There were and I believe still are both "smart" &
"Dumb" FRED's. Depending on radio abilities, "smart"
FRED's transmit info from rear to front of train (some
are both ways,"smarter" FRED, and can be used to dump
air, ie. set brakes from rear.). "Dumb" FRED is only a
flashing light. They all seem to flash day or night
(if the batteries are charged). Most in use today are
"smart" or "smarter" type. AMTRAK (my ex.
employer(retired) uses the "smarter" version which has
a log in number code for each FRED that is dialed into
a transmiter/receiver in the loco. FRED was the name
of the inventor, but other words have been used to
designate the letters "F-R-E-D". The "F" seems to
have another 4-letter word meaning. Plus "Rear End
Device". Years age I know of a bunch of them being
sent out line, that had been turned on(flashing)
enroute so the battery was dead on each one. Railroad
could not replace caboose with a non working FRED,
Therefor the caboose had to be used all trains til the
battery was recharged. Quite a sight all those things
flaching away. CY
--- Karl L Rethwisch <qrailoadman@yahoo.com> wrote:
> --- In CBQ@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph W. Brown, Jr."
> <cbq682@...> wrote:
> >
> > My best friend is a conductor on the BNSF here.
> He told me that
> FRED stands for Front to Rear End Device. They only
> flash in the
> dark. The light on the unit is off when it is
> daylight. The unit
> communicates with the front end of the train.
> >
> > R.W. Brown, Jr.
> > Galesburg, IL
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
> >
> F.R.E.D. Flashing Rear End Divice.
>
> As originally designed, FRED was a "One -Way"
> critter in that "he"
> only reported trainline air pressure and movement.
> This was
> important information but failed to provide the
> occasionally needed
> emergency response form the rear of train.
>
> It dosen't happen often but upon separation of a
> train an air hose
> CAN become entangled in equipment located on the end
> of a car in
> such a manner as to prevent the propogation of an
> emergency
> application of the brakes on a portion of the train.
> If that
> portion happens to be the rear of the train
> interesting and costly
> events may occur.
>
> For quite some time FREDS have had the ability to
> RECEIVE as well as
> send radio commands allowing the Engineer to
> initiate an emergency
> application of brakes from the rear of the train.
> This feature has
> been included in specified air brake tests to assure
> that FRONT-TO-
> REAR communication exists.
>
> It's nice to have BOTH ends of a train stop at
> nearly the same time.
>
> Karl
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Bored stiff? Loosen up...
Download and play hundreds of games for free on Yahoo! Games.
http://games.yahoo.com/games/front
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:CBQ-digest@yahoogroups.com
mailto:CBQ-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
CBQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|