Trains, Locomotive Consists, Crossed air hoses in Tales of the Jointed Track

This happened in my career. I inherited this one, and it could have been worse.

When Locomotive consists are made up for service, at a DSF ( Diesel Service Facility or the old vernacular the “Roundhouse”) a Locomotive air brake test is made. Why? you query? To make sure everything applies and releases, properly in the normal operation. If ya pick up one or more, on the road, everything works. Can it bite ya in the ass … YES. I’ll relate two tales, one I got on a crew change, one, returning from Castle Rock, and I’ll own up to that one.

The Locomotive Air Brake Test:

A simple thing. This is at the Round house, or on the road.

The MU Hoses are hooked up. The Trainline ( or Brakepipe ), to the Trainline. Main Reservoir to Main Reservoir, Actuating line to Actuating line, thats the “Bail off feature” locomotives only. Independent Application and Release line, to the Independent Application and Release line. This controls the Independent Brake valves for the entire consist.

You release the Independent, ensure the brakes release, and set them up again.

The Automatic Brake Valve, is now in play and a reduction is made. The independent is released. The brake cylinders are looked at. did they apply ? YES..then the next step.
NO, Well ya need to see the set up on the brake valves etc. The Automatic Brake valve is placed, into release. Did They all release.. Yes/NO go from there.

The Automatic Brake Valve, and another reduction is made. If they all set the brakes, the bail feature, on the independent is made. A WHOOSH of air, ( Hold 10 seconds per unit to make sure) and the set should release.. If not trouble shoot again.

If all passed great. You do this on the road.

OKAY the scenarios.. MY SIN First:
An Extra South.. four units and tonnage. We lose one, and cannot get it back on line. We stall around MP 26, just before ORSA Siding. The DS is contacted, and we are told there is a work train, with two units. Pick these up, leave the tonnage, get over the road. GREAT… I have a good crew, but impatient, so as a new engineer, I feel compromised. My fault, I cannot correct the problem. The rear end ties down, and we, run light and get two GP’s. These poor old bastards will get us over the top…LOL “NEW HOGGERS, DON’T FALL INTO THIS TRAP”.

We grabbed the two units, hooked up, cut out the brake valves. Okay I changed ends. Did I make an air test, NO I did not, due to pressure from the crew, the DS ( perceived, not told by them) , It was my fault, stupidity, but I am a young runner. All hoses are hooked up. We head back. Simple, couple up, set and release, we’re on our way. LOL

Yeah we hooked ‘em up, had a bad end cock for the independent application release line. It felt like it “locked” in. it slipped by. So I have two small GP’s, and 1500 tons of other Locomotives trailing. I get the car count, and nothing is happening. I can’t slow this any further. I yell, jump were hitting this. Yeah a 15 MPH joint, feet on the cab heater SAVE ME JESUS joint.

Well he is okay I am Okay, and embarrassed. We Made the Air test on the power, and found the defect. Okay THAT SANK IN. MAKE YOUR AIR TEST!!!! Never happened again, regardless of pressure.

Train C&S 77:
Okay 77, could be hot or a drag. NOW 151, yer gonna hi-ball it is 90% Coors Beer empties. The yard office speaker bellows, ” He’s at the South end, change out front”. Serious, it’s 77, something is going on. Go with it, a mainline crew change, and lets get home. The inbound rear-end crew states “4th Street, 20 cars”. The train is down to 5 mph, the swap is made and at 29th St we are at Throttle 8 and 37 mph and increasing.

This is a late winter, afternoon call. So, now it is getting dark. A RED OVER GREEN beckons at Bragdon Crossover. The set is made, and we’re pulling ‘em through. “All on the northbound, Hi-Ball” is given. The power get us to 60 mph, and a good trip in the making.

MP 95 …The 50 MPH curve,

It is dark now, all is good in 77 land. 60 MPH, and a 50 MPH curve. Simple throttle down, make a set, power brake it thru. This restriction sweeps to the right, and a good look over the trailing tonnage. I bail off the set and see Sparks..like major sparks, coming off the rear unit in the consist. Now, it goes away, I bail again, sparks… OOPS something isn’t right. LOL, this is with the same crew, I had with the same incident. Well ain’t happening again.

“We’re stopping due to sparking on the brakes”. “Okay” Upon inspection, the Independent Application release line and the Actuation Lines were crossed. So, when I bailed off the set, for the locomotives, 130 lbs main reservoir pressure, went to the brake cylinders on the last locomotive. HMMMM, wonder why the sparked?.. LOL

The Inbound C&S crew picked up this unit on-line. Reasons I don’t know, but did not do the Locomotive air brake test. Well, after stopping..there was some wheel damage, but a skid ring.. and no notable flat spots, where we had to set out. I got chided for reporting. I told ‘em, well you are not responsible for the power, and shut up. That went over well, but screw ‘em who cares. Like I don’t want to get over the road.

MAKE THAT AIR TEST…