How would you emulate a gravity drop? I get the sense it's setting the brakes on a cut of cars, uncoupling the engine and running it into a facing point siding, relining the switch and then letting the cars roll past so you can do a runaround without a runaround. Is that correct? (I overheard a 1:1 shortline railroader talking about doing gravity drops in a large industrial park.)
If you wanted badly enough to simulate it, you might use a "powered boxcar"; that is, a unit made to look like a boxcar that has a motor and powered wheels. One problem would be that at either the beginning or ending of the move, the "powered boxcar" would be on the opposite end of the train than the (visible) loco, and it might be difficult keeping the speed close enough not to derail cars.
That's one way of doing it. Also done by "Dutch Drop." Where the engine starts moving, the car(s) will be cut loose. The engine then speeds ahead and the switch is then lined so the car(s) will roll into the spur.
I would use air pressure, maybe a little blow gun on an air compressor to blow the cars down the track.
Then, of course ... there would be the problem of getting it to stop where you want, without crashing!
I guess I could just use the Giant Hand method. People uncouple cars with "telephone poles from the sky".
That's a gravity drop. I got to watch an SP switch crew do one up close. Reached the end of the branch, set the brakes, cut the engines off, let the brakes of enough the cars rolled down and set them again, then picked up the train with the engines on the other end. Years ago there was a modeler or club that built a working N scale hump yard that used tooth brush bristles in the track bed to act as friction to slow the cars down. If you have a somewhat down slope, that would work. Art
Is that sort of thing permitted these days? You guys can't even mount or dismount moving equipment anymore, right? So many changes ....
You You are right Hardcoaler. Seems as though they change the do's and don'ts on us every day. Kinda hard to keep up with at times.
A gravity drop is just that . A car is set out on a slight grade , the hand brake is set, the engine cut away and the air bled off. When the engine is in the clear and all switches lined the brakeman releases the handbrake and rides the car into the clear. When the car is clear the hand brake is reset and the crewman dismounts the car. NO getting on and off moving equipment but lots of walking. Randy
I would have to read the rule book again just to be sure. Now I have something to do while sitting and staring at a red signal for hours... Yeah, another example of extreme rules is the conductor cannot move when we are making a shoving or backing move. Either the train moves or he moves.
Does his mean that a locomotive has just enough power to move itself or the conductor, but not both. I thought conductors ran on internal power, refueled from a dinner pail or lineside beanery..... I was told this action was called a "flying switch" when I watched B&M crews do it back in the 1940's.
Flying switch involves the engine getting the cars moving- uncoupling from the cars- running the engine ahead at a higher speed into a siding or spur- lining the switch after the engine clears and letting the cars roll past. after the cars clear they are stopped by either hand brakes or opening the angle cock and dumping the air. after the cars stop the switch is relined and the engine is on the other end of the cars. If the cars happen to stop before they are in the clear you're screwed or if you happen to have a pole you can pole them into the clear.
My goodness. And you now must wear Hi-Vis vests too I'll bet. I don't work in the rail industry, but I must wear one and they're hot as heck in the sun. By the way, I love your avatar! The B&O's Colored Position Light signals remain a personal favorite and the photo you chose is awesome.
I'm surprised and disappointed that y'all haven't been issued open mesh vests made of a highly reflective cord that are more visible than older solid cloth vests? I believe I first saw them on Mississippi DOT personnel a year or so ago. They are like mirrors at night, and are very visible in daytime, even during dark overcast and rain. C'mon guys, Mississippi is always last in everything else (according to the media), so how can we be first with safety vests.....?
