Rare Equipment Sightings
Apr. 19th, 2019 09:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kevin_standleeA caboose was once an integral part of a railroad train, in that in many cases, the collection of cars was not actually a "train" unless it had a caboose carrying markers (lights marking the end of the train). Changes in technology, including rear-end devices allowing the engineer to operate the brakes from the head end and to tell whether rear of the train is moving, as well as remotely controlled locomotives cut in at the rear (or sometimes part-way along), made most railroad cabooses (which went by different names on different railroads) obsolete. But they still turn up occasionally, including yesterday.
A Union Pacific local rolled through yesterday with a caboose on the rear. I assume this was to make it easier to do long back-up moves while switching local industries. This would allow the conductor to stand on the rear platform of the caboose rather than having to hang off the rear car of the train while the train backs up.
Another piece of non-revenue equipment has been in the area lately as Union Pacific reinvests in its track.
A rail train has been operating in the area for the past few days. Yesterday, they were unloading quarter-mile-long lengths of rail along Fernley siding. Other crews will come along later and begin replacing the existing rails, welding the replacement rails together to form continuous welded rail.
I didn't realize the maintenance crews were actually dropping rails off outside yesterday, or I would have shot some video as well. By the time I realized what was happening, the crew was getting ready to quit for the day and tie up their train for the night. The UP dispatcher spent a lot of yesterday trying to thread other trains around the maintenance crews as they did their necessary work.
A Union Pacific local rolled through yesterday with a caboose on the rear. I assume this was to make it easier to do long back-up moves while switching local industries. This would allow the conductor to stand on the rear platform of the caboose rather than having to hang off the rear car of the train while the train backs up.
Another piece of non-revenue equipment has been in the area lately as Union Pacific reinvests in its track.
A rail train has been operating in the area for the past few days. Yesterday, they were unloading quarter-mile-long lengths of rail along Fernley siding. Other crews will come along later and begin replacing the existing rails, welding the replacement rails together to form continuous welded rail.
I didn't realize the maintenance crews were actually dropping rails off outside yesterday, or I would have shot some video as well. By the time I realized what was happening, the crew was getting ready to quit for the day and tie up their train for the night. The UP dispatcher spent a lot of yesterday trying to thread other trains around the maintenance crews as they did their necessary work.
