, nor was a fireman not going
to go back
> and try to restart an engine which had died. This sometimes was
dangerous in
> and of itself.
pete and list,
looks like our list pete <grin> (stuck waiting on ups/fedx to
deliver parts for a new computer)
don't know if there were laws about a fireman staying in the cab
but from what i remember the fireman would leave the cab. when the
departing fireman got on the rear motor, (engineer got on lead unit)
meeting the arriving fireman at the rear motor to discuss any
problems with them on the inbound trip. the arrivng fireman would
get off, the outbound fireman would get on, leaving his grip on the
rear motor and start his inspections. engineer probably got his
highball and had widened out to #5 to start the E's and made his
running air test. fireman was working his way thru the motors, yes
marshall nose door to rear door while running. eventually completing
his inspections and getting to the lead unit. when arriving at the
final terminal he would start back, just about the time the engineer
made his initial reduction, checking the motors as he made his way
back to the rear unit to meet the outgoing fireman to brief him on
the engines this trip.(sounds like the rock should of tried this)
if there were troubles enroute the fireman would go back. remember a
trip of my dads on #30 he was mad about when he got in cause of the
dispatchers not answering the radio. they had an engine on fire, a
fire inside an E unit and the fireman, bill hampshire, coming back
and forth to report how he was doing, eventually ran out of
fire extingushers and dispatchers had still not answered the radio
after calling and calling over quite a period of time. the only one
who answered him was the conductor wanting to know what was going
on. they, engineer and conductor made their plans on what to do. dad
told me it was getting pretty bleak, between creston and chariton
engine on fire, fireman using last fire extingisher, dispatcher not
answering to have him call chariton fire brigade to meet them to
help put it out, or i guess should say to put it out.
but Q firemen went back if they had engine or boiler troubles out on
the road, i'm sure of that. dad would talk about a poor fireman
fighting the 99xx the whole trip. they had the alerters on the E's.
you had to touch metal every 20 or 30?? seconds.
maybe they weren't supposed to but they did.
warren
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