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Hi, long time no see. I heard in American trains there are vigilance devices for train engineer including wrist-watch type stuff. Can you tell me about that and other things? I am working for South Korean railroads here in South Korea. I well expect your answer. Thank you.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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You might get a good answer from http://www.railroad.net. A lot of passenger and freight rail engineers are on that forum.
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I believe Mr. Lee was looking for something newer and more sophisticated (and perhaps for a different use) than a control-stand Alertor, but I have no idea what that might be.
Amtrak207 Member # 1307
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Always consider cupholders and coffee from the lounge or cafe car.
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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I was watching Modern Marvels on the History Channel awhile back when the topic was freight trains. An engineer explained there was a device designed to make sure the engineer was awake. It was prety simple. It just lit a light and made a beep or something every few minutes. If the engineer did not hit the reset button within a preset time (maybe 30 seconds), the train would automatically come to a stop. Sort of a snooze alarm but with the opposite intent.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Mr, Toy, I believe that was the Alertor described on Modern Marvels.
Another device to keep the engineer awake seems to be the conductor. Every few minutes he picks up his radio and barks, "Highball Norden!" (or wherever the train happpens to be). At least that was the impression I got while traveling with a couple of conductors for a book. They might just have been putting me on.
Lee, Wonyoung Member # 2464
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I heard that in American trains train engineers have wrist-watch type stuff to keep them alert. It cost 25 dollars, I heard. Am I wrong? In South Korea we have similar type of stuff Mr.Toy mentioned. We have two types in KTX, TGV-type bullet train. If you don't press the button for 2.5 seconds, the train will buzz for 2.5 secs and will stop automatically. Another type is if you touch the steering device for 55 secs, the train will buzz for 5 secs and the train will stop automatically. But some train engineers have a trick to beat it. So I am looking for new device for making alert.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Again, Mr. Lee, go to www.railroad.net, where a lot of American engineers hang out. You will get an answer there.
You might also ask them if it's still a common practice to wedge a piece of wood or a coin under the locomotive brake lever to disable it. A number of engineers (not only Amtrakers but also freight) told me 15 years ago they had done this because the engine brake was too loud and too close to their ears. Of course the train brakes were more than sufficient to slow or stop a train, but this practice WAS a neutralization of a piece of safety equipment. I suspect the newer locomotives don't have this noise problem.
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